January 2022 News, Deals, Reveals, & More

Want More?

Become a Patron for as little as $10 a month for early content or $25 a month for exclusive interviews, swag and more.

The Rundown

Melanin in YA News
Book Deals
Foreign Rights
Tinseltown – Adaptation News
Cover Reveals
Bestseller Lists
Appearances
Awards/Honors
Buzz – Starred Reviews
General Updates
Podcasts
February 2022 Releases

Melanin in YA News

Melanin in YA is ONE Year Old! Wooo!!!! If you’d like to celebrate, please spread the word about Melanin in YA with those around you both in person and online and consider joining our Patreon for as little as $1 a month! Thank you to those who have supported Melanin in YA in the past year!
Stay tuned tomorrow for our Black History Month Reading Challenge!

Book Deals

Kalynn Bayron sold a three-book deal (significant deal) starting with her horror, CAMP MIRROR LAKE, coming spring 2023 from Bloomsbury Children’s.
At auction, Nia Davenport sold a two-book deal (good deal) for her speculative thriller, OUT OF BODY, coming fall 2023 and the second novel coming fall 2024 from Balzer & Bray.
In a pre-empt, Chris Kindred sold his contemporary graphic novel, SCHOLAR’S MATE, coming 2024 from First Second with Coleman Engle illustrating.
At auction, Crystal Simone Smith sold her poetry novel, DARK TESTAMENT, coming Winter 2023 from Henry Holt.
Lisa Springer sold her horror, THERE’S NO WAY I’D DIE FIRST, coming Fall 2023 from Delacorte.
Julian Winters announced his next contemporary novel, coming 2023 from Penguin Teen.

Publisher Breakdown 2022 So Far

Available to Patreon and Newsletter Subscribers Only

Foreign Rights

ASHES OF GOLD by J. Elle sold to Turkey.
WHITE SMOKE by Tiffany D. Jackson sold to Sweden.
ON THE COME UP by Angie Thomas sold to Israel.

Tinseltown – Adaptation News

The rights to CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi, which were previously with Lucasfilm, are now with Paramount. Adeyemi will now pen the script. – Deadline

Cover Reveals

Dahlia Adler unveiled the cover for AT MIDNIGHT (November 22, 2022), the anthology featuring a new short story from Tracy Deonn.
- Art: Jon Contino
- Design: Keith Hayes

Juliana Goodman recently shared her cover for her novel, THE BLACK GIRLS LEFT STANDING (June 28, 2022).

Ayana Gray and People unveiled the cover for BEASTS OF RUIN (July 26, 2022) as well as the new cover for the first book in the series, BEASTS OF PREY (paperback release: June 28, 2022)

Cover Artist: Elena Masci

Penguin Teen unveiled the cover for their sophomore novel, BREAK THIS HOUSE by Candice Iloh (May 24, 2022)
- Cover Art: Yazmin Monet Butcher
- Cover/Jacket Design: Anna Booth

Penguin Teen unveiled the cover for SETON GIRLS by Charlene Thomas (August 30, 2022).

Ashley Woodfolk unveiled the cover for OPENING MY EYES UNDER WATER (September 27, 2022).

Bestseller Lists

NYT: Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Jason Griffin debuted at #2 on the hardcover list. The Nsibidi Scripts by Nnedi Okorafor debuted at #10 on the Children’s Series list.

Indie: Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Jason Griffin debuted at #2 on January 26, 2022.

Appearances

Note: To see the latest virtual events coming up, be sure to visit the Events page!

Ayana Gray appeared on The Tamron Hall Show to promote BEASTS OF PREY.
Jason Reynolds also appeared on The Tamron Hall Show and he also appeared on Good Morning America to promote AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT as well as 60 Minutes.

Awards/Honors

The 2021 Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel includes BAD WITCH BURNING by Jessica Lewis.

The 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Winners include HOME IS NOT A COUNTRY by Safia Elhillo, REVOLUTION IN OUR TIME by Kekla Magoon, ME (MOTH) by Amber McBride and a Lifetime Achievement Award to Nikki Grimes.

