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

by Destiney, Kairon, and Aderemi of Reach Incorporated

Kendra the Kangaroo is getting ready for her hockey team’s big game against their rival. The only problem? Her team doesn’t think that kangaroos belong in hockey. And even worse, Kendra is afraid they’ll kick her off the team if they find out that she has asthma. So she keeps a big secret, and tries to prove that she belongs on the ice. Can her friend Rahim the Rabbit convince her to be herself and tell the truth before she puts herself in danger?

• ISBN: 978-1945434020

• Age: 4-9

• Lexile: 600L

• Page Count: 44

• Published: Fall 2016

by Rochelle, Destiney, and Nasseem of Reach Incorporated

An elementary school is moved to a new planet while Earth is under construction. But even their cool new home might not be enough to make up for their awful second grade teacher, Ms. Moody. The students will have to be inventive and work together to stop Ms. Moody and salvage their second grade year-- and learn something about themselves in the process.

• ISBN: 978-0996927420

• Age: 4-9

• Lexile: 580L

• Page Count: 38

• Published: Fall 2015

• 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