Brandy Colbert facts for kids

Brandy Colbert is an American author who writes exciting books for young adults and middle schoolers. She writes both fiction (made-up stories) and nonfiction (true stories).

In 2018, her novel Little & Lion won the Stonewall Book Award. This award celebrates books that are important for young people. Later, in 2022, her nonfiction book Black Birds in the Sky won the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction. Some of her other popular books include Pointe (2014) and The Only Black Girls in Town (2020).

About Brandy Colbert

Brandy Colbert grew up in Springfield, Missouri. She went to Glendale High School there. She was inspired by many other writers, like Dorothy West and Zadie Smith.

Brandy Colbert started writing her first book, Pointe, in 2009. She was inspired by real-life stories of people overcoming tough situations. Besides writing, she also teaches writing to students at Hamline University. She helps new authors learn how to write great books for kids and teens.

Amazing Books by Brandy Colbert

Pointe (2014)

Pointe was Brandy Colbert's first book for young adults. It's about a teenage dancer in Chicago. She has to deal with challenges from her past.

Reviewers really liked Pointe. One reviewer said the main character felt very real. They felt like they wanted to help her through her struggles. The book also received a special "starred review" from Publishers Weekly. This means it was highly recommended.

Little & Lion (2018)

Little & Lion is another one of Brandy Colbert's popular books. It received many "starred reviews" from important book journals like Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.

This book won the 2018 Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. This award recognizes books that are important for young readers. BuzzFeed and Tablet also named Little & Lion one of the best young adult novels of 2017. The American Library Association added it to their "Best Fiction for Young Adults" list.

Finding Yvonne (2018)

Finding Yvonne is Brandy Colbert's third novel. It tells the story of a teenager who has to make big decisions about her future. The book was published by Little, Brown.

The New York Public Library named Finding Yvonne one of the best books for teens in 2018. It was also chosen for the CCBC Choices list.

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph (2019)

Brandy Colbert's fourth novel is The Revolution of Birdie Randolph. It's a coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old girl. This book was also published by Little, Brown.

The Chicago Public Library called The Revolution of Birdie Randolph one of the best young adult books of 2019. It was also added to the American Library Association's "Best Fiction for Young Adults" list.

The Only Black Girls in Town (2020)

The Only Black Girls in Town is Brandy Colbert's first book for middle schoolers. It's about two Black girls who find a mysterious journal. They find it in their attic. This book was published in March 2020.

Brandy Colbert said writing for younger kids felt challenging. She wanted to write a story that would have meant a lot to her when she was a kid. The idea for the book came from thinking about a character who feels like the only Black girl in town. Then, another Black girl moves in across the street. She was inspired by authors like Judy Blume.

This book received many "starred reviews" from places like Booklist and School Library Journal. It was also recognized by the Association for Library and Information Science Education.

The Voting Booth (2020)

The Voting Booth is a book about two 18-year-olds. It follows them on their very first election day as voters. This book was published by Disney Hyperion. The New York Times even reviewed it!

Booklist included The Voting Booth on their list of top romance novels for youth. It was also chosen by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) as one of the best fiction books for young adults.

Black Birds in the Sky (2021)

In 2021, Brandy Colbert published Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This is a nonfiction book. It tells the true story of an important historical event.

Booklist included Black Birds in the Sky on their list of top history books for youth. It won the 2022 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction. It was also a finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award.

The Blackwoods (2023)

The Blackwoods was published in 2023. It tells the story of a famous Hollywood screen legend and her family. Kirkus Reviews named The Blackwoods one of the best young adult books of the year.

Awards and Honors

Many of Brandy Colbert's books have been chosen as Junior Library Guild selections. This means they are highly recommended for libraries. These include Life in Motion: Young Readers Edition, Little & Lion, and Black Birds in the Sky.