Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia

Book Review

Title: Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia

Genre: Short Story, Middle Grade, Anthology

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: August 3rd 2021

Synopsis:

Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors–including Jason Reynolds (the Track series), Jerry Craft (New Kid), and Kwame Mbalia (the Tristan Strong series)!

Black boy joy is…

Picking out a fresh first-day-of-school outfit.

Saving the universe in an epic intergalactic race.

Finding your voice–and your rhymes–during tough times.

Flying on your skateboard like nobody’s watching.

And more! From seventeen acclaimed Black male and non-binary authors comes a vibrant collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I recently read Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and really enjoyed so when I saw this collection of stories from authors of colour I had to request it. Obviously as this review is for a blog tour it will be spoiler so my thoughts on the stories will be minimal but I honestly couldn’t wait to get into this collection.

The Griot of Grover Street: Part 1 by Kwame Mbalia

We are introduced to Fort after the death of Aunt Netta, at her homegoing which is a code word for funeral Ford leaves and ends up bumping into a man called Gary the Griot. While this is only part one of the story we can gather that Gary travels between world collecting joy to deliver and seems to be taking Fort on as an apprentice. It was short and sweet and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next two parts.

There’s Going to be a Fight in the Cafeteria on Friday and You Better Not Bring Batman by Lamar Giles

There’s going to be a fight in the cafeteria on Friday and you better not bring Batman was a really interesting story. We are following Cornell who along with some friends has a debate every Friday about superheroes but all of his picks have either been used before or defeated and he needs new ones. One by one, Cornell speaks to the members of his family and gets heroes from every generation in addition to picking one of his own and learning some important lessons along the way.

The McCoy Game by B. B. Alston

The McCoy Game was a really heart-warming story about Jamal and Dre competing for their inheritance after the death of their grandfather. While this sounds very basic there are some other elements thrown into the story that I really enjoyed especially as a sci-fi nerd.

The Legendary Lawrence Cobbler by Julian Winters

The Legendary Lawrence Cobbler was one of my favourite stories in this collection. We are introduced to Jevon who is preparing for the finals of a baking competition but he is worrying more about the fact he recently came out to his father and he seems to be treating Jevon differently. Over a baking session with his grandmother and father, Jevon comes to realise a lot of different things that honestly made me tear up at one point and I would love to read more from Julian Winters in the future.

First-Day Fly by Jason Reynolds

First-Day Fly was an interesting story as we follow an unnamed protagonist as they prepare for their first day at school and make agonising choices over the clothing as well as other things which everyone can relate to in some ways.

Got Me a Jet Pack by Don P. Hooper

Got Me a Jet Pack was another interesting story, we are introduced to Rod and his friends before Rod is whisked off on an intergalactic adventure but the twist at the ending gave me a huge hit of nostalgia that I wasn’t expecting and it left me with a distinctly wholesome feeling.

Extinct by Dean Atta

Extinct by Dean Atta was also another favourite for me as we are following Dylan who recently learnt about extinct animals and is excited to tell his teacher and best friend about the dodo he saw at a museum. While this is trivial the whole story is a look into grief from a child’s perspective which is something I enjoy and something that hit home hard for me as I understand what it feels like to lose someone you are really close to.

Epic Venture by Jay Coles

Epic Venture was an amazing story following Wes and his grandfather. Wes spends a lot of time with his grandparents where he gets to hear stories of his grandfather’s time in the war as a pilot which Wes often documents in the form of drawings. One day his grandfather’s takes him flying in the aeroplane and Wes experiences something magical that really brought a tear to my eye.

The Definition of Cool by Varian Johnson

The Definition of Cool was a beautiful little story about the bond of brotherhood and finding yourself. We are following Des a huge fan of the Juice Box Squad or JSB as he prepares for a concert. However, things don’t go to plan but Varian Johnson manages to deliver an ending that is both happy and hopeful.

The Griot of Grover Street: Part II by Kwame Mbalia

The Griot of Grover Street: Part II was only a couple of pages long as continued to follow Fort and Gary as they collect joy from the Between with a hint at what could be coming in the final part.

Five Thousand Light-Years to Home by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Five Thousand Light-Years to Home was another story that I really enjoyed. We follow Keziah who is unhappy about moving to an apartment on Willow Island when he is transport to a spaceship called the Stonehound. In order to get home, Keziah has to solve puzzles with a strange girl and a talking lizard but there was just so much more to this story than I was expecting and I would love to read a full length novel following similar themes.

Coping by Tochi Onyebuchi

I actually own several book by Tochi Onyebuchi but I have been intimidated by them for the longest time and this story actually prompted me to finally pick them up. This story was simple and almost elegant in how it portrayed the recent lockdown events through the eyes of CJ Walker and his skating friend, Taye and Haru.

The Gender Reveal by George M. Johnson

This story is literally what the title refers to a gender reveal but not in the sense that most people might think of. We are following Malcolm and they struggle with and ultimately make the decision to come out as nonbinary to their friends and family. It was heart-warming, hopeful and just everything I wanted from the story.

Kassius’s Foolproof Guide to Losing the Turkey Bowl by Davaun Sanders

Kassius’s Foolproof Guide to Losing the Turkey Bowl wasn’t a story that I particularly enjoyed but I can appreciate why many would enjoy it. We are following Kassius and his team which seems to be for a fantasy American football team as he tries to ask Maya out on a date. While this would be a cute contemporary romance with fantasy elements it wasn’t really a genre that I gel well with.

But Also, Jazz by Julian Randall

But Also, Jazz again wasn’t a story that stuck out to me personally but I did appreciate the message the story contained. We are following Mikkel and his cousin as they are asked to write a rap for the local church.

Our Dill by Justin A. Reynolds

Our Dill was a simple but heart-warming story about Jay and Mia. They have been friends since childhood and there is a potential romance blossoming between them but it doesn’t seem like the right time for either of them but the ending did seem quite ambiguous.

Percival and the Jab by P. Djeli Clark

Percival and the Jab was a story I adored and I have enjoyed many of P. Djeli Clark’s works in the past. We follow Percival who is being followed by a Jab after moving from Trinidad to America and it is how he comes to terms with not having to change his identity as his Jab leads him to other children like him. I absolutely adored the fantasy elements of this story and would love to see P. Djeli Clark write something more humorous like this story.

Embracing My Black Boy Joy by Jerry Craft

All I can say about Embracing My Black Boy was that it was a short and sweet comic that made me smile.

The Griot of Grover Street: Part III by Kwame Mbalia

The final part of The Griot of Grover Street was my favourite as we get to see the story’s conclusion and why Gary choose Fort in the first place. I would have loved to have seen the Between expanded upon in a novella or full length novel as it has so much potential.

Book links: Goodreads Amazon Book Depository Barnes & Noble IndieBound Indigo Alibris

Author Information

Kwame is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, and a former pharmaceutical metrologist in that order.  His debut middle-grade novel, TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and it—along with the sequels TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD and TRISTAN STRONG KEEPS PUNCHING, out October 5th—is  published by Rick Riordan Presents/Disney-Hyperion.

He is the co-author of LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR with Prince Joel Makonnen, from Scholastic Books, and the editor of BLACK BOY JOY, a middle grade anthology from Delacourte, out August 3rd. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, he survives on Dad jokes and Cheezits.

Author Links: Website Twitter Instagram Goodreads

I received this review copy from CP Tours.