BRIGHT BEFORE US, LIKE A FLAME

An anthology celebrating youth-led storytelling that collects entries from a decade of work by Shout Mouse Press in coaching “young people to write and publish diverse and inclusive books.”

This volume is organized into four thematic sections—“Family & Friendship,” “Immigration & Belonging,” “Witness & Activism,” and “Identity & Self-Love”—which pair entries with the prompts that inspired them. Each section opens with a warm and insightful exchange between the co-editors, Shout Mouse founder Crutcher and 21-year-old Shout Mouse author Aakil. Readers will encounter a wide range of genres and formats, including personal reflections, poetry, a board book, and comics, used to talk about different family structures, housing instability, making a perilous journey to the U.S., and other topics relating to often-underrepresented life experiences. In the charming “Joy-Grace and the Dress Dilemma,” written by Tseganesh Chala and Joy Ugwu and illustrated by Joy Ingram, a Jamaican-born, U.S.-based child with a Nigerian mom and Ethiopian dad struggles to best represent her heritage for Culture Day at school. This entry is one of several that appear in both English and Spanish. Established writers like Clint Smith, Tony Keith Jr., and Safia Elhillo reflect on some of the pieces, adding a rich intergenerational layer. Color and black-and-white illustrations enhance the text and keep readers engaged. Ambitious in both structure and purpose, this bold and moving anthology will support educators in guiding teens to reflect, write, and imagine possibilities.

Compelling voices share their truths and invite teens to answer back.