A genre-breaking collection of poetry and prose about Black girlhood that sets the intimacy of memoir against a larger American stage.

National Book Award Finalist

Written as a collection of vignettes and poetry, The Unboxing of a Black Girl is a creative nonfiction reflection on Black girlhood. The debut YA title, by award-winning author Angela Shanté, is a love letter to Black girls set in New York City and serves as a personal and political critique of how the world raises Black girls.

As Shanté navigates the city through memory, she balances poetry with vignettes that explore the innocence and joy of childhood eroded by adultification. Through this book, she illuminates the places where Black girls are nurtured or exploited in stories and poems about personal and political boxes, love, loss, and sexual assault. Many entries are also studded with cultural footnotes designed to further understanding.

BIO

Angela Shanté is an elementary education teacher by trade. She taught for ten years in her hometown of New York City where she received an MFA in creative writing from the City College of New York. Currently she's an education content editor and Literacy consultant in southern California. Her first two books and third on its way were released through West Margin Press.

REVIEWS

"Shanté adeptly addresses racism, implicit bias, gender, sexuality, sexual violence, and mental health, encouraging readers to care for themselves, think, research, and act. VERDICT Strongly recommended for all young adult collections." -- SLJ, starred review

"By weaving her personal experiences with reflections and observations, the author provides a rich tapestry of perspectives on Black girlhood. [...] A highly creative way of providing insightful social commentary." -- Kirkus Reviews

"The author’s story is split into the boxes that Black women do and don’t fit into, proving perseverance in a binary world and providing readers with the tools they need to understand [these] limitations[...]" -- Booklist

“A vivid witness to the trials and truths of being young, Black, and female. The smart sister, the generous friend every young woman wants, Angela Shanté shows how you can break away from constraints, become your own masterpiece, and find your own freedom.” -- David Groff, author of Live in Suspense

[H]  Page Street YA  /  May 07, 2024

0.8" H x 8.5" L x 5.8" W (0.55 lbs) 160 pages