Bright Before Us, Like a Flame: Igniting a New Generation of Writers
Bright Before Us, Like a Flame: Igniting a New Generation of Writers
Foreword by Elizabeth Acevedo. Edited by Sasa Aakil and Kathy Crutcher.
by the Young Writers of Shout Mouse Press
For ten years, Shout Mouse Press has championed the voices of young writers, publishing their authentic and necessary stories. Now, this landmark anthology of youth writing celebrates a decade of storytelling—and invites readers to pick up their pens and write the path ahead.
Spanning memoir, poetry, fiction, comics, and children’s literature, Bright Before Us, Like a Flame is more than a retrospective—it’s a creative writing resource and a call to action. Taking its title from Langston Hughes’ poem “Youth,” this collection ignites both hope for the future and the power to shape it. Through stories of immigration, identity, social justice, and resilience, young authors confront today’s most urgent topics with insight and empathy. Their words challenge, inspire, and invite readers to add their own voices to the conversation.
What’s Inside:
✅ A diverse collection of youth-authored memoirs, poetry, fiction, comics, and children’s literature, featuring underrepresented voices.
✅ Creative writing prompts and behind-the-scenes insights to inspire students and emerging writers to tell their own stories.
✅ Intergenerational conversations with award-winning guest authors, exploring the role of storytelling in social change.
✅ Discussion questions for middle and high school classrooms, book clubs, and creative writing workshops.
At a time of uncertainty and urgent global challenges, these young authors remind us: Words have power. Stories create change. And the future is yours to write.
Perfect for:
📖 Aspiring young writers looking for inspiration, mentorship, and creative guidance.
🎓 Educators and librarians seeking an engaging, diverse, and inclusive classroom writing resource for middle and high school students.
🎁 Readers who believe in the power of storytelling to spark dialogue and transform communities.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-82-6
Age: 12+
Page Count: 304
Companion Site
Writing Contest
Get the Set
Books Excerpted in this Book
This anthology contains powerful pieces from the books below. Get them all in the Bright Before Us Inspiration Set
During the summer of 2023, ten young people from AALEAD came together to create this zine centering Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) stories. In collaboration with Shout Mouse Press story coaches and professional comics artists, they drew and wrote comics centering AAPI identities in diverse, authentic, accessible ways that affirm other AAPI young people, increase understanding, and foster an inclusive next generation.
Free download! Add to cart and checkout to download and print the zine. Educators are encouraged to print and share with your students!
Authors: Luisa Orellana-Castillo, Brizel Martinez Cruz, Camila Melany De la Luz Villegas
Illustrator: Romeo Montero
Amidst changes in a gentrifying neighborhood, a young girl must overcome her fears in order to fight for her community and her aunt’s memory in this heart-warming bilingual children’s book.
En medio de los cambios que atraviesa un vecindario en proceso de gentrificación, una niña debe superar sus miedos para poder luchar por su comunidad y por la memoria de su tía en este conmovedor libro infantil bilingüe.
Written by first-generation Latinx teens, this bilingual book – told in Spanish and English – follows Belinda, a young girl of Mexican and Salvadoran heritage who once loved to sing. But ever since her aunt’s death, Belinda has been afraid to use her voice. When a new owner decides to paint over the mural that was created to honor her aunt, Belinda rallies the entire community together to stop it. Can Belinda lead her community and lift her voice to save Tía’s mural? From the shy reader to the young activist, this endearing story uplifts our future leaders.
