March is reading month! Professor Dan Stockwell kicks off the month for us with a thrilling mystery.
 Dan Stockwell | Dr. Dan Stockwell, a former high school English language arts (ELA) teacher, is an assistant professor of English Education at California State University, Bakersfield. Dan serves as a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Secondary Section Steering Committee. In addition to his book, Teaching for CHANGE in the ELA Classroom, published by Routledge in 2025, Dan has published in NCTE’s English Journal and in the California Association of Teachers of English’sCalifornia English journal. Visit Dan’s website for lesson plans and teaching ideas. We welcome Professor Stockwell back to the blog this month, and thank him for his contributions to the YA community! |
The Black Queen by Jumata Emill
 | The Black Queen by Jumata Mill is an exciting, carefully-crafted thriller that I did not want to put down. As I read this captivating mystery, I made multiple guesses to solve the murder, but Emill’s book is so well plotted that I never figured it out until the end. Emill doesn’t cheat the reader with pointless or manufactured “twists.” All details and clues connect–just not how I initially thought. This novel features strong characterization of nuanced characters. The chapters alternate between the two protagonists, Duchess and Tinsley, who have clear and authentic voices. |
| Though Duchess and Tinsley are not friends, each for her own reasons–Duchess to solve the murder of her best friend and Tinsley to clear her own name, has the same goal. So these two high school seniors become unlikely allies. Emill uses believable dialogue to bring these dynamic characters to life and to emphasize themes about racism, class, privilege, and justice. The Black Queen is an outstanding mystery, but its nuanced exploration of powerful themes makes it linger with readers even after the mystery is solved. The biggest issues the novel explores are, tragically, not even close to being solved. |  Jumata Emill |
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