Books like 'No Way Out'
Readers who enjoyed No Way Out by Peggy Kern also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary realistic drama poc-mc social-commentary children high-school urban
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Queen Bitch by Deja King
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn Queen Bitch, Precious has lost it all, her daughter, Aaliyah, the love of her life, Supreme, and the luxurious lifestyle she s grown accustomed to. The perpetrator of her demise is the very person she called family Maya. Precious learns the hard way, it s true what they say, blood is thicker than water, as Maya aligns herself with her brother, Pretty Boy Mike... -
When Aidan Became A Brother by Kyle Lukoff
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl. His parents gave him a pretty name, his room looked like a girl's room, and he wore clothes that other girls liked wearing. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and his parents fixed the parts of life that didn't fit anymore, and he settled happily into his new life... -
Big by Vashti Harrison
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis deeply moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of joyful acceptance.The first picture book written and illustrated by award-winning creator Vashti Harrison traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal...Categorized as:
realistic children poc-mc social-commentary children-books fiction mental-illness contemporary -
True to the Game II by Teri Woods
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTRUE TO THE GAME II will pick up where True to the Game left off-- with one difference, Gena is now seeing a new guy named Jay. Little does Gena know that the man she has fallen in love with, so soon after Quadir's death, is his archrival, Jerrell Jackson. Unfortunately, Jerrell is determined to get his revenge against Quadir's crew and he'll start with Gena... -
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Stackin' Paper by Deja King
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn Stackin Paper 2, Genesis is out for blood and redemption. He s on a mission to get retribution on the person responsible for murdering his best friend and to make it back to the love he left behind, Talisa. But as he closes in on his enemy the Feds begin closing in on him. While CoCo sits alone in her jail cell, her regret turns to rage... -
Drama High: Second Chance by L. Divine
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBack for another dose of high drama, Compton’s sassiest, Jayd Jackson, is about to discover it really is a different world when she starts dating South Bay High's finest white boy…All Jayd Jackson wants is a drama-free year at South Bay High, a.k.a. Drama High. But it doesn't seem she's going to get it... -
Beyond Measures by Kimberly Brown
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAriyanna "Ari" Ramirez has had enough of no love. After a two-year relationship filled with more heartbreak than happiness, she is starting over. When she meets handsome, suave, single father, Simeon "Sime" Cartwright, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. Their romance is one for the ages, but nothing worth having comes easy and Ari is paying the ultimate price... -
Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrustrated by a day full of teachers and classmates mispronouncing her beautiful name, a little girl tells her mother she never wants to come back to school. In response, the girl's mother teaches her about the musicality of African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern names on their lyrical walk home through the city...Categorized as:
realistic children poc-mc social-commentary children-books family fiction contemporary -
Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMartin Luna, a new student at Bluford High, is at the center of this story. Haunted by the tragic death of his little brother, Martin seeks one thing: revenge. But his mother wants more for her only remaining child... -
Search for Safety by John Langan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThere is no escape for Ben McKee. For weeks, he's covered the bruises on his body. He's even lied to his teachers and new friends at Bluford High School. But the trouble in Ben's house isnt't going away. And if he doesn't act soon, it could swallow him and his mother forever... -
Drama High: Pushin' by L. Divine
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIf only there was a potion to make all Jayd Jackson's troubles disappear. . . Even though Jayd's finished with the AP exams and finally has some space of her own at her mother's house, she's got to deal with the drama all around her... -
Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan, D.M. Blackwell
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHakeem Randall can't take it anymore. First he learns that his father is sick and that his parents can no longer afford their home. Then he finds out he has to leave his friends at Bluford High and move in with his uncle in faraway Detroit--where he has to share a bedroom with his moody, secretive cousin Savon... -
Black: Triple Crown Publications Presents by Tracy Brown
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWho said the streets don't love nobody? Black is the novel that shatters the myth. Kaia didn't choose the streets. The streets chose her. Tossed from a broken home, Kaia is forced to learn the hard way just how grimy street life can be. Shedding her innocence, Kaia, overnight it seems, goes from being an often overlooked, stepped upon and crushed little girl, to a woman... -
Shattered by Paul Langan
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFor use in schools and libraries only. Darcy Wills is desperate. A painful secret is ruining her closest friendships at Bluford High School. And an even deeper lie is tearing her family apart. Unwiling to lose the people she loves, Darcy must confront her past and the truth... -
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I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA modern classic, this whimsical story has been celebrating the beauty of African-American hair for 20 years!In this imaginative, evocative story, a girl named Keyana discovers the beauty and magic of her special hair, encouraging black children to be proud of their heritage and enhancing self-confidence... -
Back to the Streets by Treasure Hernandez
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Romeo and Juliet of the streets are still struggling to find their way back to each other after fate has cruelly separated them.In order to move up in rank on the streets of Flint, Michigan, Malek knows that he’s going to have to deal with some jealous players in the game, but when he’s forced to go up against players on his own team, the rules change... -