Esta historia bilingüe –contada en español e inglés—, escrita por adolescentes latinos de primera generación, narra la historia de Belinda, una niña de ascendencia mexicana y salvadoreña a quien le fascinaba cantar. Desde la muerte de su tía, Belinda siente temor a usar su voz. Cuando un nuevo propietario decide tapar con pintura un mural que se creó en honor a su tía, Belinda congrega a toda la comunidad para detenerlo. ¿Podrá Belinda liderar a su comunidad y elevar su voz para salvar el mural de su tía? Esta adorable historia alienta a nuestros futuros líderes, desde los lectores tímidos hasta los pequeños activistas.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-64-2
Age: 4-9
Page Count: 40
Publication Date: Oct 2023
“Poignant and powerful . . . the students write with fresh power about loss, about the failures of the system around them, and how to decide when, how and where they should speak out.” —Publishers Weekly
“Our young people are asking that we sit with them, that we listen to them, and that we see their lives in all of their complexity. The stories in What It Cost Us must be read. They must be remembered." —Clint Smith, author of How the Word is Passed: Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
“Authentic and sincere.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A momentous account of a time we must remember.” —Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of The Secret Battle of Evan Pao
Foreword by Candice Iloh
In this collaborative novel, ten diverse young writers from Washington, DC recreate the historic year 2020 from their perspectives, through fictional stories inspired by their own lived experiences. Told chronologically from the onset of the pandemic to the insurrection of January 6th, their stories of change and resilience are accompanied by maps, social media, original artwork, and real-life headlines to create an immersive experience of an unprecedented coming of age.
You’ll meet Faiza, a Muslim high school student, who struggles to celebrate Ramadan during the worst of the COVID-19 shutdowns. You’ll protest with Roman, the only Black student in his class, whose relationships are challenged in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. You’ll face the fraught 2020 election with Dennis, a young Nigerian immigrant, as he questions a democracy that seems to count him out.
By examining the shards of this shattered year, these authors explore “what it cost us” through stories that both acknowledge loss and celebrate what got us through.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-55-0
Age: 12+
Lexile: 780L
Page Count: 329
Published: Spring 2023
Authors: Tayla, Sarah & Sholachauntel
Illustrator: Jordyn Flood
Learn the days of the week with Sebastian and meet his extended family of neighbors!
On Mondays, Sebastian reads poetry with Mr. and Mrs. Howe. On Tuesdays, he plays with parrots at the Iveys! While his mom is at school, Sebastian spends each day at a different home in his apartment building. What happens the rest of the week as he plays the days away? This rhyming book, written by student parents, celebrates the power of community coming together to help raise a child.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-52-9
Age: 1-3
Lexile: AD450L
Format: Board Book
Page Count: 26
Originally Published: Nov 15, 2022
Authors: Tseganesh Chala, Joy Ugwu
Illustrator: Joy Ingram
In Joy-Grace and the Dress Dilemma, authors Joy and Tseganesh wanted to write a book about the challenges--and the beauty!--of having a multicultural identity. Joy-Grace is a fashionista, and this week is her school’s culture day. She wants to bring in a garment to reflect her background, but there’s only one problem: her family is from Nigeria, Jamaica, AND Ethiopia! Will Joy-Grace be able to find the perfect dress to celebrate all of who she is in time for culture day?
En Joy-Grace y el dilema del vestido, las autoras Joy y Tseganesh quisieron escribir un libro sobre las dificultades —y la belleza— de tener una identidad multicultural. Joy-Grace es una fashionista, y esta semana es el día de la cultura en su escuela. Quiere llevar un vestido que refleje sus raíces, pero solo hay un problema: su familia es de Nigeria, Jamaica y Etiopía. ¿Podrá Joy-Grace encontrar el vestido perfecto a tiempo para celebrar todas sus culturas?
ISBN: 978-1-950807-39-0
Age: 4-9
Lexile: AD570L
Page Count: 40
Published: Fall 2021
By Chase, Kevin, Khalil, and Josiah of Beacon House
Over the course of a historic year characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, and widespread social reckoning, four Black middle school boys from Beacon House in Washington, DC came together virtually, to dream. Pushing up against the hardship of current events, these new authors decided to create a collection of imaginative stories that share messages they believe the world needs to hear today about resilience, self-expression, and staying true to your dreams.
