Guest Post: 15 Middle School Reads by Black Authors

Two weeks ago, my 11-year-old brother asked me to help pick out some great books, and I realized that I didn’t know would be a good fit for him! Thankfully, I knew just who to ask. Hopefully some insight from Black Children’s Books and Authors‘ Stacy Ladonna will help y’all as well.  I know a lot of educators,  and the mere mention of the words “middle school” tends to elicit groans, moans, and all sorts of monosyllabic utterances. It’s that awkward developmental stage—ages 11 to 13—where a child’s physical, social, and emotional growth is all over the place. Cognitively, however, they are growing “increasingly competent at…

Guess what?! It’s been one year!

I’m one year old! It’s been a great first year here at Brown Books & Green Tea. Lately, things have been rather quiet while I get used to my new work schedule. For those of you who don’t know, I actually started this blog in the midst of unemployment, as a way to keep myself sharp during my job hunt. One year later, and my life seems to have done a complete 180. I’m employed at a job I love (so far), I’m in a fantastic apartment, and there are so many other things on the horizon. It’s great! Moving forward,…

10 Books for the Literary Traveler

If you know anything about me, you know that I absolutely love traveling. While I’d love to go back to Singapore or Uganda… my bank account has been known to sabotage my plans. In case your checking account is just as evil as mine, here’s a list of old and new books that will transport you all over the world:

6 Times nayyirah waheed Embodied ‘Black Lives Matter’ in Poetry

If you haven’t already fallen in love with nayyirah waheed, now’s the time to do so. Her poetry, popularized through social media, is oftentimes short and powerful– some lines reading more like one brief self affirmations. Like Warsan Shire, she manages to talk about a long list of societal and internal struggles. Her 2013 latest book, salt., is an insightful exploration of identity that will resonate with those who have been following the troubling events of last week and beyond.

BB & GT June Wrap Up!

The end of another month– and officially half way through the year. If you’ve fallen behind at all over these last few weeks, here’s a summary of what went down this month on Brown Books & Green Tea.  Teas I was obsessed with: Rumi Tea, Oolong Orange Blossom: This is technically a July tea since I bought it yesterday, but I’m highlighting it anyway since it tastes and smells absolutely amazing. I’ve loved citrus notes in my tea ever since I was little, when my favorite tea was Bigelow Constant Comment. I don’t drink black tea much anymore, but this one…

What am I reading next?

There hasn’t been a Top Ten Tuesday on Brown Books and Green Tea for a while! I figured I’d take the opportunity to let everyone know what’s coming up.

Understanding Oppression through Literature: Part 1

In undergrad, I was blessed to attend a college with courses such as Philosophy of Sex and Domination, Native American Philosophy, Refugee Issues,African Diaspora and the World, and The Sociological Imagination. These courses, and readings that accompanied them, were vital in shaping my understanding of oppression and the limitless forms it takes around the world. Here are some of the picks that have stuck with me in the years that have followed. Feel free to add some other ones in the comments. This won’t be the only list like this because I have recommendations for days. Keep an eye out, because I’ll be…

May 2016 Wrap Up!

It’s nearly halfway through the year already! I’m shocked, even though I’m excited for some great beach reading this summer! In case you missed it, here’s what quick overview of what happened on BB&GT in May

Ten diverse sites you NEED to bookmark

Hey there everyone! It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday, sponsored by The Broke and Bookish. Check out their site for more things like this! This week’s topic allows me to deviate from the norm, and give y’all a sense of what I’m doing when I’m not doing book-related things. Make no mistake: while this is a “diverse” list, each of these are phenomenal sites even without that modifier. In no particular order, here are my top 10 diverse time suckers:

Characters I’d like to see 10 years later

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday, always hosted by lovely bloggers over at The Broke and Bookish. This week’s subject allows us to think about characters that we’d like an update on further down the line. It’s a bit difficult because I mostly read non-fiction, but I was able to think of a few.

Here are the ones that really left me wondering: