By Liz Amos, Whitefox author of All the Truths Between Us.

For me, finding places of connection on the page has always been life-affirming – even life-saving. 

Novels are perhaps my first love. One firm favourite I frequently lend out is Mr. Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo – a masterful balance of wit and depth that centres the queer experiences of our elders. And a recent infatuation is This One Sky Day by Leone Ross. Powerfully expansive in content and form, it’s a liberating antidote to feeling constrained by Western ‘norms’.

Other books are close to my heart because of the way they’ve illuminated my own life. In the 1956 classic novel The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon, I overheard echoes of my grandparents’ experiences – helping me contextualise parts of our family narrative I’d previously puzzled over.

Stories shape us from the very beginning. Any picture book that steers clear of racialized trauma and allows children to see themselves in nurturing everyday experiences gets my vote. We’re Going to Find the Monster by Malorie Blackman is one such gem. Illustrated by Dapo Adeola, it’s infused with self-acceptance – celebrating adventure and simple joys.

For Key Stage 2-aged children, the four-book Future Hero series is a winner in our house, with action-packed plots channelling mythologies of the African Diaspora. Published under the pen name Remi Blackwood, the chapter books are authored collaboratively through StoryMix: an award-winning inclusive fiction studio.

For various reasons, I haven’t left the UK since pre-covid days, but two non-fiction travel books have expanded my horizons. Afropean: Notes from Black Europe by Johny Pitts is a meticulously researched and lyrical travel journal, reframing identity discourses with insight and empathy. Taking a different tone, Jessica Nabongo’s journey to every country in the world is a triumphant realisation of an unapologetic dream – shared in the beautiful coffee-table book, The Catch Me If You Can.

Visual art is a space I often revisit when I’m in need of rejuvenation, and Soulscapes by Lisa Anderson is a vivid and uplifting collection of thought-provoking art and essays, alongside poetry and interviews. Produced in connection with the 2024 Dulwich Picture Gallery exhibition of the same name, the book gives longevity to a ground-breaking re-examination of landscape art.

I’m excited by works in so many other genres, from fashion commentary to nature writing, autobiography to academic monographs – it’s impossible to pin down the myriad contributions that are worthy of our collective attention. 

I’ll round off with three final thoughts: Quiet by Victoria Adukwei Bulley – a poetry book that rewards its readers with each revisit. The essays in When I Dare to Be Powerful by the inimitable Audre Lorde hold me accountable in ways nothing else can. And all about love by bell hooks needs a mention – for the hope-filled reminder that the wholeness we all deserve is within our reach.