Publishers Weekly
02/05/2024
Las Vegas Aces star Wilson, two-time winner of the WNBA’s MVP award, debuts with a down-to-earth meditation on the complexities of Black girlhood. Avoiding prescriptive advice in favor of diaristic reflections, Wilson recalls such formative experiences as wrestling with dyslexia in a majority-white private school while dreaming of becoming an author; slowly rising to basketball success with the help of father, who coached her travel team and “told me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear,” even when that meant calling her play “trash” (she encourages readers to find their own “gardeners” willing to show them tough love so they can grow); and enduring crushing grief after her grandmother’s death. Pushed by the latter experience to start therapy, Wilson calls for greater openness about mental health in the Black community. She strikes a voluble, friendly tone without pandering to her audience, and avoids sugarcoating the realities facing Black women while making clear that they need not resort to cynicism: “You have a body. You are Black. You are a woman. Whether you like it or not, that’s the first thing people see... but you can accept this reality without letting it steal your joy.” Readers will feel seen and heard. Agent: Byrd Leavell, UTA. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Dear Black Girls is filled with phenomenal stories and empowering insight on what it means to be a woman in today’s world. I didn’t want to put it down.”
―Tunde Oyeneyin, New York Times bestselling author of Speak
“Through honest stories and inspiring lessons from her life, A’ja Wilson reminds us to never doubt who we are or apologize for being true to ourselves. Dear Black Girls is a must-read for every Black girl out there.”
―Gabrielle Union, New York Times bestselling author of We're Going to Need More Wine and You Got Anything Stronger?
"After reading Dear Black Girls, I needed a moment to compose myself. Never has a book so perfectly captured my attention and made me feel so seen. I highly recommend this book!"
―Zaila Avant-garde, Winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Two Times Guinness World Records Holder, and New York Times bestselling author
“Watching A’ja Wilson on the court is amazing, but to know her life story and all that she has overcome is witnessing poetry in motion. She epitomizes resilience, determination and courage. A’ja embodies the true spirit of what it means to be inspiring, always pushing herself and others to be the best version of themselves. It's a joy and an honor to see her book and know her story and how this will impact all women.”
―Dawn Staley, American basketball Hall of Fame player and coach
"The author's refusal to sugar coat the oppression that Black people feel is matched only by her faith in readers' abilities to best the centuries-old obstacles America continues to shove in their way. Wilson fills this joyful, profound, and tender book with a slew of stories... artfully narrated and perfectly pitched. Most impressive is her narrative voice, which is humorous, conversational, lyrical, and unique." ―Kirkus, starred review
"[Wilson] becomes a beacon of hope for all who face adversity. Her book is a powerful and crucial call to support women and girls worldwide and a source of encouragement for everyone seeking to embrace their authentic self and overcome obstacles." ―Booklist
"Las Vegas Aces star Wilson, two-time winner of the WNBA’s MVP award, debuts with a down-to-earth meditation on the complexities of Black girlhood." ―Publishers Weekly
Library Journal
04/01/2024
Wilson is a successful WNBA star who enjoys being her authentic self, loves her family, and credits their love and devotion to her as a pillar of her success. But anyone admiring her career now may never know the struggles, setbacks, and tribulations she has experienced. She understands the hype and pressure of being a professional athlete and difficulties of being a Black girl in the United States. She shares her story through a series of letters (chapters) addressed to Black girls. Each letter is an experience in her life. In her first letter she shares about how she did not attend her best friend's 13th birthday celebration because her friend's father did not like Black people. This was her first experience with racism, and it really hurt. She wants young Black girls to know that they can be their true selves and accomplish their dreams, even if they are not always sure what their dreams are. VERDICT In each letter Wilson shares what she faced and how she overcame it and lets Black girls know that they too can overcome adversity. Her love for Black girls is evident, and they will benefit greatly from reading this book.—Laura Ellis
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-12-28
A two-time WNBA MVP turns her life experiences into advice.
Before she was a five-time WNBA All-Star, the No. 1 overall draft pick, an Olympic gold medalist, and a national champion with the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, Wilson felt like a misfit. At her predominantly white private school in Columbia, SC, she struggled against not only her classmates’ racism, but also undiagnosed dyslexia—a learning disability at odds with her dream of becoming an author. Years later, the COVID-19 pandemic led to depression and anxiety. Throughout these experiences, Wilson witnessed how her racial and gender identities complicated and compounded her struggles. “Eventually,” she writes, “the world steps in and reminds you: You have a body. You are Black. You are a woman. Whether you like it or not, that’s the first thing people see.” She continues later: “Your mission, Black girls, is to accept that reality. Don’t hide from it….But you can accept this reality without letting it steal your joy,” an exhortation that perfectly encapsulates Wilson’s frank but indomitable spirit. Perhaps the most poignant example of this is Wilson’s reaction to seeing a statue of herself erected outside the arena on the University of South Carolina campus: Her accomplishments were immortalized by the very institution that had prohibited her Black father from playing basketball for them—and which had prohibited her Black grandmother from even setting foot on the grounds. The author’s refusal to “sugar coat” the oppression that Black people feel is matched only by her faith in readers’ abilities to best the centuries-old obstacles America continues to shove in their way. Wilson fills this joyful, profound, and tender book with a slew of stories, most of which are artfully narrated and perfectly pitched. Most impressive is her narrative voice, which is humorous, conversational, lyrical, and unique.
A Black basketball superstar delivers an eloquent and insightful work.
