Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi

Nigeria Jones

A Novel

Ibi Zoboi

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · May 9, 2023

Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner! “An unwavering proclamation of Black girlhood.” —Candice Iloh, author of National Book Award finalist Every Body Looking From Ibi Zoboi, bestselling, award-winning author of American Street and coauthor of Punching the Air, comes a bold new YA coming-of-age story that explores race, feminism, and complicated family dynamics.

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Who it’s for
A serious, character-forward read with a contemporary Black perspective and a clean, literary pulse.
Genres
African American YA, Coming of Age, Activism & Social Justice
Published
HarperCollins, May 9, 2023

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About this book

Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner! “An unwavering proclamation of Black girlhood.” —Candice Iloh, author of National Book Award finalist Every Body Looking From Ibi Zoboi, bestselling, award-winning author of American Street and coauthor of Punching the Air, comes a bold new YA coming-of-age story that explores race, feminism, and complicated family dynamics. The ideal next read for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jacqueline Woodson, and Roxane Gay. Warrior Princess.

Continue reading

That’s what Nigeria Jones’s father calls her. He has raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals to connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch of their Movement—disappears, Nigeria’s world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn’t want. Nigeria’s mother had secrets. She wished for a different life for her children, which includes sending her daughter to a private Quaker school outside of their strict group. Despite her father’s disapproval, Nigeria attends the school with her cousin, Kamau, and Sage, who used to be a friend. ­There, she begins to flourish and expand her universe. As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family. From award-winning author Ibi Zoboi comes a powerful story about discovering who you are in the world—and fighting for that person—by having the courage to be your own revolution.

Quietly Intense

A serious, character-forward read with a contemporary Black perspective and a clean, literary pulse.

Come here for

  • prestige-leaning YA voice
  • contemporary Black perspective

Expect

  • sustained narrative immersion
  • themes around prejudice and racism

Where it sits

African American YA55%
Coming of Age53%
Activism & Social Justice43%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Coming of Age
  • Diverse YA Fiction
  • YA Stories About Parents
  • YA Stories About Girls & Women
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Literary YA
  • Contemporary YA Romance
  • Multicultural & Interracial YA Romance
  • Dating & Sex for Teens
Authors
Ibi Zoboi
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
May 9, 2023
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
Coming of Age