The Unboxing of a Black Girl

De: Angela Shanté

Narrado por: 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.

©2024 Angela Shanté (P)2024 Recorded Books

I loved it! Real and Riveting!

Thank you Angela Shante. Your words brought each poem to life. I kept wanting more but at the same time each poem painted a picture in my mind of exactly what you were saying. It was a plus to hear the narration from the author. I purchased this book when it first came out, but haven't been able to dive in the way I wanted to. Angela Shante does it again!