On My Block

Netflix. TV-14.

This heartfelt Netflix show premiered in 2018 and currently has three seasons available for streaming. Blending humor and edge, this show follows four street-savvy L.A. teens, two African American and two Latinx, as they start high school in and deal with changes to their friendship.

READ-ALIKES

Dragon Hoops. Gene Luen Yang. First Second. 2020.
Gr 9 Up—Although Dragon Hoops follows on basketball, which isn’t a focus in On My Block, it also uses humor and heart to present the lives of a diverse group of urban California teens united by a common goal. Hand this graphic memoir to readers who enjoy the blend of humor and realistic urban situations in the show.

Fresh Ink. Edited by Lamar Giles. Crown. 2018.
Gr 9 Up—This anthology of culturally diverse short stories features heavy-hitting authors including Jason Reynolds, Nicola Yoon, and Melissa de la Cruz. Offering stories in a wide range of subjects and formats, there’s a little something for everyone here in this YA #OwnVoices collection.

Pride. Ibi Zoboi. Harper. 2018.
Gr 9 Up—Haitian Dominican Zuri Benitez immediately pegs her new African American neighbor Darius Darcy as a snob when his family moves in across the street in a gentrifying New York City neighborhood. This contemporary Pride and Prejudice retelling blends humor with more serious moments, as does On My Block, where the characters face difficult situations on the streets of LA.

Abby Johnson is the collection development leader at the Floyd County (IN) Library.