Dhonielle Clayton (The Belles), along with powerhouse authors Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon, present a satisfying and hopeful series of half-dozen love stories in Blackout. Together, the six women of color work to show that love can be found in even the most unexpected circumstances.
A blackout in New York City changes the course of several Black teens' lives. Tammi and Kareem have to travel together on foot from Harlem to Brooklyn when public transit goes down, forcing the two to face the aftermath of their breakup. Jacorey, stuck on his own in a stalled underground train, deals with buried feelings for a crush. Nella falls for a beautiful girl who helps her search in the dark for a lost photo of her grandmother. Lana, locked inside the New York Public Library, prepares to tell her best friend that she's in love with him. Kayla's disappointing boyfriend and troublesome crush get into a spat while stuck on a bus during a school trip; Kayla learns that choosing herself might be the best option. And Grace, who gets stranded when her ride-share runs out of gas, finds a potential love interest in her driver.
Clayton, the brains behind Blackout, divides the book into five acts to tell each teen's story. She weaves the authors' short stories together through precisely laid-out chapters that make connections among characters. For example, in Clayton's "All the Great Love Stories... and Dust," Lana sees Tammi and Kareem (from Jackson's "The Long Walk") and wonders what their love story could be. Each author brings an unmistakable voice to the humorous, lighthearted storytelling, affirming that Black people are not a monolith. Every character and every chapter celebrates Black culture through language, fashion and individuality. --Kharissa Kenner, children's librarian, Bank Street School for Children