Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Betty Before X | 2018 | Renee Watson | Buy |
Betty Before X, published in 2018, is a middle-grade novel co-written by Renee Watson and Ilyasah Shabazz, the daughter of Betty Shabazz. The book imagines Betty’s childhood in 1940s Detroit, following her as she grows up, moves between family members, and begins to develop the sense of justice that would define her adult life.
The book is part biography, part historical fiction, filling in the gaps of a life that is often overshadowed by the story of Betty’s husband, Malcolm X. Watson and Shabazz give young readers a portrait of a girl finding her voice before the world knew her name.