Books by Topic

Adventure
Biographies
Harlem
History
Music
Poetry
Sports
War
Writing

 

Adventure

  • On A Clear Day (2014) – It is 2035. Teens, armed only with their ideals, must wage war on the power elite. “In his last book, Myers has turned his thoughtful attention to matters of pressing global importance and issued an implicit challenge to his teen readers to become involved and make a difference. It makes for a stirring valedictory.” – Booklist
  • Looking for the Easy Life (2011) – Life is pretty good on Monkey Island, but Oswego Pete is bent on finding the Easy Life – a place where a monkey never has to bend all out of shape for a banana, or do any hard work
  • Three Swords for Granada (2002) – Three young cats struggle to stop an army of dogs from terrorizing Granada in 1420.
  • How Mr. Monkey Saw the Whole World (1996) – After watching cold-hearted, cruel Mr. Buzzard cheat Mr. Hare, Mr. Antelope, and Mr. Crab, Mr. Monkey sets out to teach the greedy bird a much-needed lesson.
  • Smiffy Blue: Ace Crime Detective (1996) – Smiffy Blue is the coolest, crime detective in Doober City who investigates everything from the disappearance of a prized racehorse to a museum theft of the famous ruby of Mora Mora.
  • Ambush in the Amazon (1986) – While camping in the Amazon, Chris and his brother Ken try to save a tribal village from the attacks of what appears to be a reincarnated swamp monster.
  • Shadow of the Red Moon (1995) – Hating to leave his family behind but determined to preserve the Okalian way of life, Jon ventures outside of the Crystal City walls and seeks the Ancient Land past the dangerous Wilderness.
  • The Dragon Take a Wife (1995) – Once upon a time, there lived a lonely dragon named Harry who knew that in order to get a wife, he had to prove his courage by fighting the knight in shining armor.
  • The Righteous Revenge of Artemis Bonner (1992) – Fifteen-year-old Artemis journeys from New York City to Tombstone, Arizona, in 1882, to avenge the murder of his uncle.
  • Somewhere in the Darkness (1992) – A teenage boy accompanies his father, who has recently escaped from prison, on a trip that turns out to be a time of often painful discovery for them both.
  • Duel in the Desert (1986) – While camping in Morocco, Chris and his brother try to discover who stole a valuable silver chalice from a Moroccan palace.
  • The Hidden Shrine (1985) – Chris and Ken Arrow, who often accompany their anthropologist mother on her travels, find themselves pursuing a band of thieves through the back alleys and waterways of Hong Kong.
  • Adventure in Granada (1985) – While visiting Spain, Chris and Ken try to save a friend who has been falsely accused of stealing a valuable cross.
  • Mr. Monkey and the Gotcha Bird (1984) – Captured by the Gotcha Bird one day when he was walking around with his nose in the air thinking he was big stuff, Monkey does some fast thinking to keep from being eaten.
  • Tales of a Dead King (1983) – Two American teenagers uncover a plot to rob the tomb of an Egyptian pharoah.
  • The Black Pearl and the Ghost (1980) – Two stories: one featuring a great detective in search of a missing pearl, and another with a famous ghost chaser tracking down a mischievous ghost.

