Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood, (Paperback)

I am writing as a white grandmother trying to grow in understanding of the black community in general. I am admittedly ignorant having grown up in communities that are very white. My understanding only stretches as far as watching the television, like the Jefferson's, Fresh Prince and Roots. As well as reading some literature like Uncle Thomas Cabin, The Help, and movies like Hidden Figures. This book is a collection of short stories, charming characters, rich word choice, and upbeat. I admire the third story of a boy telling his father he had a crush on another boy made me uncomfortable but in the end as a parent I would be much happier knowing my child felt safe enough to say that rather than believing they would be rejected because of telling what they were thinking. As a Christian it is a straightforward topic and yet a very complex topic. The book handled it well. And I did feel like my original goal of growing in understanding of what it means to be a black boy was enlarged a bit.