Onyx & Beyond

Ages 8 to 12

Onyx lives with his mother, who is showing signs of early-onset dementia. He doesn't want to bring attention to his home -- if Child Protective Services finds out, they'll put him into foster care.

As he's trying to keep his life together, the Civil Rights Movement is accelerating. Is there anywhere that's safe for a young Black boy? Maybe, if only Onyx can fulfill his dream of becoming an astronaut and exploring space, where none of these challenges will follow him. In the meantime, Onyx can dream. And try to get his mom the help she needs.

Based in part on her father's story of growing up in the 1960s and facing the same challenge with his own mother, award winner Amber McBride delivers another affecting depiction of being young and Black in America.

About the Author

Amber McBride’s debut young adult novel, Me (Moth), was a finalist for the National Book Awards and won the 2022 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, among many other accolades. Her most recent young adult novel, We Are All So Good at Smiling, was praised for offering “important messages, uniquely delivered” by Kirkus in a starred review. Gone Wolf marked Amber McBride’s middle grade fiction debut, and was praised as "raw, incisive, and authentic" in a starred review from Kirkus. She is a professor of creative writing at University of Virginia, and lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. Find her on Twitter: @ambsmcbride.