The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson

The Color of a Lie

Kim Johnson

Random House Children's Books · Paperback · June 3, 2025

In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a “Whites Only” town in the suburbs.

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Who it’s for
A warm, page-by-page YA pick with a serious social lens and an easy gift-table appeal.
Genres
Prejudice & Racism for Teens, 20th-Century US YA, African American YA
Published
Random House Children's Books, June 3, 2025

About this book

In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a “Whites Only” town in the suburbs. Caught between two worlds, a teen boy puts his family at risk as he uncovers racist secrets about his suburb. A new social justice thriller from the acclaimed author of This Is My America! WINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE • A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Calvin knows how to pass for white.

Continue reading

He's done it plenty of times before. For his friends in Chicago, when they wanted food but weren't allowed in a restaurant. For work, when he and his dad would travel for the Green Book. This is different. After a tragedy in Chicago forces the family to flee, they resettle in an idyllic all-white suburban town in search of a better life. Calvin's father wants everyone to embrace their new white lifestyles, but it's easier said than done. Hiding your true self is exhausting -- which leads Calvin across town where he can make friends who know all of him...and spend more time with his new crush, Lily. But when Calvin starts unraveling dark secrets about the white town and its inhabitants, passing starts to feel even more suffocating--and dangerous--than he could have imagined. Expertly weaving together real historical events with important reflections on being Black in America, acclaimed author Kim Johnson powerfully connects readers to the experience of being forced to live a life-threatening lie or embrace an equally deadly truth.

Warm-Weight Read

A warm, page-by-page YA pick with a serious social lens and an easy gift-table appeal.

Come here for

  • warm, sustained YA narrative
  • a thoughtful giftable read

Expect

  • teen fiction with an African American focus
  • a read that stays with you after the last page

Where it sits

20th-Century US YA48%
Prejudice & Racism for Teens48%
African American YA44%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Diverse YA Fiction
  • African American YA
  • Prejudice & Racism for Teens
Authors
Kim Johnson
Publisher
Random House Children's Books
Published
June 3, 2025
Format
Paperback
Reading lane
Diverse YA Fiction