Cool. Awkward. Black.

A multi-genre YA anthology of bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors challenging the concept of the geek, featuring contributions from Amerie, Kalynn Bayron, Terry J. Benton-Walker, Roseanne A. Brown, Elise Bryant, Tracy Deonn, Desiree S. Evans, Isaac Fitzsimons, Lamar Giles, Jordan Ifueko, Leah Johnson, Amanda Joy, Kwame Mbalia, Tochi Onyebuchi, Shari B. Pennant, K. Arsenault Rivera, Julian Winters, and Ibi Zoboi.

A girl who believes in UFOs; a boy who might have finally found his Prince Charming; a hopeful performer who dreams of being cast in her school's production of The Sound of Music; a misunderstood magician of sorts with a power she doesn't quite understand, and beyond.

These plotlines and more comprise the eclectic stories found within the pages of Cool. Awkward. Black.--a dynamic, exciting, and expansive collection of stories featuring exclusively Black characters. From contemporary to historical, fantasy to sci-fi, magical to realistic, this anthology celebrates and redefines the many facets of Blackness and geekiness--both in the real world, and those imagined.

Karen Strong is a lifelong technology and science geek and the author of the critically acclaimed middle grade novel Just South of Home and Eden’s Everdark. She has also written short fiction for Star Wars and other award-winning anthologies. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Karen lives in Atlanta. Visit her online at www.karen-strong.com, or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @karenmusings.



• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers (January 10, 2023)
• Language: English
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• ISBN-10:  0593525094
• ISBN-13: 9780593525098
• Reading age: 12 years and up
• Item Weight: 1.03 pounds
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.84 x 8.25 inches
• Cool Awkward Black