In this collection, you will meet Kobe, a teenage basketball player grappling with the death of his role model; Zim, a sword-wielding orphan on a quest to save his grandmother’s life; Ava, a cyborg girl who just wants to be normal; and Brandon, a boy struggling to choose between his passion and his family. This motley crew of heroes all learn to decipher their changing worlds, carrying with them necessary guidance for readers on how they can process their own. Artfully illustrated, and written in both poetry and prose, this book has something for every type of reader.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-37-6
Age: 9+
Lexile: 590L
Page Count: 120
Published: Fall 2021
by London, Riley, and Shirelle of Reach Incorporated
Aaron is outgoing and funny and a whiz at kickball. He’s also compassionate and kind, reading books at the old folks home down H street. Basically, he’s pretty great. But he’s got a problem: everyone calls him a Crybaby.
When his friends cheat at Forknife, he cries out of anger.
When he sees his friend Tayshawn hurt a neighborhood dog, he cries out of empathy.
And when misses his oldest brother, Sage, who’s away at college, he cries out of loneliness.
His dad, his friends, and his classmates tell him to “Leave that crying for the girls.”
How can Aaron learn to value his feelings and nurture his sensitivity in a world telling him to “Man up”?
Want all four titles from this year’s amazing Reach Incorporated authors? Buy the set!
Man Up! is included in the DC Kids Book Gift Set!
ISBN: 978-1-950807-05-5
Age: 4-9
Lexile: 510L
Page Count: 38
Published: Fall 2019
by the teen artists and writers of Next Wave Muslim Initiative
With a foreword by award-winning author Hena Khan
“Captivating and uplifting.” — Starred review in Kirkus Reviews + named a Best Book of 2019
“Get it soon… It would be difficult to ignore or forget these voices.” — Rich in Color Reviews
Included on the “2020 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List for Ages 0-18”
During an era characterized by both hijabi fashion models and enduring post-9/11 stereotypes, ten Muslim American teenagers came together to explore what it means to be young and Muslim in America today. These teens represent the tremendous diversity within the American Muslim community, and their book, like them, contains multitudes. Bilal writes about being a Muslim rocker. Noor reflects about speaking in multiple tongues. Samaa creates her own cartoon Kabob Squad. Ayah responds to online hate. Through poems, essays, artwork, and stories, these young people aim to show their true selves, to build connection, and to create more inclusive and welcoming communities for all.
ISBN: 978-1945434938
Age: 12+
Lexile: 830L
Page Count: 192
Published: 2019
by the Latino Youth Leadership Council of LAYC
With a foreword by Newbery Medal-winning author Meg Medina
Winner of the 2019 'In the Margins' Top Nonfiction award and 2020 International Latino Book Awards
“Spotlighting underrepresented voices, this work is highly recommended for all communities in their efforts to promote empathetic, inclusive discussions around immigration.” — Starred review in School Library Journal!
"Enlightening and inspiring #ownvoices accounts by young activists." – Kirkus Review.
During a time of heated immigration debate and unrest, this book is an opportunity to hear directly from youth who are often in the headlines but whose stories don’t get told in full. Sixteen young people from the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) in Washington, D.C. came together to tell their own stories of immigration and transformation in comics form. The result is this side-by-side bilingual collection of graphic memoirs that not only builds connections across language, but also breaks down barriers and expands hope.
***
En tiempos de inquietud y acalorados debates sobre la inmigración, este libro representa una oportunidad para escuchar directamente a los jóvenes quienes suelen ocupar los titulares en la prensa, pero cuyas historias no se alcanzan a narrar por completo. Dieciséis jóvenes del Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) en Washington, D.C. se unieron para contar sus propias historias de inmigración y de transformación en formato de cómic. El resultado es esta colección de memorias gráficas bilingüe, que no sólo construye conexiones entre los idiomas, sino que también elimina barreras y abre un espacio a la esperanza.
ISBN: 978-1945434921
Age: 12+
Lexile: 720L
Page Count: 320
Published: 2018
By the Teen Writers of Beacon House
2017 INDIES Winner for Young Author (17 and Under)
2018 Top Fiction Winner - In the Margins Book Awards
Named "10 Books to Read After The Hate U Give" by School Library Journal.
Meet Tajon.
