18 Books Published by Baker Publishing Group on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

Christianity Today 2023 Book Award Finalist (Culture & the Arts)

Learning from Black voices means listening to more than snippets. It means attending to Black stories. Reading Black Books helps Christians hear and learn from enduring Black voices and stories as captured in classic African American literature.

Pastor and teacher Claude Atcho offers a theological approach to 10 seminal texts of 20th-century African American literature. Each chapter takes up a theological category for inquiry through a close literary reading and theological reflection on a primary literary text, from Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man and Richard Wright’s Native Son to Zora Neale Hurston’s Moses, Man of the Mountain and James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain. The book includes end-of-chapter discussion questions.

Reading Black Books helps readers of all backgrounds learn from the contours of Christian faith formed and forged by Black stories, and it spurs continued conversations about racial justice in the church. It demonstrates that reading about Black experience as shown in the literature of great African American writers can guide us toward sharper theological thinking and more faithful living.

In 1957, Melba Beals was one of the nine African American students chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. But her story of overcoming didn’t start—or end—there. While her white schoolmates were planning their senior prom, Melba was facing the business end of a double-barreled shotgun, being threatened with lynching by rope-carrying tormentors, and learning how to outrun white supremacists who were ready to kill her rather than sit beside her in a classroom. Only her faith in God sustained her during her darkest days and helped her become a civil rights warrior, an NBC television news reporter, a magazine writer, a professor, a wife, and a mother.

In I Will Not Fear, Beals takes readers on an unforgettable journey through terror, oppression, and persecution, highlighting the kind of faith needed to survive in a world full of heartbreak and anger. She shows how the deep faith we develop during our most difficult moments is the kind of faith that can change our families, our communities, and even the world. Encouraging and inspiring, Beals’s story offers readers hope that faith is the solution to the pervasive hopelessness of our current culture.

In Jersey City the code of the streets is simple. No matter what, you don’t talk to the cops. You don’t snitch. But when young bus driver Andre Bolden witnesses a murder on his route, the code gets personal and every decision leads him deeper into worlds that he never intended to enter. In this rich story that ratchets up the tension and suspense at every turn, the reality of life on the street is infused with spiritual truth. Gifted storyteller Booker T. Mattison’s realistic tale of revenge and redemption offers hope about the strength of community against violence and intimidation. Early Praise for Snitch:"Snitch absorbed me to the point that I felt that my life and the lives of my family were at stake. It’s just that good. Snitch should be required reading for anyone with a pulse and a conscience. "Lisa Cortés, executive producer of the Academy Award nominated film Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire"Amazing down to the last line. Bravo!"Victoria Christopher Murray, Essence bestselling author

Finally, a book of meditations for African American women that understands the world they live in. Centering on the lessons God teaches us at work, at church, and in our relationships, this book of devotions uses stories and settings that will resonate with women of color—urban life, office culture, and the leading of the Spirit in things large and small. Using Scripture, conventional wisdom, and stories from the African American community, each devotional will show women how their faith can empower them to have success on the job—at whatever workplace they find themselves. With topics such as respect, resourcefulness, image, timeliness, honesty, negativity, and balancing work and home, each devotion ends with a "power move"—practical affirmations that will move readers toward success at work.

Book Description

Finally, a book of meditations for African American women that understands the world they live in. Centering on the lessons God teaches us at work, at church, and in our relationships, this book of devotions uses stories and settings that will resonate with women of color—urban life, office culture, and the leading of the Spirit in things large and small. Using Scripture, conventional wisdom, and stories from the African American community, each devotional will show women how their faith can empower them to have success on the job—at whatever workplace they find themselves. With topics such as respect, resourcefulness, image, timeliness, honesty, negativity, and balancing work and home, each devotion ends with a "power move"—practical affirmations that will move readers toward success at work.

Book Excerpt - Introduction

When I first became a Christian, I envied people who worked in Christian organizations and businesses. They got to live their faith openly on their nine-to-five jobs. I’d listen like a wide-eyed child as they talked about how they’d begin each day with corporate prayer and have lunch-hour Bible study fellowships. I then wondered, What about me, Lord? Little did I know that over the years, God would take me on a spiritual journey I’d never forget. And the mission field I was assigned to was my own place of employment.

I wasn’t an evangelist or a prophet or a teacher or a preacher. I didn’t have any of those titles, nor did I covet them. Yes, I held minor positions in church, but nothing that required active ministry. I was a wife, a mother, and a churchgoing believer who loved the Lord, and that was a ministry in itself. But as I grew in Christ, the Holy Spirit showed me that God’s not interested in our titles; he’s interested in us. I learned that it doesn’t matter if you labor on the mission field in Communist China or if you wait tables at the local IHOP or if you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 companyÑyou’re equally as important to God. And he wants to use you to build his kingdom.