top

Biographies


  • Juba! A Novel (2015) – Walter Dean Myers’s last novel, delivers a gripping story based on the life of a real dancer known as Master Juba, who lived in the nineteenth century. This engaging historical novel is based on the true story of the meteoric rise of an immensely talented young black dancer, William Henry Lane, who influenced today’s tap, jazz, and step dancing.
  • Muhammad Ali: The People’s Champion (2009) – This vibrantly illustrated biography recounts the most famous fights and examines the depth and complexity of the larger-than-life legend Muhammad Ali.
  • Ida B. Wells: Let The Truth Be Told (2008) – An activist, educator, writer, journalist, suffragette, and pioneering voice against the horror of lynching, Ida B. Wells was an extraordinary woman who was hard at work to better the lives of African Americans.
  • I’ve Seen The Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (2004) – Pictures and easy-to-read text introduce the life of one of the most celebrated figures of the twentieth century, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • The Greatest: The of Muhammad Ali (2000) – Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, Muhammad Ali became the greatest boxer in the world, and in the 1960s, he single-handedly changed the face of boxing forever.
  • Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly (2000) – Walter Dean Myers delivers a compelling portrayal of Malcolm X, one of the most controversial and powerful leaders of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s, and one of America’s influential figures.
  • In Her Majesty’s Request (1999) – This fascinating biography reconstructs the life of Sarah Forbes Bonnetta, an African princess saved from execution and taken to England where Queen Victoria oversaw her upbringing and where she lived for a time before marrying an African missionary.
  • Toussaint L’overtoure: The Fight for Haiti���s Freedom (1996) – The liberation of Haiti under Toussaint L’Ouverture, a freed slave who became general of the slave army which rose against the French in 1791, is told in exciting, factual narrative and enhanced by bold, full-color paintings.
  • Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (1993) – In this provocative biography, Myers, presents a forthright portrait of a complex man whose life reflected the major events of our times.
  • Young Martin’s Promise (1993) – Martin Luther King, Jr. felt the effects of segregation as a boy growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, which sowed the seeds for his activism for equal rights for people, regardless of their color.

top

Harlem


  • The Get Over EPB (2013)
  • Darius & Twig (2013) – Darius and Twig are an unlikely pair drawn together in the struggle to overcome the obstacles that life in Harlem throws their way.
  • Tags EPB (2013) – Tags is a 20-page one-act play that looks at life and death in New York City, complete with shocking ending.
  • All The Right Stuff (2012) – In this thought-provoking novel tackling the social contract, Paul Dupree begins to understand the importance of taking control of his life after his father is shot and killed.
  • The Cruisers Book 2: Checkmate (2011) – In the second book of The Cruisers series, Zander and his crew explore the competitive world of chess, but soon realize life itself is a high-stakes game worth playing.
  • Carmen (2011) – Passion, love, and betrayal explode into tragedy in this modern retelling of an enduring love story.
  • Game (2008) – Drew Larson sees his college dreams fading after the coach replaces him with another teammate, making him realize that he must focus on more than athletics if he wants to get ahead in the big game.
  • What They Found: Love on 145th Street (2007) – Fifteen interrelated stories explore different aspects of love and how it can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places.
  • Harlem Summer (2007) – In this historical novel set during the Harlem Renaissance, 16-year-old Mark Purvis works for Crisis magazine, but really wants a chance to play saxophone for jazz great Fats Waller, who entices him to take a shady opportunity to make some fast cash.
