100 books like My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams

By Ava Corinne Holloway, Amanda Loraine Lynch, Bonnie Lemaine (illustrator)

Here are 100 books that My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams fans have personally recommended if you like My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Is for Ancestors: My Black College ABCs

Cynthia Sanders Author Of Mia, the Monster of Fear and the Fairy of Courage

From my list on Black education, dreams, and self-love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been passionate about Black authors and Black children being writers and writing about their experiences or their children’s experiences since I was a young adult. Ever since the Trayvon Martin incident years ago, these Black history stories and books have been so meaningful to the Black community. I used to read just Urban fiction AA books back in high school, but ever since I became a writer/author I have taken a liking to reading children's books about self-love, fear, and going to college, especially for young black children. I read these books to remind me that we are strong-minded people. That no one can take our light from us.

Cynthia's book list on Black education, dreams, and self-love

Cynthia Sanders Why did Cynthia love this book?

It shows Black graduates graduating from an HBCU and inspiring younger Black children to follow their dreams. This is to educate young Black children to attend college. I feel this can help a parent get their kids into a Black college to be great and well educated. I personally loved this book because it showed encouragement and empowerment. It taught me to never give up.

By Erica White, Cami Vollmer (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Is for Ancestors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Have you always dreamed of your child attending an HBCU? In Erica Stovall White’s debut children’s book, your child can have a glimpse into the joys of an HBCU. This fun and interactive ABC book uses rhyme and vibrant pictures to showcase the best that HBCUs offer, including lifelong friendships, caring professors, new social activities, and preparation for exciting careers. A Is for Ancestors includes engaging questions for younger readers and a resource guide for families and older children to explore the history and value of an HBCU education.


Book cover of Black Girl Magic Sprinkles

Cynthia Sanders Author Of Mia, the Monster of Fear and the Fairy of Courage

From my list on Black education, dreams, and self-love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been passionate about Black authors and Black children being writers and writing about their experiences or their children’s experiences since I was a young adult. Ever since the Trayvon Martin incident years ago, these Black history stories and books have been so meaningful to the Black community. I used to read just Urban fiction AA books back in high school, but ever since I became a writer/author I have taken a liking to reading children's books about self-love, fear, and going to college, especially for young black children. I read these books to remind me that we are strong-minded people. That no one can take our light from us.

Cynthia's book list on Black education, dreams, and self-love

Cynthia Sanders Why did Cynthia love this book?

This book is about using some magic sprinkles one day and falling asleep, but waking up in your dreams as a doctor, lawyer, dentist, or even a firefighter is showing young Black kids that they can be all those things and to not let the color of their skin or how they chose to wear their hair stop them from achieving those goals and dreams.

By Chaunetta Anderson, Trinity Anderson, Nana Melkadze (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Black Girl Magic Sprinkles as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Black Girl Magic Sprinkles is a story about a young girl named Trinity, who dreams of one day being a teacher. However, she is discouraged because she does not often see women who look like her in successful jobs. She stumbles upon a jar of Black Girl Magic Sprinkles, and is shown endless opportunities. It takes this encounter for her to realize that Black Girl Magic lives within her and she can be anything she wants to be."Even if you haven't seen it, doesn't mean you can't achieve it; because with just a sprinkle of your Black Girl Magic, you…


Book cover of I Think I Need Speech Therapy

Cynthia Sanders Author Of Mia, the Monster of Fear and the Fairy of Courage

From my list on Black education, dreams, and self-love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been passionate about Black authors and Black children being writers and writing about their experiences or their children’s experiences since I was a young adult. Ever since the Trayvon Martin incident years ago, these Black history stories and books have been so meaningful to the Black community. I used to read just Urban fiction AA books back in high school, but ever since I became a writer/author I have taken a liking to reading children's books about self-love, fear, and going to college, especially for young black children. I read these books to remind me that we are strong-minded people. That no one can take our light from us.

Cynthia's book list on Black education, dreams, and self-love

Cynthia Sanders Why did Cynthia love this book?

