This space serves as a listing of YA books written by Black authors that hit the NYT Bestsellers Young Adult Hardcover List.
This list is currently updated from August 30, 2015 – November 16, 2025. This list is updated once a month.
Note: The most Black YA authors to appear on the NYT Bestsellers List in the same week is six as of June 21, 2020.
HARDCOVER
Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #6 on June 20, 2021
Highest Rank: #4 (July 11, 2021)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 12
Weeks on List: 12
Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Debut: #6 on April 7, 2024
Highest Rank: #6 (April 7, 2024)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 2
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #2 on May 24, 2020
Highest Rank: #2
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 17
Weeks on List: 18
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #8 on April 1, 2018
Highest Rank: #3 (September 1, 2019)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 22
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #4 on May 26, 2019
Highest Rank: #3 (June 2, 2019)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 10
Weeks on List: 20
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #1 on March 25, 2018
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 113
Weeks on List: 127
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #1 on December 22, 2019
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 32
Weeks on List: 33
Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #7 on August 20, 2017
Highest Rank: #7
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Swing by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #4 on October 21, 2018
Highest Rank: #4
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy Edited by Amerie
Genre: (Contemporary) Fantasy
Debut: #6 on July 30, 2017
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron
Genre: (Contemporary) Fantasy
Debut: #10 on July 10, 2022
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Horror
Debut: #7 on July 9, 2023
Highest Rank: #7
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 5
Weeks on List: 6
Courage to Soar by Simone Biles with Michelle Burford
Genre: Nonfiction: Memoir
Debut: #1 on December 4, 2016
Highest Rank:#1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 14
Weeks on List: 14
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #5 on November 7, 2021
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #10 on November 21, 2021
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 2
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #10 on June 21, 2020
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #6 on February 25, 2024
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 2
Spells Trouble by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #8 on June 13, 2021
Highest Rank: #8
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #7 on February 25, 2018
Highest Rank: #7
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #5 on July 11, 2021
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 2
White Out by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #8 on November 27, 2022
Highest Rank: #8
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #9 on August 24, 2024
Highest Rank: #9
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Debut: #5 on October 4, 2020
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 9
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Debut: #1 on November 27, 2022
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 10
Weeks on List: 10
Tha Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
Genre: Horror
Debut: #6 on August 1, 2021
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Wings of Ebony by J. Elle
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Debut: #7 on February 14, 2021
Highest Rank: #7
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 2
The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide by J. Elle
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #5 on April 30, 2023
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 11
Weeks on List: 11
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #6 on February 28, 2021
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 3
Weeks on List: 3
The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #6 on June 19, 2022
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #1 on September 22, 2024
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 12
Weeks on List: 12
Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #4 on October 17, 2021
Highest Rank: #4
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 3
Weeks on List: 5
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #10 on September 6, 2020
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction
Debut: #5 on April 22, 2018
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #4 on October 4, 2020
Highest Rank: #4
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Debut: #8 on November 2, 2025
Highest Rank: #8
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Horror
Debut: #8 on September 25, 2022
Highest Rank: #8
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Horror
Debut: #6 on October 3, 2021
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
Genre: Nonfiction – Memoir
Debut: #8 on February 20, 2022
Highest Rank: #8
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
I’m Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #3 on July 12, 2020
Highest Rank: #3
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 3
Weeks on List: 3
Rising Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Genre: Nonfiction
Debut: #3 on June 5, 2022
Highest Rank: #3
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
The Black Friend by Frederick Joseph
Genre: Nonfiction: Memoir
Debut: #3 on December 20, 2020
Highest Rank: #3
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 4
Weeks on List: 4
This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #6 on May 25, 2025
Highest Rank: #6
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
How To Be A (Young) Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi & Nic Stone
Genre: Nonfiction
Debut: #2 on February 19, 2023
Highest Rank: #2
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 3
Blood Moon by Britney S. Lewis
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Debut: #1 on September 28, 2025
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 3
Weeks on List: 4
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
Genre: Historical Romance
Debut: #3 on February 19, 2023
Highest Rank: #3
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 9
Weeks on List: 10
The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #10 on October 4, 2015
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #10 on November 11, 2016
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #9 on September 27, 2020
Highest Rank: #8 (November 1, 2020)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 3
Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Jason Griffin
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #2 on January 30, 2022
Highest Rank: 2
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 4
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #9 on October 23, 2016
Highest Rank: #9
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 2
For Everyone by Jason Reynolds
Genre: Poetry
Debut: #8 on April 28, 2018
Highest Rank: #8
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #4 on November 11, 2017
Highest Rank: #3 (September 9, 2018)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 4
Weeks on List: 32
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Debut: #5 on August 20, 2017
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 5
Weeks on List: 5
Miles Morales Suspended by Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Zeke Peña
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Debut: #4 on May 21, 2023
Highest Rank: #4
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 5
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Genre: Nonfiction
Debut: #1 on March 29, 2020
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 5
Weeks on List: 83
Twenty-Four Seconds From Now… by Jason Reynolds
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Debut: #5 on October 27, 2024
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #4 on November 5, 2017
Highest Rank: #4
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #2 on October 18, 2020
Highest Rank: #2
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 11
Weeks on List: 11
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #1 on January 31, 2021
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 19
Weeks on List: 19
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #1 on March 19, 2017
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 211
Weeks on List: 249
Movie Adaptation Tracking: The Movie Adaptation released on September 7, 2019 and the Blu-ray/DVD released on January 22, 2019.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #1 on February 24, 2019
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 30
Weeks on List: 36
Cosmic Queries by Neil DeGrasse Tyson with James Trefi
Genre: Nonfiction
Debut: #5 on March 28, 2021
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 3
Weeks on List: 6
Welcome to the Universe in 3D by Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, J. Richard Gott, Robert J. Vanderbei
Genre: Nonfiction
Debut: #1 on May 8, 2022
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 6
Weeks on List: 6
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #9 on March 18, 2018
Highest Rank: #9
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #5 on May 26, 2024
Highest Rank: #5
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Bones at the Crossroads by LaDarrion Williams
Genre: Fantasy
Debut: #10 on August 17, 2025
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Audre & Bash Are Just Friends by Tia Williams
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Debut: #10 on May 25, 2025
Highest Rank: #10
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 1
Weeks on List: 1
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #1 on September 20, 2015
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 8
Weeks on List: 53
Movie Adaptation Tracking: The Movie Adaptation released May 19, 2017. This novel returned on the list on May 7, 2017 and stayed on the list for 10 weeks straight but did not appear on the list when the Blu-ray/DVD released in the month of August 2017 and did not hit the Paperback List until October 2019 although the Paperback released on March 7, 2017.
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #1 on June 20, 2021
Highest Rank: #1
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 2
Weeks on List: 2
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #3 on November 20, 2016
Highest Rank: #1 (January 15, 2017)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 20
Weeks on List: 42
Movie Adaptation Tracking: The Movie Adaptation released May 17, 2019. This novel did not hit the list in the month of May 2019 or when the DVD released in the month of August 2019 and did not hit the Paperback List until October 2019 although the Paperback released on March 5, 2019.
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Dr. Yusef Salaam
Genre: Contemporary
Debut: #6 on September 20, 2020
Highest Rank: #3 (September 27, 2020)
Initial Weeks Straight on The List: 4
Weeks on List: 8