7 Coming-of-Age Listens That Amplify Black Voices
From school lockers that double as wormholes to the past (!), to allegories about what it means to be human, these 7 audiobooks feature tales that are perfect for middle schoolers who love stories packed with adventure, depth, unforgettable characters, and heart.
The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes
A We Need Diverse Books 2026 Walter Award Young Readers Winner. Hear Newbery Honoree Derrick Barnes’s groundbreaking novel, which masterfully combines a modern-day allegory with classic-style tall tales to weave the story of Henson Blayze as he strives to be seen as human.
Candace, the Universe, and Everything by Sherri L. Smith
A School Library Journal and Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year. What if your locker was a wormhole to the past? On the first day of eighth grade, Candace Wells opens her locker and an unusual bird flies out. Soon after, a notebook appears on the top shelf, and as Candace reads the notebook, new messages start to appear. So begins this speculative novel about three generations of Black girls connected across time and space.
If You Read This by Kereen Getten
When Brie was younger, her mama used to surprise her with treasure hunts around their island town. After she died three years ago, these became Brie’s favorite memories. Now, on her twelfth birthday, her mama has another surprise: a series of letters leading Brie on one last treasure hunt.
Alex Wise vs. the Cosmic Shift by Terry J. Benton-Walker
No one ever said saving the world would be easy. In the second installment of this thrilling fantasy series all about finding your inner hero, a 12-year-old boy leads the charge against the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Hattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. Flake
From the three-time Coretta Scott King Honor winning author of The Skin I’m In comes a poignant story about a southern girl far from home at an elite girls boarding school in the north, who must find the courage to be herself, set against the backdrop of the great migration in South Philly.
Not an Easy Win by Chrystal D. Giles
Twelve-year old Lawrence is new to chess–can he find a way to get on the board, even though the odds are stacked against him? Find out in this powerful novel about family, forgiveness, and figuring out who you are when you don’t make the rules—just right for middle grade fans of Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds.
Soundtrack by Jason Reynolds
An Odyssey Award Honor Audiobook! #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds transports listeners back to the early 2000s in Soundtrack, an audiobook original about New York City teens whose talent and love of music lift them to unexpected heights. Read by a full cast and with an original score by Grammy-winning composer Justin Ellington, Soundtrack is a story of found family and coming of age in a wonderfully complex city.
