Dark Dude

From Pulitzer Prize–winning author Oscar Hijuelos comes a riveting young adult novel set in the late 1960s about a haunting choice and an unforgettable journey of identity, misidentity, and all that we take with us when we run away. He didn’t say good-bye. He didn’t leave a phone number. And he didn’t plan on coming back—ever. Fifteen-year-old Rico Fuentes has had enough of life in Harlem, where his fair complexion—inherited from an Irish grandfather—keeps him caught between two cultures without belonging to either. He pours his outsider feelings into a comic book Dark Dude, with his friend Jimmy illustrating. But when Gilberto, who’s always looked out for Rico, moves to Wisconsin and Jimmy loses himself to an insidious habit, Rico decides enough is enough. With Jimmy in tow, Rico runs away to the Midwest in search of Gilberto. The heavily white community feels worlds away from Harlem, and for the first time, Rico sees what it’s like to blend in—no longer the “dark dude” or the punching bag for the whole neighborhood. But the less energy Rico needs to put into proving he’s Latino, the less he feels like one. And the more he gets to know the people around him, the more it’s clear that a change in location doesn’t change human nature—and that there’s no such thing as a perfect community. Faced with the truth that there are things that can’t be cut loose or forgotten, things that keep him from ever having an ordinary white kid’s life, Rico must decide whether he can make a home in the place he ran to…or the one he ran from.

In the 1960s, Rico Fuentes, a pale-skinned Cuban American teenager, abandons drug-infested New York City for the picket fence and apple pie world of Wisconsin, only to discover that he still feels like an outsider and that violent and judgmental people ca

From the depths of a valley rises the city of Mahala It's a city built upwards, not across - where streets are built upon streets, buildings upon buildings. A city that the Ministry rules from the sunlit summit, and where the forsaken lurk in the darkness of Under. Rojan Dizon doesn't mind staying in the shadows, because he's got things to hide. Things like being a pain-mage, with the forbidden power to draw magic from pain. But he can't hide for ever. Because when Rojan stumbles upon the secrets lurking in the depths of the Pit, the fate of Mahala will depend on him using his magic. And unlucky for Rojan - this is going to hurt.

You may know Dude Perfect from their mind-blowing, world record-breaking, viral trick shot videos and hilarious Overtime videos! NOW, with the guys’ new, massive, photo-intensive book Dude Perfect 101 Tricks, Tips, and Cool Stuff, you’ll experience a behind-the-scenes look at their stunts and their personal lives, PLUS step-by-step instructions so you can attempt their tricks at home! At Dude Perfect, we do everything we can to bring families closer together, and that’s why we’re excited to share this book with you. Follow our step-by-step instructions to have your own Dude Perfect–style fun! Tweens and teens, ages 8 to 12, will enjoy complete panda-monium with this in-depth look at Dude Perfect: five guys who are kickin' it, throwin' it, tossin' it, and shootin' it for more than 55 million YouTube subscribers and more than twelve billion views. With an oversize format and fun, informative graphics, Dude Perfect 101 Tricks, Tips, and Cool Stuff includes . . . Step-by-step instructions to perform your own real life trick shots using everyday objects. A behind-the-scenes view of those hilarious Overtime videos and extreme sports moments. Dude Perfect teaching about what a blast patience, perseverance, teamwork, friendship, and faith can be. Fun science facts behind the seemingly impossible tricks—because really, how did they do that?! Infographics with "No way!" truths from the inspirational to the absurd. A deeper look into each Dude's personal life, including stats, favorite stunts, and insights. Each trick in Dude Perfect 101 Tricks, Tips, and Cool Stuff is the perfect combination of challenging and doable to keep your young reader off-screen for hours. This interactive book is a great gift for birthdays, Easter baskets, holiday gift giving, or just because. Whether your own trickster wants to perform solo, challenge a friend, or host a family date night, this visually engaging book is a slam dunk for anyone who is young at heart.

Houston is the largest city in the Gulf South, a region sometimes referred to as the “black belt” because of its sizeable African American population. Yet, over the last thirty years, Latinos have become the largest ethnic minority in Houston, which is surpassed only by Los Angeles and New York in the number of Latino residents. Examining the history and effects of this phenomenon, Black-Brown Solidarity describes the outcomes of unexpected coalitions that have formed between the rapidly growing Latino populations and the long-held black enclaves in the region. Together, minority residents have put the spotlight on prominent Old South issues such as racial profiling and police brutality. Expressions of solidarity, John D. Márquez argues, have manifested themselves in expressive forms such as hip-hop music, youth gang cultural traits, and the storytelling of ordinary residents in working-class communities. Contrary to a growing discourse regarding black-brown conflict across the United States, the blurring of racial boundaries reflects broader arguments regarding hybrid cultures that unsettle the orders established by centuries-old colonial formations. Accentuating what the author defines as a racial state of expendability—the lynchpin of vigilante violence and police brutality—the new hybridization has resulted in shared wariness of a linked fate. Black-Brown Solidarity also explores the ways in which the significance of African American history in the South has influenced the structures through which Latinos have endured and responded to expendability. Mining data from historical archives, oral histories, legal documents, popular media, and other sources, this work is a major contribution to urban studies, ethnic studies, and critical race theory.

The Comeback Kid is a collection of 101 short stories, essays, and insights to build your emotional resilience. We are not defined by our losses, we are defined by how we rose back up despite our losses. Each time we bounce back, each time we become tougher to kill. Turn your setbacks into legendary comebacks. In Comeback Kid, You Will Learn: Differences between short term thinking vs long term thinking. ✅ The #1 trait all creative people have in common. ✅ Dangers of glorifying someone. ✅ Practicing what you preach. ✅ Dangers of asking the wrong questions. ✅ How to edit your own content to unlock clearer thinking. ✅ Effective ways to handle your enemies. ✅ Unlocking inspiration at will.

Hip-hop artist Queen Pen's powerful debut novel is a love story of ultimate passion and desperate measures set on the tough streets of Brooklyn.

Prior to the mid-sixties, Grayville, TN was one of twenty-four “sundown towns.” A “sundown town” was a town that had a sign on the outskirts of town that said, “Negros are not allowed in the city limits after sundown.” Very few blacks lived in Grayville. Grayville High School seldom had black students. In August of 2020, a black doctor moved to Grayville. He moved from Weston, Ohio to be near his adopting white parents who lived in the Homeland Retirement Center in Pleasant Hill. Grayville never had a black basketball player, now it has three. The doctor has three sons. Joseph is a 6’ 9” senior and his twin brothers, Samuel and David both 6’ 6” juniors. The three brothers took Weston to the Ohio State basketball championship. Cox County youth grew up to have a “culturally absorbed prejudice.” That is what the three black players encountered.