Black by Popular Demand
A stunning graphic novel memoir about growing up with an incarcerated parent, and more!
We’re here in the special month of September to celebrate and uplift the National Hispanic Heritage Month! A month is never long enough. Please support Duende District and many more Latine/Latinx-owned bookstores!
Happy Reading!
Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison -- And How We Stayed Connected
" ...Your dad is coming back home."
As far back as nine-year-old Jay Jay Patton can remember, her dad, Antoine has been in prison. Growing up in Buffalo, New York with her mom and younger brother, she's only been to visit him twice. Instead, the two have sent each other numerous letters -- Jay Jay's letters can take weeks or months to reach her dad, and some never even get delivered. What's it going to be like having Dad home?
This powerful coming-of-age graphic novel memoir tells Jay Jay Patton's life of growing up with a dad in -- and out of -- prison. How she and her dad were able to develop a powerful father/daughter bond and create Photo Patch -- a life-changing application that connects children to incarcerated parents. Because no child should have to grow up unable to engage with their parents. As Jay Jay says: "it's not a privilege for a kid to be able to talk to their parent. It's a right."
(Graphic Novel)
At the Edge of a Leaf
Step into a world of wonder in At the Edge of a Leaf, a charming story set under the gentle moonlight in Grandma's backyard. Follow Mia, a lively little girl, as she meets a glowing firefly, she lovingly names Glow. The two embark on a whimsical adventure, twirling and playing in the soft night air.
Perfect for children aged 3 to 5 years, this beautifully illustrated book captures the magic of new friendships and the joy of nighttime discoveries. With rhythmic text and vibrant images, At the Edge of a Leaf is an ideal read-aloud for bedtime or any time.
Bring home this enchanting story today, and let the adventure begin!
(Children’s)
White Boy/Black Girl: What Our Differences Can Teach Us, One Honest Conversation at a Time
Adaeze and Chad--two different people, two different backgrounds--both brought a lot of baggage into their relationship. Adaeze, a black Nigerian American woman who has lived with racism and discrimination her entire life. Chad, a white man with a family from the South who mostly grew up in white spaces. Determined to learn to communicate honestly and effectively, they stepped into tough conversations about their differences. Walls came down and Adaeze and Chad discovered the trust and respect they could have in and for each other. White Boy/Black Girl is an open-handed invitation from Adaeze and Chad to learn:
Why trying to be the "perfect" Black or white person can't be the goal
How to attempt to get it right when you're terrified of getting it wrong
What to do when you're feeling uncomfortable, defensive, or misunderstood
That repair is possible even when you've flat-out stepped in it
The importance of surrendering our pain and prejudice to the redemptive work of Jesus
Adaeze and Chad provide a safe space for us to eavesdrop on some of the most vulnerable conversations they've had about their differences. Their candid and honest back and forth gives us common, usable language to meet each other where we're at. The path to empathy and understanding isn't easy--but they promise you, it's always worth it.
(Nonfiction)
Sideshow: Living with Loss and Moving Forward with Faith
Comedian Rickey Smiley has dealt with these immensely difficult questions for years--first with his father, then with his son. Both battled drug addictions. Both died from overdoses. Both left Rickey weary and wounded.
Far from healed, Rickey has learned how to find moments of peace. He's practicing how to hold the good with the grief, the past gifts with the present heartache, the hope with the hurt. It's the "sideshow" he's living. It's anything but a smooth path, but he's on it, and he's moving forward. And he invites you to come with him.
Join a fellow hurting soul as he sits with his trauma, leans into therapy, and relies heavily on his faith and Scripture, which give him solace and strength. Rickey and his story will help you:
Feel seen and know you are not alone
Process your pain and manage weariness and grief
Invite God's strength into your weakness
Find a way forward and move toward peace
Our pain may take hold of us in ways that are crippling, out of nowhere, and impossible to control. But there is One who can hold us tighter and keep us grounded, who gives the gift of peace that goes beyond understanding and guides us through each day.
(Nonfiction)
Fortunes & Frenemies (Wildseed Witch Book 3)
In the past year, Hasani has learned she's a witch, been accepted by Les Belles Demoiselles, and formed her own coven--and her YouTube followers for her makeup channel are growing every day. Now that she's in eighth grade, she's ready to rule the school with all her witch powers and best friends by her side.
But frenemy LaToya is still at Riverbend Middle causing trouble, both magically and socially. LaToya's determined to befriend every single possible witch at school (and turn them against Hasani), and Hasani can't help but wonder if she's got another scheme going. Witches aren't supposed to interfere in each others' business--but what if LaToya is going to hurt someone? Or herself? Hasani and her friends Dee, Angelique, and Luz have to figure out for themselves when it's right to let things lie--and when it's their responsibility to stand up for their community.
(Middle Grade)