Tajon is sixteen and black. He's tall and skinny, and he has dreadlocks. Tajon works hard and tries his best to be good. He does O.K. in school. He has plans. He's determined.
Tajon is the kind of son who cares about his family. He's the kind of brother who stands up for his sister. He's the kind of kid who dreams big dreams to get himself and those he loves up and out of the hood.
Tajon is the one who gets shot.
ISBN: 978-0996927451
Age: 12+
Lexile: HL600L
Page Count: 230
Published: 2017
2015 INDIEFAB Finalist: YA Nonfiction Book of the Year
2015 INDIEFAB Finalist: Child Author Book of the Year
Proceeds from book sales go to a Ballou HS scholarship fund and to empower new authors.
Through the course of a historic year of civil unrest and the emergence of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, thirty teen writers from Frank W. Ballou High School in Washington, DC came together to take part in this national conversation about race, inequality, violence, and justice. Through their powerful, personal stories these writers intend to Change the Narrative about youth of color. We are not thugs, they say. We are not victims. We are big sisters and sports stars, academic strivers and everyday heroes. We speak out for justice. We dream big dreams. These writers want more for themselves, more for their community, more for their generation. And they are challenging their readers to listen, and to recognize in each story a common humanity worthy of dignity, support, and respect. This riot of voices must be heard.
ISBN: 978-0692455388
Age: 12+
Lexile: 820L
Page Count: 88
Published: 2015
Proceeds from book sales go to a Ballou HS scholarship fund and to empower new authors.
"Your Story Is Your Strength." This is the mantra that emerged from a six-month writing project at Ballou High School in Washington, DC, in which eleven dedicated freshmen and six determined seniors told their stories of ambition and struggle in what came to be known as The Ballou Story Project. Together their poignant, powerful voices come together to tell a collective story of How To Grow Up Like Me, a kind of instruction manual for determination, grit, and daily acts of hope and courage.
ISBN: 978-0692309568
Age: 12+
Lexile: 770L
Page Count: 88
Published: 2014
Meet the Authors
Nora (she/her) is a 22-year-old Black artist, storyteller and changer-maker from Greenville, South Carolina.
Duy was 16-year-old when he wrote his comic. His family immigrated from Vietnam. In his free time, he likes to write poetry and feed birds in Rock Creek Park.
I am a high school student in Washington, DC and a first-generation Mexican-American. I have a big family: four brothers, one sister, four amazing parents—my mom and step-dad and my dad and step-mom—three cats, and a husky. I like music and sports.
I am a 15-year-old girl from Washington, DC, currently in the 9th grade. My mother is from El Salvador, and my father is from Bolivia.
I am 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. I am also a first-generation American with Mexican parents, a little sister, and an adorable little dog.
Tayla is a recent graduate of Trinity Washington University and the mother of two beautiful daughters, Madison and Chloe. She was raised alongside her two brothers, Tyler and Treavon, by her grandparents, Jeanette and Bennie. They impressed upon her the importance of community love, and she wanted to share that in her first children’s book.
Sholachauntel is a recent graduate of Trinity Washington University and the mother of a 4-year-old boy named Sebastian. She is a Washington, DC native and is currently pursuing a masters in Black Studies at Morgan State University. This is her first book. Shola wrote this book to depict the early years of being a teen mother, raising her son with the help of her community.
Growing up in a predominantly African-American community in Washington, DC, Sarah understands the importance of having the support of a village. She was raised by an extended family of neighbors, teachers, and friends of the family.
Joy is a 23-year-old Nigerian American from the small suburb of Lithonia, GA, just outside of Atlanta.
Tseganesh wrote Joy-Grace and the Dress Dilemma as a senior at Theodore Roosevelt High School. She is Ethiopian and moved to the United States when she was 16.
My name is Chase and I wrote “Hoops and Hopes.” I live in Washington, DC and go to DC Prep. In my free time, I like to play basketball. I also really enjoy riding my bike, playing video games, and writing, although I am still getting used to doing it on a computer. (I have very nice handwriting.) When I grow up, I would like to be a civil engineer. People should read my story because I believe that during these times people should read more about young Black men. Also I believe that my story contains messages that are amusing, powerful, and useful.
