Nic Stone is a Spellman graduate, young adult mentor, and a New York Times<\/i> bestselling author and is easily identifiable by her signature dark green, blue, or purple lipstick color. Her writing voice is unique, breezy, raw, and engaging as she easily tackles controversial Gen Z topics like racism, mental health, re-examining gender roles, and teenage sexuality. She is a strong voice and advocate for the concerns of the newest young adult generation. Nic Stone is a literary force to be reckoned with. Here are 8 \u00bd of her books to start reading now \u2014 because her books are not to be missed.<\/p>\n
yes no Middle Grade 9781984893000 Clean Getaway<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
Stone\u2019s debut middle grade novel makes social justice and racism respectful and age-appropriate topics for tween readers (8 – 12 years old). When William \u201cScoob\u201d Lamar\u2019s G\u2019ma pulls up at his house in a brand-new Winnebago, he doesn\u2019t hesitate to leave a note for his strict single dad and follow his grandmother on a spring break road trip across the American South. <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201ca firecracker,\u201d \u201cheartwarming,\u201d and \u201crich in history.\u201d<\/p>\n
9781984893048 Fast Pitch<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
Strong and focused, Shenice \u201cLighting\u201d Lockwood comes from a long line of ball players. As the captain of the Fulton Firebirds, the only all-Black softball team in her division, she is determined to lead them to victory in the regional championship. However, her focus gets thrown a major curve ball when her great-uncle Jack tells her the crime that got her grandfather kicked out of the Negro Leagues may have been a setup. Can Shenice prove her grandfather\u2019s innocence and still show up for her softball team? <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201ca grand slam\u201d and \u201cBlack girl magic.\u201d<\/p>\n
yes no Young Adult 9781101939529 Dear Martin<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re going to read Nic Stone\u2019s work, then you must start at the beginning with her debut novel. Dear Martin<\/i> was written as a reaction to the murder of Jordan Davis. It tells the story of Justyce, a Black teenager who\u2019s an honor roll student on scholarship at a prestigious, predominantly White school and looks to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for inspiration. Justyce is doing all the \u201cright\u201d things to escape his rough neighborhood, but a misinterpreted good deed lands him in jail. He starts a journal, writing letters to Dr. King, his \u201chomie,\u201d to make sense of the injustice and explore whether Dr. King\u2019s teachings hold up anymore. This New York Times<\/i> bestseller has been recommended on every YA social justice book roundup I\u2019ve seen in the past 5 years. <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201cgut-wrenching,\u201d \u201craw,\u201d and a \u201cmust-read.\u201d <\/p>\n
9781101939567 Odd One Out<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
Coop likes Jupiter, Jupiter likes the new girl, Rae, and Rae wants to kiss Coop and maybe Jupiter too \u2014 but she\u2019s not sure. Told in their three distinct voices, this teen love triangle story explores the complex emotions of first love, gender roles, and teenage sexuality with a diverse cast of characters. \t<\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201cessential,\u201d \u201cnecessary,\u201d and \u201cchallenging stereotypes.”<\/p>\n
9781984829658 Jackpot<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for a Nic Stone novel about class, poverty, luck, and love, Jackpot<\/i> is the winner. Rico\u2019s family lives paycheck to paycheck, and, to help with cash flow, she works almost full time at the local Gas N\u2019 Go while attending high school. An elderly woman buys a winning lottery ticket at the gas station but doesn\u2019t claim it. Rico calls on a classmate, a rich, pretty boy named Zan, to help track the woman down. What happens next is fortune or fortitude \u2014 you decide. <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201cthoughtful,\u201d \u201cpolished,\u201d and \u201chard to put down.\u201d <\/p>\n
9780593461600 How to Be a (Young) Antiracist<\/i> by Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone <\/p>\n
New York Times<\/i> bestseller, How to Be an Antiracist<\/i> by Ibram X. Kendi, becomes accessible for young readers 12 and older with Nic Stone\u2019s help. Stone becomes the narrator of Kendi\u2019s original text on racism by offering informative quotes, a history of faux pas, and definitions. Her voice gives the feeling of a fun aunt explaining the complexities and nuances of racism in America. She challenges readers to think critically and encourages them to act. <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201ceffective\u201d and \u201cincredibly accessible.\u201d<\/p>\n
9781984829696 Dear Justyce<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
In this sequel to Dear Martin<\/i>, Quan, a boy in juvie, writes letters to Justyce, who is attending Yale. The two teens grew up a block apart, but while Justyce\u2019s mother fought for better educational opportunities, Quan\u2019s circumstances led him down a different path. He turned to petty crime when keeping himself safe, maintaining good grades, and putting food on the table for his younger siblings proved to be too much. This book explores the victimization of Black boys, the broken American juvenile justice system, and a wake-up call on how to get it right. <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201cbeautifully written\u201d and \u201ca call to action.\u201d<\/p>\n
yes no New Release 9780593307700 Chaos Theory<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
Teenage romance is always complicated, but when you add a diagnosed mental disorder, grief, alcohol, and secrets, you get emotional chaos. One night, 18-year-old Andi\u2019s latest drunken episode has him texting a stranger who implores him not to drive drunk. He ignores the warning and ends up with a DUI. His court-ordered community service project is to work at a soup kitchen where he meets 16-year-old Shelbi, who takes AP physics, thinks car crashes are interesting, and just so happens to be the stranger he texted that night. This is a new, beautiful love story about grief, healing, and mental health. <\/p>\n
Readers describe it as: \u201can exploration of neurodivergence,\u201d \u201chonest,\u201d and \u201cimportant.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Young adult mentor and bestselling author, Nic Stone\u2019s books expertly tackle controversial topics like racism, mental health, gender roles, and teenage sexuality. This primer is your guide to all her must-read books. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":98362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[102,162,1142,1344],"coauthors":[1309],"class_list":["post-98170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-social-issues","tag-ya","tag-author-primer","tag-black-authors","ages_stages-tween","ages_stages-teen"],"yoast_head":"\n