We did not have a new episode of The Broadcast last week, but if you haven’t already checked out our most recent episode, which was published on Friday, November 11, please do so! Our listeners are always giving us great book recommendations, so we returned the favor with a special interview with Melody Simpson, a longtime friend, and the founder of a great website called Melanin in YA.
Melanin in YA is, in Melody’s own words, “IMDb Pro but for books, specifically Black books. If you’re looking for a Young Adult book written by a Black author or if you’re a writer looking for a Black literary agent, if you’re a librarian or event coordinator looking for Black people in the publishing industry for young adult, you can find all of that information there.”
The MiYA talk starts around the 32 minute mark, give or take a little bit for commercials, and lasts about an hour. It’s a really fantastic episode. Amanda, Shandy, and I were so happy to get to talk to Melody and get some new book recommendations. It’s such a great website filled with awesome links and information, including links to Bookstagrammers, BookTok, BookTubers, podcasts, Black-owned bookstores, and more. Please check out the website. Melody is a superwoman who created and maintains the entire thing herself while also working a “day job.” You can support the website by going to the Melanin in YA Patreon.
Don’t know where to start? Here is the list of books that Melody recommended on the show. All books mentioned can be found through Melanin in YA’s Bookshop account: https://bookshop.org/shop/melanininya
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- The Undead Truth of Us by Britney S. Lewis
- Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland
- We Weren’t Looking to be Found by Stephanie Kuehn
- We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammond
- Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters
- Frizzy by Claribel A. Orteg
- Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho
- Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
- Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson
- Survive the Dawn by Kosoko Jackson
- The Witchery by S. Isabelle
- Eternally Yours by Patrice Caldwell
- A Phoenix Must Burn by Patrice Caldwell
- Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler
- Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler
- Home Is Not A Country by Safia Elhillo
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Huge thank you again to Melody for joining us. We’ll definitely be talking to her again in Summer 2023 (find out why when you listen to the interview)!