  • Street Love (2006) – Seventeen-year-old Damien takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love will not be separated in this free-verse story set against a background of street gangs and poverty in Harlem.
  • Harlem Hellfighters (2006) – In a time when their humanity was questioned in their homeland, the Harlem Hellfighters, the 369th Infantry Regiment of African American soldiers in the United States Army, fought on the front lines of World War I to defend democracy.
  • Autobiography of My Dead Brother (2005) – Jesse pours his heart and soul into his sketchbook to make sense of life in his troubled Harlem neighborhood and the loss of his close friend Rise.
  • Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices (2004) – Powerful and soulful first-person poems are presented in the voices of Harlem residents who make up the legendary New York City neighborhood, capturing its energy and resilience.
  • The Beast (2003) – A visit to his Harlem neighborhood and the discovery that the girl he loves is using drugs give 16-year-old Anthony Witherspoon a new perspective both on his home and on his life at a Connecticut prep school.
  • The Dream Bearer (2003) – David Curry doesn’t know what to make of his father, Reuben, whose violent outbursts and chilling nightmares torment his family.
  • Handbook for Boys: A Novel (2002) – Sixteen-year-old Jimmy, on probation for assault, talks about life with three old men in a Harlem barbershop and hears about the tools he can use to get what he wants.
  • Bad Boy: A Memoir (2001) – In a memoir that is gripping, funny, and ultimately unforgettable, Walter Dean Myers travels back to his roots in the magical world of Harlem during the 1940s and 1950s.
  • 145th Street: Short Stories (2000) – This wrenchingly honest collection of short stories offers a multi-faceted view of urban life set on the block of 145th Street in Harlem.
  • Slam (1998) – Sixteen-year-old “Slam” Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently. A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book.
  • Harlem (1997) – With a poetic jazz backbeat, Walter Dean Myers, with the help of his son Christopher, tells the story of Harlem – a rich and vibrant neighborhood that has been a historic center of African-American culture in New York City.
  • The Mouse Rap (1990) – It’s summertime in Harlem, and The Mouse (as he calls himself) and his friends look beyond dance contests and basketball for diversion.
  • Fallen Angels (1988) – Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, just out of his Harlem high school, enlists in the Army in the summer of 1967 and spends a devastating year on active duty in Vietnam.
  • Scorpions (1988) – When his older brother, Randy, ends up in prison, Jamal is expected to take over the leadership of Randy’s gang, the Scorpions – whether he likes it or not.
  • Motown and Didi: A Love Story (1984) – Motown and Didi, two teenage loners in Harlem, find themselves not only in a fight against Touchy, the drug dealer whose dope is destroying Didi’s brother, but falling in love with each other. A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book.
  • The Outside Shot (1984) – When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship to a midwestern college, he knows he must keep his head straight and his record clean if he wants to make it to the pros someday.
  • The Young Landlords (1979) – Five devoted friends become landlords and try to make their Harlem neighborhood a better place to live, but it turns out that being a landlord is a lot more work than being a kid. A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book.
  • It Ain’t All for Nothin’ (1978) – Life in Harlem isn’t easy for Tippy. He has to decide whether to act as accomplice to his thieving father, or reject the man’s path and risk losing him.
  • Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (1975) – New to 116th Street in New York, Francis – aka ���Stuff” – soon makes friends and begins a year of unusual experiences.