Shirelle was a seventeen-year-old junior at Dunbar High School when she wrote Man Up!. She likes to explore and go places like museums and the National Harbor. She also likes to watch Netflix and eat snacks. She hopes readers will understand that it’s OK for boys to show their emotions.
London (he/they) is a 21-year-old Black activist and queer poet from Washington, DC. Stubborn Roots is London’s second book with Shout Mouse Press. He is also the author of the Shout Mouse’s children’s title Man Up!
Riley was a student at Ballou Senior High School when she wrote her books. She likes to do artistic things, travel, and listen to music. She wrote Man Up because toxic masculinity is a topic that isn’t talked about, but is a major problem in our society. She hopes readers understand that gender is a social construct — you can be whoever you want to be. She wrote Diarou’s Not So Different because everyone deserves to be heard, and there’s a place for everyone in the world everywhere!
Salihah “Sasa” Aakil was a sophomore in high school in Silver Spring, Maryland when she wrote I am the Night Sky. She enjoys writing, painting, doing pottery, and talking to people. She likes hunting down stories, asking people about their experiences, and creating art after them: sometimes for healing, sometimes for remembering, sometimes for rebellion.
Iman was a freshman in high school when she wrote her first book I am the Night Sky. She was 18 when she wrote What It Cost Us. She’s currently a student at the University of Pennsylvania, studying International Relations and exploring the great Philly food scene. After she graduates, she would love to be a diplomat living in DC and working at the State Department.
Ayonna is from Southeast DC. She has been playing basketball her whole life and wants to continue her journey in college. Her inspiration is LeBron James. She plans on going to a four-year university and double-majoring in math and sports management. It's challenging for her to communicate about personal issues, but she's overcoming that fear.
Erminia was a senior in high school in Washington, DC when she wrote Voces Sin Fronteras. She is from El Salvador. She participates in a lot of leadership programs. In the future, she would like to be an immigration lawyer.
Erminia era en el último año de la escuela secundaria en Washington, DC cuando escribía Voces Sin Fronteras. Ella es de el Salvador. Ella participa mucho en programas de liderazgo. En el futuro, le gustaría ser una abogada de inmigración.
Carl was born in 1998 on December 13. He is a very outgoing, open-minded person, and he loves to play sports and travel. He loves writing and using what he knows to make people proud. He views life and the world from a different perspective from everyone else.
My name is Najae Purvis (she/her). I was in middle school when I wrote my first book with Shout Mouse Press. I am currently a freshman in college studying engineering and am working on getting business registrations for multiple ventures. I plan on being a licensed architect, realtor, and entrepreneur. In my free time, I like to do creative projects like art, fashion, and design.
T’Asia was in middle school when she wrote her first book The Day Tajon Got Shot and was 18 when she wrote What It Cost US. She is a graduate of Benjamin Banneker High School and is currently working and trying to reinvent my clothing business. When she’s older, she would like to be in the art field, working in fashion, painting, drawing, and modeling. She wants readers to know that when things get hard, you can still persevere and find things that make you happy so that you can keep pushing.
Temil is an outgoing young lady who attended Dunbar HS when she authored her books. Temil is likes to run track and to cheer. She is intelligent and athletic. Her favorite subject is math. She likes to write action and drama. Temil wrote her first book with Shout Mouse, Trinitoga, in seventh grade. She was in ninth grade when she wrote The Day Tajon Got Shot, and in tenth grade when she wrote Spanky the Pup: All Dogs Must Go.
