Overview

Featuring stories by: Jamaica Kincaid, Toni Morrison, Dorothy West, Rita Dove, Camille Acker, Toni Cade Bambara, Amina Gautier, Alexia Arthurs, Dana Johnson, Alice Walker, Gwendolyn Brooks, Edwidge Danticat, Shay Youngblood, Paule Marshall, and Zora Neale Hurston. “When you look over your own library, who do you see?” asks Well-Read Black Girl founder Glory Edim in this lovingly curated anthology. Bringing together an array of “unforgettable, and resonant coming-of-age stories” (Nicole Dennis-Benn), Edim continues her life’s work to brighten and enrich American reading lives through the work of both canonical and contemporary Black authors—from Jamaica Kincaid and Toni Morrison to Dana Johnson and Alexia Arthurs. Divided into four themes—Innocence, Belonging, Love, and Self-Discovery—On Girlhood features fierce young protagonists who contend with trials that shape who they are and what they will become. At times heartbreaking and hilarious, the stories within push past flat stereotypes and powerfully convey the beauty of Black girlhood, resulting in an indispensable compendium for every home library. “A compelling anthology that . . . results in a literary master class.” —Keishel Williams, Washington Post “A beautiful and comforting patchwork quilt of stories from our literary contemporaries and foremothers.” —Ibi Zoboi, New York Times best-selling coauthor of Punching the Air

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9781324092353

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Reviews

An expansive, decades-spanning view of Black girlhood.... The collection is genuinely riveting; the stories narrate the lives of indelible characters with humor, irony, and immense skill. And while each story differs greatly in setting and tone, through lines arise... A profound, prismatic collection.--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

An expansive, decades-spanning view of Black girlhood.... The collection is genuinely riveting; the stories narrate the lives of indelible characters with humor, irony, and immense skill. And while each story differs greatly in setting and tone, through lines arise... A profound, prismatic collection. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"""An expansive, decades-spanning view of Black girlhood.... The collection is genuinely riveting; the stories narrate the lives of indelible characters with humor, irony, and immense skill. And while each story differs greatly in setting and tone, through lines arise... A profound, prismatic collection."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review"

Author Information

Glory Edim is the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a book club and digital platform that celebrates Black literature and sisterhood. The author and editor of Well-Read Black Girl, Edim won the 2017 Innovator’s Award from the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes.

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