Book Store BW 🔥 Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz

🔥 A coming-of-age story they didn’t want your daughters to read.

Written by Malcolm X’s daughter, this beautifully told novel traces young Betty Shabazz’s life in 1940s Detroit. It’s about a girl learning self-respect, Black pride, and how to speak up — even when the world tells her to be quiet.

Why it was challenged: Addresses racism, community activism, and Black history in a way that some school boards deemed "too political."

Recommended for: Middle-grade readers, classrooms, and anyone interested in civil rights roots.