Penguin Random House Audio

Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Woodson and Toni Morrison, this beautiful novel-in-verse is written and read by Marilyn Nelson, a three-time National Book Award finalist, Newbery Honor winner, Printz Honor winner, and Coretta Scott King Author Honor winner.

Inspired by her father’s experiences as a Tuskegee Airmen, Nelson delivers the story of Connor Bianchini, an Italian-American teen, who discovers that his grandfather was an African-American pilot named Ace, possibly one of the Tuskegee Airmen. What Connor discovers about his genealogy will lead him and his family (and listeners everywhere), to a new, richer understanding of race, identity, and each other. Listeners will learn about the Tuskegee Airmen alongside Connor, making this the perfect listen for history classrooms.

★ “The author’s meticulous verse is the perfect vehicle to convey the devastating fragility of racial and familial identity in an America where interracial love is still divided through the problem of the color line.”—Kirkus, starred review

“Esteemed historian-poet Nelson has aced it again…”—Booklist

Read a Publishers Weekly Q&A between author/narrator Marilyn Nelson here.

Soon to be available as individual audio downloads.
Click these covers to learn more about these historical figures and hear audio clips:

Keep discussions about black history going all year long with the Who Was series, educational and entertaining audiobooks that offer kid-friendly accounts of important historical events and famous figures. They deliver fascinating facts while keeping young listeners engaged through short chapters and captivating narration, truly bringing history to vivid life.

Hear two exceptional ALA Award winners that deliver
powerful perspectives on black history:

ALEX AWARD WINNER
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Read by the Author

Hear Ta-Nehisi Coates read his bold memoir and exploration of America’s racial history. Written in the form of a letter to his son, Coates has crafted a uniquely intimate and intensely personal audiobook.

★ “Coates delivers a mesmerizing, must-listen performance…Coates is the only person who could have narrated this audiobook—and it should be required listening for all Americans.”—Publishers Weekly, starred audio review

Step into the studio with author/narrator Ta-Nehisi Coates in this video.

PRINTZ HONOR WINNER
OUT OF DARKNESS by Ashley Hope Pérez
Reader TBA
On Sale 4/26/16

Sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful that it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines… Ashley Hope Pérez sets this riveting and tragic love story during the 1937 New London school explosion, one of the worst school disasters in American history. In this historical context, she explores racism and segregation, posing thought-provoking questions about these divisive forces.

★ “Resonates with fear, hope, love, and the importance of memory…Set against the backdrop of an actual historical event, [Pérez]…gives voice to many long-omitted facets of U.S. history.”—School Library Journal, starred review

“[Pérez’s] layered tale of color lines, love and struggle in an East Texas oil town is a pit-in-the-stomach family drama that goes down like it should, with pain and fascination, like a mix of sugary medicine and artisanal moonshine.”—The New York Times