Recognition & Impact
"A symphony of voices compelling the reader to listen to the next generation." — Amina Luqman-Dawson, Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award Winning Author of Freewater
"Deeply uplifting, empowering, and poignant, Bright Before Us, Like a Flame is the book I wish I had as a teen. With excellent writing prompts and passionate stories of pain, resilience and hope, this book is a call to arms for marginalized youth everywhere to write what feels true to their heart, and will inspire teen writers for generations to come." — Ebony LaDelle, author of Love Radio
“Heart, truth, and light radiate throughout the pages of Bright Before Us, Like a Flame. The stories are honest and unapologetic, unafraid to be exactly what they need to be and say all they need to say. These stories are witnesses to the authors' truths, imaginations, and experiences, shining light on the many facets—both heart-wrenching and joy-filled—that make up their lives.” — Leah Henderson, author of The Courage of the Little Hummingbird
“A lovingly curated collection of art and writing to inspire even the weariest hearts.” —Wendy Shang, author of The Secret Battle of Evan Pao
“This collection is as unique and special as Shout Mouse Press itself, and a gorgeous celebration of a decade of storytelling excellence. In its pages you’ll find a showcase of poetry, comics, illustrations, essays, and stories written by young people—plus an insider look into the creative process, advice from seasoned experts, writing prompts, and more. An inspiring choice for young readers, and anyone searching for a creative spark to share their story.” — Hena Khan, Asian/Pacific American Award-winning author of Amina’s Song
"This book is a gift! Bright Before Us Like a Flame is a celebration of the autonomy of youth. The anthology serves as both an examination of young people’s interior lives and an invitation to readers interested in knowing the awe of self-expression." — #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds
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Available for preorder — product will ship Oct 27 2026
By the young writers of Shout Mouse Press
"The poems and essays in Stubborn Roots have changed me in ways I was unprepared for. The profundity of their observations of the world, and of themselves, left me in awe. This is a special book filled with special writers." —Clint Smith, author of How the Word is Passed
This powerful anthology illuminates today’s activist experience through the poetry and essays of our most vital and essential youth.
Through compelling poetry, 18 young writers of color plant their resistance in the soil of our uncertain future. They tackle disparities across lines of gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, ableism and fatphobia, immigration and the environment, and more. Their poems are accompanied by portraits of each poet (by cover artist Sobia Ahmad) along with first-person essays on what liberation means to them.
Diverse voices and styles shine throughout Stubborn Roots, providing personal and cultural context to ongoing conversations about change in the United States. Tender and green, vulnerable and wondrous, this singular book of poems serves as an urgent call to the transformative power of art and is a must-have for young readers looking to develop their connection to social justice.
Foreword by Camonghne Felix, author of Let the Poets Govern.
ISBN: 9781950807901
Age: 12+
Page Count: 220
Coming Fall 2026
By the Young Poets of DC SCORES
TAKE A WALK BETWEEN THE WARDS WITH DC SCORES
Passing the Mic: Building a Poet-Athlete City represents thirty years of poetry from the poet-athletes of DC SCORES. For the last three decades, through soccer, poetry, and service, these young people have made their marks on history, claimed their power, and brought to bear their visions for improving this city’s future. This book honors their pain, celebrates their joy, and crystallizes the many ways in which they grew, both on the field and on the page.
Afterword by poet, activist, and avid soccer player Clint Smith.
“This is a treasure trove of knowledge that I hope everybody will pick up.”
—Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit & US Women's National Team
“I hope folks will pick up this book and learn from these poet-athletes, and support them for the next 30 years and beyond.”
—Ben Olsen, former D.C. United coach and player
“These poems are a beautiful portrait of a city seen through the eyes of its young people.”
—Julie Kennedy, founder of DC SCORES
"It has been a tremendous privilege to witness firsthand the impact DC SCORES has had in our community."
