Dark Sons

This Coretta Scott King Honor book for young adults from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Nikki Grimes tells the dual stories of Sam, a teen whose dad leaves him and his mother for another woman, and Ishmael, the son of Abraham, who must deal with a different type of rejection when Isaac arrives.

A guy whose father ripped his heart out too.

You and me, Ishmael, we’re brothers, two dark sons.

Destroyed, lost, and isolated, the perspectives of two teenage boys—modern-day Sam, and biblical Ishmael—unite over millennia to illustrate the power of forgiveness.

“Grimes's commanding metaphors ("Look at you, mother,/ trembling,/ a bowshot away,/ your tears/ the only water/ for miles," says the exiled Ishmael), authoritative style, and complex characterizations are uniquely compelling.” —Publisher’s Weekly starred review

“The simple words eloquently reveal what it's like to miss someone … but even more moving is the struggle to forgive and the affection each boy feels for the baby that displaces him. The elemental connections and the hope … will speak to a wide audience." —Booklist starred review