02.
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THE WRITER
Parsons has published four books for children. The middle-grade novels, How High the Moon (2019), which was loosely inspired by stories of her mother's childhood in the Jim Crow South, and Clouds Over California (2023), a semi-autobiographical story of her growing up in Santa Monica. And the picture-book biographies, Flying Free (2020), the story of aviator Bessie Coleman, and Saving The Day (2021), the story of inventor Garrett Morgan. Both picture books were illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.
How High The Moon
To Kill a Mockingbird meets One Crazy Summer in this powerful, bittersweet debut about one girl's journey to reconnect with her mother and learn the truth about her father in the tumultuous times of the Jim Crow South.
Flying Free
Based on Karyn Parsons’ critically acclaimed Sweet Blackberry film series comes the story of Bessie Coleman, the first African American female to earn her pilot’s license.
Milestones in History
DC Comics and Milestone Media present an anthology celebrating “Black trailblazers from across human history.” The collection features the superpowered citizens of Dakota (Hardware, Icon, Static and more) narrating the true stories of Hannibal, the Queen of Sheba, Alexandre Dumas, Prince, Katherine Dunham and more, all written and drawn by a who’s who of comics and literary talent.
“Spirit Step,” the story of legendary choreographer Katherine Dunham, is written by Karyn Parsons and illustrated by Francesco Francavilla.
Saving The Day
Garrett Morgan’s Life-Changing Invention of the Traffic Signal
From Karyn Parsons’ critically acclaimed Sweet Blackberry video series comes the little-known story of Garrett Morgan, an African American inventor who created the traffic signal.
Clouds Over California
From the author of the highly acclaimed How High the Moon comes a moving and heartfelt novel about how a girl's family and friendships are turned upside down—just as the world is changing in 1970s Los Angeles.
Coming June 9!
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Blue Beach
Fifteen-year-old Blue Collins’s parents own the only Black beach in Santa Monica in 1929. She loves spending time there with her handsome friend Ben Clark. It’s a quiet spot where they can be alone and where Ben’s darker skin won’t be judged by onlookers—or Blue’s own family.
During a sunset rendezvous after a summer parade, the pair discovers the body of Dottie Whitehouse, a white debutante. Blue Beach is already threatened by local white property owners. Now their whole community could be at risk. In their panic, Blue and Ben move Dottie’s body into the waters of a nearby white beach.
Dottie’s body washes ashore, and it isn’t long before all eyes are on Ben. Everyone saw how Dottie teased him and how they shared smiles. And their history goes deeper than Blue ever realized. But to save Ben from the outraged white townspeople, she’ll need to do whatever she can to dig up the truth and prove his innocence. Ben isn’t the only one whose life depends on it.