The Great Commission is to go out and “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). God didn’t put a disclaimer on that command. He didn’t say you had to have a college degree, sing in the choir, or have model looks. This word is not only for pastors, teachers, preachers, and evangelists. It’s also for you and me. It’s for every believer in Christ Jesus. And your workplace is fertile ground. No matter where you workÑa deli, the hospital, or a major corporation God has called you to be salt and light wherever you are and whatever you do. God isn’t hung up on titles. He’s looking for a few good men (and in our case, women) who will shine Christ’s light in a dark world.

Although my walk hasn’t been perfect, being a Christian has helped me get through the toughest of times, especially on the job. And I’m here to tell you that if God did it for me, he’ll do it for you too, for God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). I’ve seen God’s hand move mightily on my behalf on so many occasions that I sit and marvel at his goodness, his mercy, and his grace. Have I made mistakes? Yes. But each mistake resulted in knowledge and wisdom I couldn’t have gotten if I’d paid for it. Makeup pioneer Mary Kay Ash said, “We fail forward.” There will be bumps in the road at home, at church, and on the job. Conflict is inevitable. But with the Lord’s help, you can be successful at whatever you undertake.

Indigo Burns is excited. Her wedding preparations to the man of her dreams are under way, her career as a photographer is a success, and her family seems to be doing better than ever—all except her brother Reuben who nobody has seen in years. But that’s about to change, because Reuben has decided to move back home to Jubilant, Texas. But Reuben’s hope to find healing with his sisters doesn’t seem to be working. Soon enough their lives intersect in dramatic, sometimes painful, and ultimately healing ways.
This insightful novel by an Essence bestselling author will pull in women readers from the urban market and beyond.

Fifteen years ago, Zeely Wilkins and Ron Jenkins were students the school district stopped believing in. Lucky for them, their teacher knew something the principal didn’t; they were cream of the crop but they just hadn’t sprouted the way people expected.

Though they went their separate ways, the past is calling them back to the school and the teacher who wouldn’t give up on them. Now they’ll have to decide what love really means—and whether they’re willing to dance to a new tune to get it. But can they rediscover the songs of deliverance that once brought them together? Or will secrets keep them apart?

Life has always gone Indigo Burns’s way. She’s smart, pretty, and talented, and she knows exactly what she wants. A photography internship at her hometown’s local newspaper is the next step in her well-laid plans for her future. But her long-term goals are put to the test when her boyfriend Brian proposes—two years before he’s supposed to and in front of all the guests at her college graduation party. Too concerned about his feelings to say no, she heartily agrees, but inside she’s cringing.

Indigo knows in her heart that she’s not prepared to sacrifice her dreams to become Brian’s wife—not before she has achieved any of them. Will she find the answers among family and friends in Jubilant, Texas? Or will the picture-perfect life she dreams of be left behind?

Tory Tyson may only be in high school, but he knows what he wants out of life—a successful music career. And he’s not going to learn about all that at school. So when school lets out next month he’s not going back. He’s finally ready to stop spinning old records at parties and start laying down his own beats—and the Unsigned Hype music contest is the perfect place to launch his career. But will he be able to handle the fame and fortune he seeks?

Grounded in the world of today’s urban youth, Unsigned Hype will draw readers in with its fresh voice and true-to-life rendering of the hip-hop world. Booker T. Mattison delivers a story with attitude in the vernacular of the urban teen.

Marriage is no fairy tale. Author Jewell R. Powell knows from experience. But she also discovered that there is hope for getting through the hard times, and that, with God, a happy and fulfilling marriage is possible. Using the story of Sleeping Beauty as a parable of God’s plan for marriage, this book/workbook combination offers an 8-week plan for individual or group study that encourages examining the areas in our lives that need to change. Using biblical examples, reflection questions, and Scripture meditation, Powell challenges those who want strong and healthy marital relationships to lay a spiritual foundation from which to grow. Marriage 101 is a valuable, insightful resource that couples can go to for help when dealing with the real issues they face.

Rachelle Covington has it all. A fabulous home, a handsome and prestigious husband, two beautiful children, and a place in the upper crust that’s quite comfortable. But her life is not all it’s cracked up to be. When her husband goes away on business trip and the kids are sent off to the grandparents for a month, Rachelle takes up the challenge of a dying friend to start a list of things to do before she dies. She heads back to Jubilant, Texas, to reconnect with her past, her purpose, and herself. But when her ex shows up in town looking very fine and very single, Rachelle must confront feelings she thought she’d long buried. Will she give up everything to recover the past? Or will she find a reason to plan for the future? The Someday List is an honest look at what makes us who we are and what can throw us off track. Author Stacy Hawkins Adams writes with a voice that is fresh, sincere, and completely real. Her characters jump off the page and into her readers’ hearts.

