Torrey Maldonado – författare

"If you are wondering how to begin confronting Anti-Black racism in your classroom, start with What Lane?"--School Library Journal: The Classroom Bookshelf"STAY IN YOUR LANE." Stephen doesn't want to hear that--he wants to have no lane. Anything his friends can do, Stephen should be able to do too, right? So when they dare each other to sneak into an abandoned building, he doesn't think it's his lane, but he goes. Here's the thing, though: Can he do everything his friends can? Lately, he's not so sure. As a mixed kid, he feels like he's living in two worlds with different rules--and he's been noticing that strangers treat him differently than his white friends . . . So what'll he do? Hold on tight as Stephen swerves in and out of lanes to find out which are his--and who should be with him. Torrey Maldonado, author of the highly acclaimed Tight, does a masterful job showing a young boy coming of age in a racially split world, trying to blaze a way to be his best self.

Trev would do anything to protect his mum and sisters, especially from his stepdad. But his stepdad’s return stresses Trev - because when he left, he threatened Trev’s mum. Rather than live scared, Trev takes matters into his own hands, literally. He starts learning to box to handle his stepdad. But everyone isn’t a fan of his plan, because Trev’s a talented artist, and his hands could actually help him build a better future. And they’re letting him know. But their advice for some distant future feels useless in his reality right now. Ultimately, Trev knows his future is in his hands, and his hands are his own, and he has to choose how to use them.

Toby’s mom always says there are people that make you feel just right. And while his dad can be hard to please, it’s a different story with his uncle. Uncle showers Toby with smiles, hugs, and kind words, and his garage is like a second home to Toby - there’s even a chair with Toby’s name on it next to Uncle’s desk! Yes, Toby can always count on Uncle to make him feel just right.Torrey Maldonado’s heartwarming picture book celebrates loving caregivers and highlights the powerful impact they can have on the life of a child.

Read Torrey Maldonado''s posts on the Penguin Blog and the new Penguin Community.A poignant look into one fatherless twelve-year-old’s struggles with friendship and trust.

Sean is Justin’s best friend, at least Justin thought he was. But lately Sean has been acting differently. Sean’s been telling lies, getting into trouble at school, and hanging out with a tougher crowd, even getting into fights. This isn’t like Sean at all.

When Justin finally discovers that Sean’s been secretly going to visit his father in prison and is dealing with the shame of that, Justin wants to do something to help before his friend spirals further out of control. But what if confronting Sean means Justin loses his very best friend? In the end, he decides it doesn’t matter; he’s got to man up.

Set in one of New York’s most dangerous neighborhoods, Secret Saturdays is an affecting read highlighted by strong characters and an authentic, heartening voice.

A tween boy from the projects gets all wound up when he''s constantly told he needs to be "hard" when he''d rather go with the flow and stay chill.Bryan''s mom has always encouraged his quiet, thoughtful nature, but his dad is different. He thinks it''s time for the sixth-grader to toughen up. With a quick temper and recently out of jail on probation, he tells Bryan it''s better for a man to be feared than to be liked.     Bryan''s not really sure about this, and it doesn''t seem to even matter when he befriends new kid Omar. At first everything is calm and chill, the way Bryan likes it, as the boys bond over their love of reading comics and drawing superheroes. But things get uncomfortable when it turns out Omar has some risky ideas about how to have fun. Then Bryan''s dad gets in a fight and ends up back in jail, and something in Bryan snaps. He starts cutting school, jumping subway turnstiles and going train surfing, with Omar in the lead. But when Omar takes things a step too far and shows his true colors, Bryan has a difficult decision to make.