—Briana Scurry, legendary US Women's National Team Goalkeeper
ISBN: 978-1-950807-84-0
Age: 12+
Page Count: 118
Published: 2025
By the young writers of Shout Mouse Press
“…a balm for loneliness and validation amid an increasingly hostile political climate for LGBTQ+ Americans…” —Booklife
“The Light Looks Like Me is meaningful, moving, and often surprising as it explores different experiences of queer love.”—IndieReader
“Powerful, affirming, and important reading for young people and the adults in their lives.”—Kirkus Reviews
Amidst a fraught regime where assaults on queer and trans rights are leveraged for political clout, the voices of queer youth are more important than ever. In this anthology, 28 DC-area writers aged 13-24 share their thoughts, feelings and vulnerability through poems, stories, comics, and art exploring love in all its forms. Running the gamut from self-love, to romance, and the love they show to their family, friends, and community, their work will resonate with readers of all ages. With authors representing varied sexualities and gender identities, as well as diverse ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, this tender anthology offers hope and validation to queer young people and cultivates greater understanding in supportive allies. Foreword by award-winning YA author Malinda Lo.
This project was created in partnership with The DC Center for the LGBT Community, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, SMYAL, and Split This Rock.
Educational Curriculum Available:
Discussion Guide created by nelle mills
Zine Workbook created by nelle mills
ISBN: 9781950807833
Age: 12+
Page Count: 192
Published: 2025
By Chase, Kevin, Khalil, and Josiah of Beacon House
Over the course of a historic year characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, and widespread social reckoning, four Black middle school boys from Beacon House in Washington, DC came together virtually, to dream. Pushing up against the hardship of current events, these new authors decided to create a collection of imaginative stories that share messages they believe the world needs to hear today about resilience, self-expression, and staying true to your dreams.
In this collection, you will meet Kobe, a teenage basketball player grappling with the death of his role model; Zim, a sword-wielding orphan on a quest to save his grandmother’s life; Ava, a cyborg girl who just wants to be normal; and Brandon, a boy struggling to choose between his passion and his family. This motley crew of heroes all learn to decipher their changing worlds, carrying with them necessary guidance for readers on how they can process their own. Artfully illustrated, and written in both poetry and prose, this book has something for every type of reader.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-37-6
Age: 9+
Lexile: 590L
Page Count: 120
Published: Fall 2021
Voices on Youth Incarceration
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Foreword Indies Finalist
Independent Press Award Winner
“A powerful, devastating, essential read” - Starred review in Kirkus Reviews
When You Hear Me (You Hear Us) is an anthology of poetry and personal stories centering the voices of those directly impacted by the incarceration of young people in the United States. Compiled by Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop, this rich collection includes firsthand accounts from both the young people charged and incarcerated in the adult criminal legal system and from the community at large: the mothers, the loved ones, the correctional staff, public defenders, prosecutors, and others harmed and left with unhealed trauma. These critical voices, uniquely combined, illustrate the ecosystem that surrounds youth who are incarcerated--and expose the ripple effects that touch us all. This book challenges us to hear these voices calling out for accountability, transformative justice, and healing. Together, they demonstrate the collective impact of the prison system, and our collective responsibility to create a society where every one of us can thrive.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-34-5
Age: 12+
Page Count: 288
Published: Fall 2021
By the young writers of Shout Mouse Press
“…a balm for loneliness and validation amid an increasingly hostile political climate for LGBTQ+ Americans…” —Booklife
“The Light Looks Like Me is meaningful, moving, and often surprising as it explores different experiences of queer love.”—IndieReader
“Powerful, affirming, and important reading for young people and the adults in their lives.”—Kirkus Reviews
Amidst a fraught regime where assaults on queer and trans rights are leveraged for political clout, the voices of queer youth are more important than ever. In this anthology, 28 DC-area writers aged 13-24 share their thoughts, feelings and vulnerability through poems, stories, comics, and art exploring love in all its forms. Running the gamut from self-love, to romance, and the love they show to their family, friends, and community, their work will resonate with readers of all ages. With authors representing varied sexualities and gender identities, as well as diverse ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, this tender anthology offers hope and validation to queer young people and cultivates greater understanding in supportive allies. Foreword by award-winning YA author Malinda Lo.
This project was created in partnership with The DC Center for the LGBT Community, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, SMYAL, and Split This Rock.
Educational Curriculum Available:
Discussion Guide created by nelle mills
Zine Workbook created by nelle mills
ISBN: 9781950807833
Age: 12+
Page Count: 192
Published: 2025