This book is about her daughter's personal experience with her speech, and this was a way to help other parents with children how to help their children feel confident about their condition and let other children know that they are beautiful just the way they are. It shows them that nothing is wrong with them, even though they are a little different from the other children, they are still perfect in every way.

By Nina M. Southern,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Think I Need Speech Therapy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Meet Niya, a seven-year-old with a problem that many kids face. Her struggle with speech makes her feel out of place. Read a story so short and so true. See if Niya will know what to do.


Book cover of The Rules of a Little Boss: A book of self-love

Cynthia Sanders Author Of Mia, the Monster of Fear and the Fairy of Courage

From my list on Black education, dreams, and self-love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been passionate about Black authors and Black children being writers and writing about their experiences or their children’s experiences since I was a young adult. Ever since the Trayvon Martin incident years ago, these Black history stories and books have been so meaningful to the Black community. I used to read just Urban fiction AA books back in high school, but ever since I became a writer/author I have taken a liking to reading children's books about self-love, fear, and going to college, especially for young black children. I read these books to remind me that we are strong-minded people. That no one can take our light from us.

Cynthia's book list on Black education, dreams, and self-love

Cynthia Sanders Why did Cynthia love this book?

This book is such a powerful book for all young boys and girls to read. It's about how to truly love yourself because if you don't love yourself no one else will. It shows that you can be your true self and that self-love is the best love. It's about the author's personal experience as to what she endured growing up as a kid, but this book can also relate to what most teens or young kids go through with bullying, abuse, and more.

By Haelee P Moone, Arsalan Khan (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Rules of a Little Boss as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This colorfully illustrated book is published by The Rules of a Big Boss LLC. It helps elementary school aged children gain and improve their self-esteem through the eyes of an 8 year old orator. It was a finalist in the 2021 Independent Author Network Book of the Year of the contest. It is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook format. While it will help, it won't help them achieve higher self-esteem by itself. They must be willing to do the work expressed within to achieve higher self-esteem. The things contained within are what helped the author when she was…


Book cover of A Hustler's Wife

Joylynn M. Jossel Author Of The Root of All Evil

From my list on an urban spin on love, romance, and erotica.

Why am I passionate about this?

Not only am I an avid reader of the urban love/romance/erotica genre, but I'm an award-winning, bestselling author in the genre, having written under multiple pen names. I've worked with enough traditional editors and freelance editors to know a well-crafted, entertaining, engaging read of this nature when I not only write one—ha!—but read one. As an author, I rarely offer book reviews—you'll only find one review from me on Amazon—but that's because I'm brutally honest and hard to win over, and I respect my relationship with my fellow literary artists too much to risk it on a not-so-favorable review. So, you know when I say it’s good, it’s good.

Joylynn's book list on an urban spin on love, romance, and erotica

Joylynn M. Jossel Why did Joylynn love this book?

The main character, Yarni, is living proof that all that glitters isn't gold, including love. But that sometimes all it takes is a little spit and shine to make it appear platinum. New York Times Bestselling Author, Nikki Turner, debuts into the literary industry with this title, one of her bestselling urban love stories to date.

By Nikki Turner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Hustler's Wife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Yarni, a sweet and innocent girl from a well-to-do family, by chance meets Richmond's notorious drug kingpin, Des. The spark between them immediately blossoms into an astronomical love, which separates Yarni from her family and friends. But when Des is sentenced to life in prison, Yarni will learn that being a hustler's wife isn't all that easy with her sole provider behind bars.

A decade after its original release Nikki Turner’s debut novel, A Hustler’s Wife, is back and in digital form for the very first time. Nikki Turner takes readers along for the ride as Yarni struggles to survive.…


Book cover of Candle in the Darkness

Stephenia H. McGee Author Of In His Eyes

From my list on Civil War historical fiction for Christians.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve found that the most tumultuous time in our nation’s history provides a poignant backdrop for fiction. As a firm believer that all people are God’s masterpiece and are created in his image, this time period can be difficult to read. However, I also believe there is a lot of potential to see how good can overcome evil, how faith can lead to healing, and how we can be overcomers. I’ve chosen books for this list that handle history with nuance and sensitivity, showcase fierce characters, provide embedded layers of faith, and leave you thinking long after the final page. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! 

