In this episode we interview author Khadijah VanBrakle about her second book, My Perfect Family, which came out on August 26th.  Khadijah is a Muslim woman of color, born and raised in Canada to American parents. She writes coming-of-age stories featuring Black American Muslim teens.  Her debut novel, Fatima Tate Takes The Cake was published in 2023.  You can find Khadijah at her website, https://www.khadijahvanbrakle.com/ and on Instagram and Threads @kadijahvanbrakle. 

Below are links to some of the things we talk about in the episode:

Books 

Are You There God It’s Me Margaret, by Judy Blume

Forever, by Judy Blume

Blubber, by Judy Blume

Speak. By Laurie Halse Anderson

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

You Truly Assumed, by Leila Sabreen

Allegedly, by Tiffany D. Jackson

Grown, by Tiffany D. Jackson

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez 

Black Boy Joy, 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood, edited by Kwame Mbalia

Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere), by Lisa Cron

Independent Bookstores in Albuquerque

Page 1 Books 

Bookworks

Rogue Librarians Episodes

Are You There God It’s Me Margaret. (Part 1: Why It’s Banned)

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (Part 2: Close Reading)