top

History


  • We Are America: A Tribute from the Heart (2011) – Walter Dean Myers teams up with son Christopher Myers to celebrate the heart and soul of America, its ordinary and extraordinary people, and the monumental events that have shaped it.
  • Riot (2009) – As the Civil War rages, another battle breaks out behind the lines: the worst race riots the United States erupt in New York City.
  • Ida B. Wells: Let The Truth Be Told (2008) – An activist, educator, writer, journalist, suffragette, and pioneering voice against the horror of lynching, Ida B. Wells was an extraordinary woman who was hard at work to better the lives of African Americans.
  • Harlem Summer (2007) – In this historical novel set during the Harlem Renaissance, 16-year-old Mark Purvis works for Crisis magazine, but really wants a chance to play saxophone for jazz great Fats Waller, who entices him to take a shady opportunity to make some fast cash.
  • Harlem Hellfighters (2006) – In a time when their humanity was questioned in their homeland, the Harlem Hellfighters, the 369th Infantry Regiment of African American soldiers in the United States Army, fought on the front lines of World War I to defend democracy.
  • Antarctica: Journeys to the South Pole (2004) – This thrilling record of Antarctica depicts the heroism and adventure of the expedition parties that uncovered the frozen continent.
  • USS Constellation: Pride of American Navy (2004) – This illustrious history of America’s first naval fleet documents its travels, from its heroic role in patrolling and intercepting ships used in the illegal African slave trade, to its exploits in the Civil War protecting the Union and defeating Confederate vessels.
  • I’ve Seen The Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (2004) – Pictures and easy-to-read text introduce the life of one of the most celebrated figures of the twentieth century, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Blues Journey (2003) – The African experience in America is celebrated with a soulful, affecting blues poem that details the long journey from the Middle Passage to life today.
  • Down To The Last Out: The Journal of Biddy Owens (2001) – Seventeen-year-old Biddy Owens is part of the Birmingham Black Barons baseball team and dreams of becoming a major league baseball player, but realizes that not everyone is ready for blacks and whites to play on the same team.
  • Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly (2000) – Walter Dean Myers delivers a compelling portrayal of Malcolm X, one of the most controversial and powerful leaders of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s, and one of America’s influential figures.
  • We Were Heroes: The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins (1999) – A seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia records his experiences in a journal as his regiment takes part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and subsequent battles to liberate France.
  • A Place Called Heartbreak: A Story of Vietnam (1993) – Major Fred Cherry is an Air Force pilot taken prisoner during the Vietnam War and he wonders if he will ever see freedom again.
  • The Journal of Joshua Loper: A Black Cowboy (1999) – Joshua Loper keeps a journal of his adventures as a cowhand on a cattle drive, where Indians, cattle rustlers, and stampedes are only a few of the problems the cowboy must face.
  • In Her Majesty’s Request (1999) – This fascinating biography reconstructs the life of Sarah Forbes Bonnetta, an African princess saved from execution and taken to England where Queen Victoria oversaw her upbringing and where she lived for a time before marrying an African missionary.
  • Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom (1997) – It’s 1839 and the Amistad slave ship sets sail on a short voyage in Cuba when illegally enslaved Africans revolt and seize control of the ship hoping to find their way back to Africa.
  • Toussaint L’overtoure: The Fight for Haiti’s Freedom (1996) – The liberation of Haiti under Toussaint L’Ouverture, a freed slave who became general of the slave army which rose against the French in 1791, is told in exciting, factual narrative and enhanced by bold, full-color paintings.
  • One More River to Cross: An African American Photograph Album (1996) – This intimate collection of photographs traces the lives of African-Americans over the course of 150 years, depicting the many roles they have taken and the victories they have achieved.
  • The Glory Field (1994) – This triumphant novel follows five generations of one African-American family from Africa to a South Carolina plantation through the Civil War, to the end of segregation, to a moving and redemptive finale.
  • A Place Called Heartbreak: A Story of Vietnam (1993) – Major Fred Cherry is an Air Force pilot taken prisoner during the Vietnam War and he wonders if he will ever see freedom again.
  • Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary (1993) – In this provocative biography, Myers, presents a forthright portrait of a complex man whose life reflected the major events of our times.
  • Young Martin���s Promise (1993) – Martin Luther King, Jr. felt the effects of segregation as a boy growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, which sowed the seeds for his activism for equal rights for people, regardless of their color.
  • Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom (1991) – Since they were first brought as captives to Virginia, the people who would become African-Americans have struggled for freedom and equality. A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book.
  • Fallen Angels (1988) – Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, just out of his Harlem high school, enlists in the Army in the summer of 1967 and spends a devastating year on active duty in Vietnam.
  • Tales of a Dead King (1983) – Two American teenagers uncover a plot to rob the tomb of an Egyptian pharoah.

top

Music


  • Harlem Summer (2007) – In this historical novel set during the Harlem Renaissance, 16-year-old Mark Purvis works for Crisis magazine, but really wants a chance to play saxophone for jazz great Fats Waller, who entices him to take a shady opportunity to make some fast cash.
  • Jazz (2006) – From bebop to New Orleans, from ragtime to boogie — and every style in between — this collection of energetic poems, accompanied by bright and exhilarating paintings, celebrates different styles of the American art form, jazz.
  • Blues Journey (2003) – The African experience in America is celebrated with a soulful, affecting blues poem that details the long journey from the Middle Passage to life today.
  • The Blues of Flats Brown (2000) – Flats and Caleb, blues-pickin’ junkyard dogs, play street corners and small clubs, from Memphis to New York City but can’t seem to get away from their mean owner who keeps trying to drag them back home.
  • Harlem (1997) – With a poetic jazz backbeat, Walter Dean Myers, with the help of his son Christopher, tells the story of Harlem – a rich and vibrant neighborhood that has been a historic center of African-American culture in New York City.
  • The Mouse Rap (1990) – It’s summertime in Harlem, and The Mouse (as he calls himself) and his friends look beyond dance contests and basketball for diversion.
  • Hoops (1981) – Seventeen-year-old Lonnie Jackson sees the city-wide basketball Tournament of Champions as a possible escape from Harlem but fears the pressures that have sidelined his coach, Cal.
  • Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (1975) – New to 116th Street in New York, Francis – aka “Stuff” – soon makes friends and begins a year of unusual experiences.
  • The Dancers ( 1972) – When a young boy accompanies his father, a prop man, to the theater, he gets an introduction to ballet.

