Most Popular Books by ILYASAH SHABAZZ

“Ilyasah Shabazz has written a compelling and lyrical coming-of-age story as well as a candid and heart-warming tribute to her parents. Growing Up X is destined to become a classic.” –SPIKE LEE February 21, 1965: Malcolm X is assassinated in Harlem’s Audubon Ballroom. June 23, 1997: After surviving for a remarkable twenty-two days, his widow, Betty Shabazz, dies of burns suffered in a fire. In the years between, their six daughters reach adulthood, forged by the memory of their parents’ love, the meaning of their cause, and the power of their faith. Now, at long last, one of them has recorded that tumultuous journey in an unforgettable memoir: Growing Up X. Born in 1962, Ilyasah was the middle child, a rambunctious livewire who fought for–and won–attention in an all-female household. She carried on the legacy of a renowned father and indomitable mother while navigating childhood and, along the way, learning to do the hustle. She was a different color from other kids at camp and yet, years later as a young woman, was not radical enough for her college classmates. Her story is, sbove all else, a tribute to a mother of almost unimaginable forbearance, a woman who, “from that day at the Audubon when she heard the shots and threw her body on [ours, never] stopped shielding her children.”

“Absorbing . . . History comes alive in this illuminating portrayal of the early life of this civil rights activist” by Betty Shabazz’s daughter (Publishers Weekly, starred review). A New York Public Library Best Children’s Book of 2018 A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2018 A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018 In Detroit, 1945, eleven-year-old Betty’s house doesn’t quite feel like home. She believes her mother loves her, but she can’t shake the feeling that her mother doesn’t want her. Church helps those worries fade, if only for a little while. The singing, the preaching, the speeches from guest activists like Paul Robeson and Thurgood Marshall stir African Americans in her community to stand up for their rights. Betty quickly finds confidence and purpose in volunteering for the Housewives League, an organization that supports black-owned businesses. Soon, the American civil rights icon we now know as Dr. Betty Shabazz is born. Inspired by Betty’s real life—but expanded upon and fictionalized through collaboration with novelist Renée Watson—Ilyasah Shabazz illuminates four poignant years in her mother’s childhood with this book, painting an inspiring portrait of a girl overcoming the challenges of self-acceptance and belonging that will resonate with young readers today. Backmatter included. This title has Common Core connections. “[A] moving fictional account of the early life of the late civil rights leader and widow of Malcolm X . . . a heart-rending imagining of Shabazz’s personal challenges as well as a rare, intimate look at the complex roots of the American civil rights movement. A personal, political and powerful imagining of the early life of the late activist.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book Cowritten by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world. Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever. X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

The Awakening of Malcolm X is a powerful narrative account of the activist''s adolescent years in jail, written by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz along with 2019 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning author, Tiffany D. Jackson. No one can be at peace until he has his freedom. In Charlestown Prison, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days, unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken -- emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X. Here is an intimate look at Malcolm X''s young adult years. While this book chronologically follows X: A Novel, it can be read as a stand-alone historical novel that invites larger discussions on black power, prison reform, and civil rights.

Malcolm X grew up to be one of America''s most influential figures. But first, he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Bolstered by the love and wisdom of his family, Malcolm was a natural born leader. But when confronted with intolerance and a series of tragedies, Malcolm''s optimism and faith were threatened. He had to learn how to be strong and how to hold on to his individuality. He had to learn self-reliance.

Un roman inspiré de faits réels écrit par la fille de Malcolm X, Ilyasah Shabazz, en collaboration avec Tiffany D. Jackson. Dans la lugubre prison de Charlestown, Malcolm Little, 21 ans, essaie de survivre. En proie à de terribles cauchemars, éloigné de sa famille, Malcolm ne sait plus qui il est, ni en quoi il peut croire. Petit à petit, il parvient néanmoins à se lier d''amitié avec d''autres prisonniers et se met à lire tous les livres de la bibliothèque de la prison. Ces lectures éveillent sa conscience politique et nourrissent sa colère face aux injustices et aux violences perpétrées à l''encontre des Noirs. Ainsi naît Malcolm X, figure incontournable de la lutte pour les droits civiques des Afro-Américains. « Little » n''était pas mon nom de famille. C''était le nom d''un esclavagiste. Le nom du ravisseur de mes ancêtres.

Les parents de Malcolm ont toujours poussé à réaliser ses rêves. Mais comment Malcolm Little peut-il continuer à espérer après le meurtre de son père et l''internement de sa mère en hôpital psychiatrique ? D''autant que ses professeurs lui rient au nez lorsque Malcolm leur confie vouloir devenir avocat. Devenu orphelin, privé de ses frères et soeurs, Malcolm décide de fuir ce monde dominé par les blancs, d''abord à Boston, chez sa demi-soeur, pour s''étourdir de musique, d''alcool et de danse, avant de partir à Harlem, et de devenir un escroc accompli. Emprisonné pour vol à l''âge de 20 ans, Malcolm découvrira la religion musulmane, rencontrera la foi et deviendra Malcolm X, grand prêcheur militant pour la défense du peuple noir.