Still the Baddest Bitch by Deja King
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAaliyah Mills Carter has to step up and watch the throne, to prove she has what it takes to be the Baddest Bitch. Chaos has always surrounded her family but now death may have hit too close to home. There are so many questions but not enough answers... -
The Wrong Side Of Love: A Hood Love Story by Charmanie Saquea, McIntire Edits
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCoco has her head on straight and is deeply rooted in work and her studies. After breaking up with her manipulator of a boyfriend Trae, all she wants to do is focus on becoming a RN. Things change when the king of Detroit, known as Zeek enters her life. Dealing with Zeek brings some drama to Coco’s life that she never saw coming... -
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she's always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her.But as the sun sets purple-blue-gold behind Daisy Ramona and her papi, she knows that the love she feels will always be there... -
Someone To Love Me by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.At first, Bobby Wallace was everything Cindy Gibson hoped for. He was friendly, seemingly mature, and hansome--the perfect escape from her problems in school and even bigger troubles at home... -
The Fallen by Paul Langan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMartin Luna's world is crumbling. A fight threatens to end his sophomore year at Bluford High School. But at home, things are even worse. Frankie, the most feared homeboy from his neighborhood, is hunting him. Alone and with time running out, Martin makes a desperate choice... -
Back to the Hood by Treasure Hernandez
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn this latest installment of Treasure Hernandez’s super hot series, the intensity heats up even more—more drama, more sex, more lies . . . more Flint! Ever since fate sent them down separate paths, Halleigh and Malek have been trying to work their way back to the innocent love they once shared... -
Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Redd
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis joyous and loving celebration of family is the first-ever picture book to highlight Black nighttime hair traditions--and is perfect for every little girl who knows what it's like to lose her bonnet just before bedtime. In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!My brother slips a durag over his locs.Sis swirls her hair in a wrap around her head... -
Because by Mo Willems
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, composes a powerful symphony of chance, discovery, persistence, and magic in this moving tale of a young girl's journey to center stage. Illustrator Amber Ren brings Willems' music to life, conducting a stunning picture-book debut... -
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The Bully by Paul Langan
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines. A new life. An new school. A new bully. That's what Darrell Mercer faces when he and his mother move from Philadelphia to California. After spending months living in fear, Darrell is faced with a big decision... -
Step Up by Monica McKayhan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIndigo Summer and her boyfriend, Marcus Carter, have stayed solid through plenty of drama. Now Marcus is a senior, and he's already received his acceptance letter from Harvard. Indigo knows how hard he's worked for this chance... -
Scarlett by Tiece
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsScarlett Harper is a down to earth, country girl who possesses many beautiful qualities, but her insecurities hold her back from showing them. Her existence consists of being mentally and physically abused by her unfit mother and unknowingly spending most days with a no good, trifling best friend... -
I Won't Cry (Jaylen and Jessica Series) by Shaquanda Dalton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom Best Selling Author of "When Love Hurts" comes part 2 of the dramatic love story. Jessica has survived her abusive relationship with Chris, but now she's pregnant with his child. After being thrown out of his apartment and being left homeless, Jessica is determined to keep her independence from him... -
Pushing Pause by Celeste O. Norfleet
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFifteen-year-old Kenisha Lewis has it all: good friends who also live to dance, a hot boyfriend headed for the NBA, loving parents and a bling-filled home in the burbs. But all that changes when her dad drops a bomb: he wants a divorce—and his pregnant girlfriend is moving in... -
No More Drama by La Jill Hunt
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis sequel to Drama Queen finds Kayla's best friend Terrell Sims, who has just recently turned his life around, battling past demons, while his brother, a reformed player, discovers that the woman he loves has just as many conquests as he does, which challenges their trust for one another. Original. 20,000 first printing... -
Don't Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAn entertaining picture book that teaches the importance of asking for permission first as a young girl attempts to escape the curious hands that want to touch her hair.It seems that wherever Aria goes, someone wants to touch her hair. In the street, strangers reach for her fluffy curls; and even under the sea, in the jungle, and in space, she's chased by a mermaid, monkeys, and poked by aliens... -
Dutch III: International Gangster by Teri Woods
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt's one month before Dutch's trial for what the media has deemed "the Month of Murder," Roc and Angel are locked up, and Craze is now the commander in charge. After coming into contact with Joseph Odouwo, Kazami's very rich and powerful relative, Craze is immediately on alert. However, Odouwo has other plans that may put all of their lives at risk... -
Bird by Zetta Elliott
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYoung Mekhai, better known as Bird, loves to draw. With drawings, he can erase the things that don't turn out right. In real life, problems aren't so easily fixed.As Bird struggles to understand the death of his beloved grandfather and his older brother's drug addiction, he escapes into his art... -
Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsElegant, surprising stories about Palestinian immigrants in Canada navigating their identities in circumstances that push them to the emotional brink.Saeed Teebi’s intense, engrossing stories plunge into the lives of characters grappling with their experiences as Palestinian immigrants to Canada...Categorized as:
