“Fantastic” and “Normal.” Jeff Baker, Boogieman In Lavender, (August, 2026)
The Black Fantastic and Not Not Normal: On Beyond Cisgender XI Jeff Baker This is the latest installment in this column’s occasional feature “On Beyond Cisgender,” suggested by Amy Liebowitz several years ago and spotlighting books recommended for High School readers that go beyond the usual “white, male, cisgender paradigm.” This time around, two books to look at. One deliberately written for kids, one not. First, here’s a look at “The Black Fantastic,” a recent anthology of “Afrofuturist stories” edited by Andre M. Carrington from 2025. The anthology blends newer writers with more familiar names, and benefits immensely from Carrington’s … Read more