Stephenia's book list on Civil War historical fiction for Christians

Stephenia H. McGee Why did Stephenia love this book?

Lynn Austin does a beautiful job of showing people who lived in the South yet hated slavery. As women, they often had no say at all in the situation. This book highlights the horror of people you care about enduring enslavement, while also detailing the complexities of the situations these people faced. The characters are both true to the time yet identifiable across generations. Faith plays a major role, and Austin deals with the questions of how belief and hardships can intertwine. 

By Lynn Austin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Candle in the Darkness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A gripping tale told by a gifted writer."--Beverly Lewis

Caroline Fletcher is caught in a nation split apart and torn between the ones she loves and a truth she can't deny


The daughter of a wealthy slave-holding family from Richmond, Virginia, Caroline Fletcher is raised to believe slavery is God-ordained and acceptable. But on awakening to its cruelty and injustice, her eyes are opened to the men and women who have cared tirelessly for her. At the same time, her father and her fiance, Charles St. John, are fighting for the Confederacy and their beloved way of life and traditions.…


Book cover of Front Page Fatality

T.K. Eldridge Author Of Dead & Buried

From my list on mysteries to get your blood pumping.

Why am I passionate about this?

After spending nearly two decades working in technology and Intelligence—working with law enforcement from all different agenciesI developed an appreciation and understanding of the worst that humans can do to each other. My specialty was domestic counterterrorism and foreign policyand I did everything from developing software for chem/bio work to White House briefings. I have studied profiling and analysis in academic and real world settings – I have two Masters degrees Strategic Intelligence & Criminal Justice from American Military University, both with a minor in Terrorism Studies. While the academic background is great, the real-life experiences are what taught me the most – and find their way into my stories.

T.K.'s book list on mysteries to get your blood pumping

T.K. Eldridge Why did T.K. love this book?

This book has intrigue, drama, romance, good cops, corrupt cops/politicians, and so much more. Believable fight scenes, intricate relationships, mystery, and mayhem are all high points in LynDee Walker’s first book in the Nichelle Clark series. 

Nichelle is a reporter in Richmond, Virginia who covers the crime beat and has great shoes – and some amazing adventures. My enjoyment came from the believable scenarios even when in the middle of some wild times.

There’s good story resolution and a satisfactory outcome that leaves you interested enough in the characters to want to read the next book.

By LynDee Walker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Front Page Fatality as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

**Amazon Charts Bestseller**

A SUSPICIOUS ACCIDENT. A DETERMINED REPORTER. AND A RUTHLESS CRIMINAL WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS.

"...five stars out of five." —Hot Mystery Reviews

_____________________________

When two rookie cops are killed in a fiery crash near Richmond, Virginia, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke is sent in to investigate.

But as Nichelle digs deeper into the case, she discovers this was no ordinary accident.

People and evidence soon begin to disappear. Someone is one step ahead of her. A master criminal with a deadly secret, covering their tracks with ruthless efficiency.

The killer will stop…


Book cover of Slaves Waiting for Sale: Abolitionist Art and the American Slave Trade

Joshua D. Rothman Author Of The Ledger and the Chain: How Domestic Slave Traders Shaped America

From my list on the domestic slave trade.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have taught history at the University of Alabama since the year 2000, and I have been working and writing as a historian of American slavery for more than twenty-five years. It is not an easy subject to spend time with, but it is also not a subject we can afford to turn away from because it makes us uncomfortable. Slavery may not be the only thing you need to understand about American history, but you cannot effectively understand American history without it. 

Joshua's book list on the domestic slave trade

Joshua D. Rothman Why did Joshua love this book?

As the domestic slave trade became more expansive alongside the growth of the cotton economy, it attracted the increased ire of antislavery activists in the United States and England alike. Using sketches and paintings of the slave trade made by British artist Eyre Crowe in the 1850s as an entry point, Maurie McInnis explores the landscape of the slave trade in major American cities such as Richmond and New Orleans. In the process, she also opens a fresh window onto the world of transatlantic abolitionism.