top

Poetry


  • We Are America: A Tribute from the Heart (2011) – Walter Dean Myers teams up with son Christopher Myers to celebrate the heart and soul of America, its ordinary and extraordinary people, and the monumental events that have shaped it.
  • Amiri and Odette (2009) – A boy searches for his newfound love among the city streets, to find that she’s been caught in the arms of an evil street lord who means her harm in this modern retelling of the Swan Lake ballet.
  • Street Love (2006) – Seventeen-year-old Damien takes a bold step to ensure that he and his new love will not be separated in this free-verse story set against a background of street gangs and poverty in Harlem.
  • Jazz (2006) – From bebop to New Orleans, from ragtime to boogie — and every style in between — this collection of energetic poems, accompanied by bright and exhilarating paintings, celebrates different styles of the American art form, jazz.
  • Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices (2004) – Powerful and soulful first-person poems are presented in the voices of Harlem residents who make up the legendary New York City neighborhood, capturing its energy and resilience.
  • Blues Journey (2003) – The African experience in America is celebrated with a soulful, affecting blues poem that details the long journey from the Middle Passage to life today.
  • The Blues of Flats Brown (2000) – Flats and Caleb, blues-pickin’ junkyard dogs, play street corners and small clubs, from Memphis to New York City but can’t seem to get away from their mean owner who keeps trying to drag them back home.
  • Angel to Angel (1998) – In this poignant collection of poetry and photographs, the simple and timeless imagery of childhood evokes the special bond between mother and child.
  • Harlem (1997) – With a poetic jazz backbeat, Walter Dean Myers, with the help of his son Christopher, tells the story of Harlem – a rich and vibrant neighborhood that has been a historic center of African-American culture in New York City.
  • Glorious Angels: A Celebration of Children (1995) A collection of poems and antique photographs depicting children of many different nationalities.
  • Brown Angels: An Album of Pictures and Verse (1993) – A heartwarming celebration of African-American childhood in words and pictures.
  • The Mouse Rap (1990) – It’s summertime in Harlem, and The Mouse (as he calls himself) and his friends look beyond dance contests and basketball for diversion.
  • Fly, Jimmy, Fly! (1974) – After unsuccessful attempts at imitating the birds, Jimmy discovers the best way to fly is in his imagination.

