Little Free Library has introduced a new interactive map on its website, showcasing the locations of its free libraries across the U.S. and highlighting the prevalence of book bans in each state. This tool enables users to quickly find nearby Little Free Libraries—those small, outdoor, take-a-book-leave-a-book boxes—particularly in regions facing
In Helen Phillips’ dystopian novel Hum, AI-based robots known as “hums” have made many of today’s jobs obsolete. We follow May as she loses her own job to artificial intelligence and, in desperate measures to pay off her family’s debt, becomes a guinea pig in an experiment that alters her
This winter, a novel from the late literary genius Zora Neale Hurston will be released for the first time on January 7th to coincide with Hurston’s 134th birthday. Titled The Life of Herod The Great, the manuscript was unfinished at the time of the author’s death. It’s a biblical epic
Thomas Prince Cree McEntyre’s newly released non-fiction book, “Once Upon a Time in the Projects: The Lost and Found,” explores the concealed truths of low-income housing “Projects.” In the United States, there are over one million low-income housing projects, with New York City leading the pack with more than 180,000
Mychal Threets, known as Mychal the Librarian, has captivated social media with his passion for books and libraries, aiming to reignite a love for reading in everyone. In a serendipitous twist, Threets has joined forces with one of his beloved PBS characters, fostering excitement for learning once again. Now 34,
Gwendolyn Wallace’s children’s book Joy Takes Root is a thoughtful and beautiful ode to the natural world. It follows Joy, a young black girl, as she learns about herbal medicine and mindfulness through her grandmother’s wisdom passed down through generations. The synopsis reads: “It’s Joy’s first summer in her grandmother’s
In her latest book, “Imagine Freedom: Transforming Pain into Political and Spiritual Power,” esteemed journalist Rahiel Tesfamariam delves into the strategies available to Black Americans for advocating social justice while avoiding burnout, anxiety, and depression. Tesfamariam shared with ESSENCE that the idea of writing a book had been simmering within
Throughout the country, the recent surge in bans targeting Black children’s books has raised significant concerns, but these bans cannot extinguish the resilience of communities. The approaching third annual Black Children’s Book Week, set to kick off on February 25th, represents a global movement uniting participants from Canada, Ghana, Austria,
To celebrate James Baldwin’s 100th birthday, Penguin Classics has unveiled a series of new releases and partnered with the Hay Festival. The year-long tribute to Baldwin’s legacy began with the launch of Penguin Classics’ “On the Road” podcast episode, which is hosted by Henry Eliot and centers on Baldwin’s novel