By Maurie D. McInnis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Slaves Waiting for Sale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In 1853, Eyre Crowe, a young British artist, visited a slave auction in Richmond, Virginia. Harrowed by what he witnessed, he captured the scene in sketches that he would later develop into a series of illustrations and paintings, including the culminating painting, "Slaves Waiting for Sale", Richmond, Virginia. This innovative book uses Crowe's paintings to explore the texture of the slave trade in Richmond, Charleston, and New Orleans; the evolving iconography of abolitionist art; and the role of visual culture in the transatlantic world of abolitionism. Tracing Crowe's trajectory from Richmond across the American South and back to London -…


Book cover of Postmortem

Christine Knapp Author Of Murder at the Wedding

From my list on mystery series with female sleuths.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love mysteries, especially series with a female sleuth. I discovered Miss Marple when I was a midwifery student and was instantly hooked. Over the years, I have sought out mysteries with women Sherlocks and am always thrilled to find a series. I was so enchanted that I wanted to add to the genre and now write the Modern Midwife Mysteries featuring Maeve O’Reilly Kensington, a modern nurse midwife. Try any of the books I’ve recommended. You’re in for a treat!

Christine's book list on mystery series with female sleuths

Christine Knapp Why did Christine love this book?

I would love to meet the iconic Dr. Kay Scarpetta in real life. She is amazing.

Patricia Cornwell has written twenty-seven brilliant novels about this intriguing chief medical examiner. In this debut work, Dr. Scarpetta has to track down a serial killer.

Attention to detail, tight plotlines, and friendship and family drama had me locked in from the start. I was instantly transported to Dr. Scarpetta’s universe. It’s a great one.

By Patricia Cornwell,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Postmortem as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. 1 bestselling author Patricia Cornwell.

'America's most chilling writer of crime fiction' The Times

A serial killer is on the loose in Richmond, Virginia. Three women have died, brutalised and strangled in their own bedroom. There is no pattern: the killer appears to strike at random - but always early on Saturday mornings.

So when Dr Kay Scarpetta, chief medical officer, is awakened at 2.33 am, she knows the news is bad: there is a fourth victim. And she fears now for those that will follow unless she can dig…


Book cover of Ghost Eaters

Rachel Eve Moulton Author Of Tinfoil Butterfly

From my list on showing our monstrous, horror filled hearts.

Why am I passionate about this?

In middle school, I wrote my first novel called Children of the House. It pulled inspiration from the likes of Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, William Shakespeare, and Leo Tolstoy. I was attempting to explore family dynamics while also describing bloody stains on the hallway carpet that would never quite go away. When I read, I would travel from literary fiction to horror with ease until I began to realize the distinction was unimportant. Horror reflects the struggles of the every day in a heightened fashion. Books of this genre often have more freedom to explore the deepest issues that plague us and to do so in a way that will reach a wider audience.

Rachel's book list on showing our monstrous, horror filled hearts

Rachel Eve Moulton Why did Rachel love this book?

Ghost Eaters is a deep dive into the horrors of addiction. While the focus is largely on substance abuse, the book also explores love addiction and grief in fresh ways. Erin, the protagonist, loses her graduate school friend and love to an overdose. As she tries to explore the details of Silas’ final days, she finds herself mixed up in a new drug—one that allows the user to communicate with the dead. Discovering what happened to Silas, leads Erin to learn far more about herself and her own addictive personality than it does about Silas or his final days.  

By Clay McLeod Chapman,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Ghost Eaters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Gothic-punk graveyard tale about what haunts history and what haunts the human soul. An addicting read that draws you into its descent from the first page. Chuck Wendig, New York Times best-selling author of The Book of Accidents. From the acclaimed author of The Remaking and Whisper Down the Lane, this terrifying supernatural page-turner will make you think twice about opening doors to the unknown. Erin hasn t been able to set a single boundary with her charismatic but reckless college ex-boyfriend, Silas. When he asks her to bail him out of rehab again she knows she needs to…


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