top

Sports


  • All The Right Stuff (2012) – In this thought-provoking novel tackling the social contract, Paul Dupree begins to understand the importance of taking control of his life after his father is shot and killed.
  • The Cruisers Book 2: Checkmate (2011) – In the second book of The Cruisers series, Zander and his crew explore the competitive world of chess, but soon realize life itself is a high-stakes game worth playing.
  • Kick (2011) – Despite being a good kid and a star striker for his Highland, New Jersey soccer team, thirteen-year-old Kevin Johnson finds himself in jail and has to learn to trust Sergeant Brown in order to turn things around.
  • Game (2008) – Drew Larson sees his college dreams fading after the coach replaces him with another teammate, making him realize that he must focus on more than athletics if he wants to get ahead in the big game.
  • Down To The Last Out: The Journal of Biddy Owens (2001) – Seventeen-year-old Biddy Owens is part of the Birmingham Black Barons baseball team and dreams of becoming a major league baseball player, but realizes that not everyone is ready for blacks and whites to play on the same team.
  • The Greatest: The of Muhammad Ali (2000) – Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky in 1942, Muhammad Ali became the greatest boxer in the world, and in the 1960s, he single-handedly changed the face of boxing forever.
  • Slam (1998) – Sixteen-year-old “Slam” Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently. A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book.
  • Mop, Moondance, and the Nagasaki Knights (1992) -T. J., Moondance, and Mop return with the continuing adventures of their baseball team, The Elks, and this time they are trying to win a trip to Japan by coming in first in a special international tournament.
  • The Mouse Rap (1990) – It’s summertime in Harlem, and The Mouse (as he calls himself) and his friends look beyond dance contests and basketball for diversion.
  • Me, Mop, and the Moondance Kid (1988) – Although adoption has taken them out of the New Jersey institution where they grew up, eleven-year-old T.J. and his younger brother Moondance remain involved with their friend Mop’s relentless attempts to become adopted herself and wreak revenge on their baseball rivals the obnoxious Eagles.
  • The Outside Shot (1984) – When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship to a midwestern college, he knows he must keep his head straight and his record clean if he wants to make it to the pros someday.
  • Hoops (1981) – Seventeen-year-old Lonnie Jackson sees the city-wide basketball Tournament of Champions as a possible escape from Harlem but fears the pressures that have sidelined his coach, Cal.
  • Victory For Jaime (1977) – Sixth grader Jamie Davis makes the basketball team, then discovers that the new guy in town is a better player than he is.
  • Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff (1975) – New to 116th Street in New York, Francis ��������� aka “Stuff” – soon makes friends and begins a year of unusual experiences.

top

War


  • Invasion (2013) – As World War II ramps up, Josiah Wedgewood and Marcus Perry make their way to an uncertain future. Set on the front lines of the Normandy invasion, these young men are about to endure an experience that will change their lives forever.
  • Riot (2009) – As the Civil War rages, another battle breaks out behind the lines: the worst race riots the United States erupt in New York City.
  • Sunrise Over Fallujah (2008) – Robin “Birdy” Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn’t quite sure why he joined the army, but he’s sure where he’s headed: Iraq.
  • What They Found: Love on 145th Street (2007) – Fifteen interrelated stories explore different aspects of love and how it can be found, and thrive, in the most unlikely places.
  • Harlem Hellfighters (2006) – In a time when their humanity was questioned in their homeland, the Harlem Hellfighters, the 369th Infantry Regiment of African American soldiers in the United States Army, fought on the front lines of World War I to defend democracy.
  • USS Constellation: Pride of American Navy (2004) – This illustrious history of America’s first naval fleet documents its travels, from its heroic role in patrolling and intercepting ships used in the illegal African slave trade, to its exploits in the Civil War protecting the Union and defeating Confederate vessels.
  • Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam (2002) – A young American soldier waits for his enemy – rifle in hand and heart pounding – wondering when it will all be over.
  • We Were Heroes: The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins (1999) – A seventeen-year-old soldier from central Virginia records his experiences in a journal as his regiment takes part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and subsequent battles to liberate France.
  • A Place Called Heartbreak: A Story of Vietnam (1993) – Major Fred Cherry is an Air Force pilot taken prisoner during the Vietnam War and he wonders if he will ever see freedom again.
  • Fallen Angels (1988) – Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, just out of his Harlem high school, enlists in the Army in the summer of 1967 and spends a devastating year on active duty in Vietnam.
  • The Legend of Tarik (1981) – After witnessing the annihilation of his people by El Muerte’s legions, young Tarik undergoes the training which will enable him to destroy this fierce leader.

top

Writing


  • Just Write: Here’s How! (2012) – With more than one hundred books to his credit, Walter Dean Myers offers literary advice and a step-by-step description of the writing process he has used over the course of his career.
  • Sweet Illusions (1986) – In this novel about teenage pregnancy involving Harry, Jennifer, and eleven other characters, young readers are not only encouraged to take conscious charge of their lives, but also to take charge of how the story plays out.

top