The Cybil Awards announced the finalists for Young Adult Fiction and Young Adult Speculative Fiction. The finalists include:
- Young Adult Fiction – WHY WE FLY by Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal, CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas
- Young Adult Speculative Fiction – THE GILDED ONES by Namina Forna, BAD WITCH BURNING by Jessica Lewis

The 2022 Edgar Award Nominees were announced and include ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE US by Pamela N. Harris.

Epic Reads announced the 2021 Book Shimmy Award Winners which include: ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for Mirrors & Windows, HAPPILY EVER AFTERS by Elise Bryant for Hot Under the Covers, REDEMPTOR by Jordan Ifueko for Audio On, BLOODMARKED by Tracy Deonn for Most Anticipated, and Angie Thomas for Pagemaster.

Mahogany L. Browne, Kwame Onwuachi, and Jason Reynolds have been selected as Kennedy Center’s Next 50.

The NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Literary Work Youth/Teens are: ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, HAPPILY EVER AFTERS by Elise Bryant, THE COST OF KNOWING by Brittney Morris, WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE US by Pamela N. Harris, and WINGS OF EBONY by J. Elle. Congratulations!

2022 Walter Award Winners and Honorees were announced and includes REVOLUTION IN OUR TIME by Kekla Magoon as a 2022 Walter Honor in the Teen Category.

The 2022 Printz Honor Books include CONCRETE ROSE by Angie Thomas and REVOLUTION IN OUR TIME by Kekla Magoon.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist is ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

Buzz – Starred Reviews

Booklist: RECLAIM THE STARS: 17 TALES ACROSS REALMS & SPACE Edited by Zoraida Córdova
BookPage: MIRROR GIRLS by Kelly McWilliams
Kirkus: SCOUT’S HONOR by Lily Anderson, NOTHING BURNS AS BRIGHT AS YOU by Ashley Woodfolk, RIGHT WHERE I LEFT YOU by Julian Winters
Publishers Weekly: RECLAIM THE STARS: 17 TALES ACROSS REALMS & SPACE Edited by Zoraida Córdova
The Horn Book: AUGUSTA SAVAGE: THE SHAPE OF A SCULPTOR’S LIFE by Marilyn Nelson

General Updates

Amazon has featured BEASTS OF PREY by Ayana Gray and BLOOD LIKE MAGIC by Liselle Sambury as Rising Stars.
Apple Books featured ONE TRUE LOVES by Elise Bryant as a January 2022 Must Listen.
Book Riot published some articles worth checking out: 8 Most Anticipated YA Contemporary Read for Winter 2022, 12 YA Fantasy Books To Eagerly Expect in 2022
Bustle published a few articles that included melanin as well: Must-Read New Books Out (January 3, 2022, January 10, 2022, January 20, 2022), 16 LGBTQ+ Fiction Books To Look Forward To In 2022
Buzzfeed published 40 New YA Books Releasing Before Spring That You’ll Want To Get Your Hands On and 17 Books That Tackle Aromantic And Asexual Validation, which feature a number of familiar titles.
Cosmopolitan named a great number of familiar titles in The 100 Best YA Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless of Their Age.
Epic Reads published The 18 Most Anticipated YA Books to Read in February. Check it out to see who’s on the list.
Essence published 56 New Books We Can’t Wait To Read In 2022 which features a handful of familiar titles.
ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé was the #1 bestselling YA book in the UK in 2021.
Goodreads published the The 68 Most Anticipated YA Novels of 2022 which features many familiar titles.
THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD by Jade Adia has a release date! Mark your calendars for March 7, 2023.
WE DESERVE MONUMENTS by Jas Hammonds has a new release date: November 29, 2022.
PopSugar published From Epic Fantasies to Hilarious Rom-Coms, These Are the Best YA Books of 2022 which features a number of familiar titles
Literary Agent, Quressa Robinson has moved from Nelson Literary Agency to Folio Literary Management.
HER GOOD SIDE by Rebekah Weatherspoon has been pushed from 2022 to a 2023 release.
Samantha Fabien is celebrating one year at Root Literary as a literary agent. Congratulations, Samantha!
A new Black owned indie bookstore, The Book Bar is opening up soon in Virginia. Read more here.
Tor.com published New Young Adult SFF for January & February 2022 which feature a number of familiar titles!