The Unboxing of a Black Girl

Written by Angela Shanté

Narrated by Angela Shanté

A LOVE LETTER TO BLACK GIRLS

Set in New York City in the ’90s, Angela Shanté’s poems and stories paint a mosaic of childhood that is shaped by the past and reverberates into the present. As Shanté navigates the city through memory, this timeless book illuminates the places where Black girls are nurtured or boxed in, through stories and poems about expectations, exploitation, love, loss, and self-realization.

Her poems center on pivotal moments of Black childhood, using footnotes that encourage you to listen to songs, watch movies, and even learn how to play Spades to further contextualize and celebrate Black culture in every aspect of life.

But even with Black joy, life ain’t no crystal stair. Between fond memories, Shanté also explores the dark corners of childhood by showing us the ways adultification, misogynoir, and sexual assault can impact girlhood. Every piece in this memoir invites you to unpack the past—to find and transcend the expectations and boxes the world puts Black girls in.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798892741835

Angela Shanté

Angela Shanté is the award-winning author and Kid's Book Choice Awards Nominee of The Noisy Classroom, a picture book about her time as a classroom teacher. Angela received a Master's in Elementary Education with a focus on literacy and later went back to school to receive an MFA in Creative Writing. With one leg in education and the other in the creative world; Angela marries her two passions by creating creative content for young readers across all mediums. Angela currently lives in Southern California with her husband and dog.