poc-mc realistic social-commentary fiction contemporary literary-fiction anthologies poc-author -
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Si Anak Kuat by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAmelia, si bungsu, anak yang paling kuat. Buku pertama sekaligus terbit terakhir dari Serial Anak-Anak Mamak."Kau anak paling kuat di keluarga ini, Amelia. Bukan kuat secara fisik, tapi kuat dari dalam. Kau adalah anak yang paling teguh hatinya, paling kokoh pemahaman baiknya. Kau menyayangi sekitar, dan sungguh-sungguh mau membantu orang lain... -
I Promise by LeBron James
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNBA champion and superstar LeBron James pens a slam-dunk picture book inspired by his foundation’s I PROMISE program that motivates children everywhere to always #StriveForGreatness.Just a kid from Akron, Ohio, who is dedicated to uplifting youth everywhere, LeBron James knows the key to a better future is to excel in school, do your best, and keep your family close... -
The Sister Switch by Jane B. Mason, Sarah Hines Stephens
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAndie and Caitlin are identical twins who couldn't be less alike. Fed up with being lumped together, the girls can't wait to start junior high. There, they'll finally be able to pave their own way. But it turns out that being mistaken for each other might work in their favor... -
The Underdogs by Mike Lupica
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNew York Times bestseller Mike Lupica tackles football! Will Tyler may not be the biggest running back around, but no one can touch him when it comes to hitting the hole and finding the end zone. And no one can match his love of the game. When Will has a football in his hand, life can't touch him--his dad isn't so defeated, his town isn't so poor, and everyone has something to cheer for... -
Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O'Neill
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMolly and her mom don't always have enough food, so one Saturday they visit their local food pantry. Molly's happy to get food to eat until she sees her classmate Caitlin, who's embarrassed to be at the food pantry... -
Lost and Found by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.Darcy Wills is in big trouble. And she does not know where to turn for help. First there was the mysterious stranger who started following her. Then there was the threatening note left on her desk at Bluford High School... -
Burlian by Tere Liye
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBurlian, anak kampung dengan segala keriangan keluarganya. Bercita-cita ingin naik kapal besar keliling dunia. Buku 2, dari Serial Anak2 Mamak. Buku 3, PUKAT terbit Februari 2010, Buku 4, Eliana direncanakan terbit Oktober 2010, Buku 1, Amelia direncanakan terbit Februari 2011... -
Streiker's Bride by Robin Hardy
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe had a lot to offer, but his terms were high... -
Jaded by Monica McKayhan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat Jade Morgan wants: for her parents to get back together. Instead her dad proposes to his new girlfriend, who has the nerve to ask Jade to be a bridesmaid. Like that'll ever happen. Her new boyfriend, Terrence, thinks she should give her future stepmom a chance, try to get to know her. Yet Jade barely knows Terrence—who is cute and cool, but is seriously hiding something... -
Daddy Long Stroke by Cairo
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDramatic, bold and racy, Daddy Long Stroke uncovers the shocking and painful reality of some men’s belief systems about women and sex. Cairo offers readers a voyeuristic look into the mind of a womanizer who manipulates and seduces women by using what he’s got—good looks, chiseled physique, charisma, and sexual prowess—to get what he wants without remorse, or regret... -
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Anything Goes by A.C. Taylor
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the moment Alauni saw Law Montgomery, she knew that she wanted him. But he was the one thing that she didn’t mess around with…he was a cop. Law doesn’t care about Alauni’s attempts to stay away from him. He knows what he wants, and given the way that her body responds to him, he’s pretty sure that he can get it. But his need for her goes beyond the physical... -
The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll): A Picture Book by Winsome Bingham
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom award-winning creators Winsome Bingham and E.B. Lewis, The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll) is a powerful, full-color picture book story celebrating a journey crucial to our the walk to vote—a perfect read aloud.My granny is taking me on THE WALK.“Because leaders are not born,” she says. “They’re made through molding and modeling.”“What’s the walk?” I ask.“You’ll see... -
Hollywood High by Ni-Ni Simone, Amir Abrams
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey’re the daughters of celebrities—the kind all the teen mags gossip about! But the It Girls of Hollywood High are about to discover that fame has a price. And no friendship—or romance—is safe…. London Phillips will diet as her mother demands. She’ll even date the billionaire her mother has chosen for her. But she won’t give up her secret hottie, Justice Banks... -
Natural Born Hustler by Nikki Turner
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Lit, Nikki Turner returns with a fresh and fierce tale sure to satisfy longtime fans and create new ones. Desember Day is beautiful, confident, and smart. She has more game in the streets than a basketball player does on the court, and her boyfriend, Fame, loves every single inch of her... -
Honeysmoke: A Story of Finding Your Color by Monique Fields
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA young biracial girl looks around her world for her color. She finally chooses her own, and creates a new word for herself—honeysmoke.For multiracial children, and all children everywhere, this picture book offers a universal message that empowers young people to create their own self-identity...Categorized as:
realistic social-commentary children poc-mc children-books family fiction contemporary -
Battle of Jericho by Sharon M. Draper
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratings"Are you willing to do anything to help your slimy pledge brothers become Distinguished Gentlemen?" Sharp demanded. "Anything, sir," Jericho said. He just wanted it to be over."Then suck my big toe.""Sir?" Jericho wasn't sure if he had heard correctly....When Jericho is invited to pledge for the Warriors of Distinction, he thinks his life can't get any better...
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