Grace Okoye was a promising young dancer when her career was cut short by a brutal assault that left her scarred for life. Twenty years later, when her past gets in the way of her happiness, she heeds the invitation of her dance instructor and returns home to help hurting children and rediscover the rhythms of grace. What she doesn’t expect is to meet a man who already seems to know her beat. But for all they share in common, the biggest thing in Grace’s life is noticeably absent in his—faith. She’s finally found the love of her life, but can she choose between him and God?
Real, raw emotion and the promise of redemption run through this soulful new book from Marilynn Griffith.

Serena, a career woman turned stay-at-home mom, wonders if she has made the right choice. Erika struggles to let go of her abusive past. Tawana, a new lawyer, is trying to pull her life together, but her ambitions keep getting in the way. Three women, each at different places in their lives, find themselves at the same crossroads—looking to God and to each other for answers on how to find beauty in themselves and in their journey. Watercolored Pearls is a page-turning story of how God can use the tragic, the shameful, and the less-than-perfect circumstances of life to create something beautiful.

Chenille Rizzo loves God. It’s people she has a problem with sometimes, especially after the death of her beloved husband. People such as her star account—a demanding bride long on money and short on tact—make Chenille feel more blue than she’d like to admit. The groom, a homegrown pediatrician, is just the opposite. He has wise eyes, a love for babies, and a comforting voice—a tenor, like Chenille’s late husband. And he’s just as quiet. Maddeningly so. Does he really love the spoiled diva Chenille is trimming a wedding dress for? Or does his gaze hold the longing she both hopes for … and fears? Will she risk losing her business for a chance at happiness with the gentle doctor? Fans of the Shades of Style series will love this satisfying conclusion.

Fans of Pink and Jade will eat up Tangerine, the third book in the cutting-edge Shades of Style series. Jean Guerra, a designer at Garments of Praise design firm, doesn’t like surprises. These days though, the unexpected meets her everywhere. Since Jean’s return to the church a year ago, her God-encounters occur with increasing frequency, along with thoughts of her husband-the one she vowed to divorce and gave up on long ago. The one nobody at work knows about, not even her best friend, Lily, or her boss, Chenille. But when the designer assigned to work with Jean on a line of men’s suits shows up, her heart flips. It’s her husband, Nigel Salvador. Jean is finally rendered speechless. Can her bruised heart become whole enough to love again? Or will she remain in the trenches of loneliness forever?

Lily Chau, the happenin’, young pattern-maker for Garments of Praise, would love to break onto the stylish New York fashion scene. She has the talent and sass to make it big, but something is holding her back: a devotion to her aging mother. How can Lily pursue her dream if she feels called to stand by her family? Then she meets Doug LaCroix, a missionary on furlough who wants nothing more than to return to the mission field. When the two meet, sparks begin to fly. Soon they are both caught in an intricate web of dreams and obligations, neither knowing if they should follow their dreams or their responsibilities. One thing is for sure: there are no easy answers and no cut-and-dry patterns for matters of the heart. Combining rich, multicultural flavor with the excitement of New York City, Marilynn Griffith delivers another entertaining read in the Shades of Style series.

Serena McDaniels is successful, sassy, and saved. Life is good. She has a loving husband and a new home. But there’s one dream that remains just out of reach. When she left a high-profile advertising agency to pursue her dreams of having a family, Serena never imagined that the stress of her husband’s pastorate and their desire to follow God’s will might delay their dreams of becoming parents. And when a dear friend makes a life-altering decision to leave an abusive relationship, Serena knows she has to help. Will she have to postpone her dreams forever? Or will she hear God’s still, small voice and realize his plan for her? Nothing But the Right Thing is a heartwarming novel that explores the journey of faith, friendship, and the power of prayer.

Meet Raya Joseph, the creative head designer at an up-and-coming new fashion design firm. Like employees of any fledgling company, Raya and her fellow designers face a variety of challenges—especially when it comes to bringing in business. So when they are hired to design a million-dollar wedding gown, these talented and animated designers are thrilled. But there’s one catch. The new customer is the woman who stole Raya’s fiancé. Meanwhile, Flex Dunham, an athletic trainer who coaches a charity basketball team, needs team uniforms and soon finds himself in Raya’s shop. Raya hasn’t looked at a man since her engagement fiasco, so when Flex walks into her office, things get a little complicated. The entertaining first novel in the Shades of Style series, Pink offers a perfect mix of likeable characters, sweet drama, humor, and a little bit of romance.

Serena Jasper is a young professional woman on her way up the corporate ladder in a large advertising firm. She’s always been close to her mother, especially since the death of her father. But when Serena learns of a devastating family secret, she feels betrayed by the one she trusted most. As she questions how someone as devout as her mother could have lied to her for years, Serena pulls away from both family and faith. Without the haven of hearth and home, she flounders as she tries to help a girlfriend trapped in an abusive relationship. Burying herself in her prestigious career doesn’t help either. With the help of a possible new love in her life, Serena realizes that, instead of resisting the voice, she needs to listen to the One who speaks to her heart.