A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

Mahogany L. Browne

$30.95

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Crown Books for Young Readers
03 March 2026

Children's & young adult fiction & true stories

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A powerful, genre-bending mosaic of fiction and poetry that celebrates the humanity, grace, and resilience of teenage New Yorkers riding out the pandemic—from the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky

“A gorgeous, tender testament to the generation of young people who shouldered the pandemic.”—New York Times bestselling author Brendan Kiely

We found out what true longing looked like. Longing for crushes to crush back the week after next. Longing for hugs. Longing for connection.

As New York goes into lockdown and neighborhoods begin to feel the brunt of the pandemic, the city’s teens persevere with love and hope amidst all the fear and loss: Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his new reality. Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive quarantine. Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents. Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.

Mahogany L. Browne’s unforgettable, interconnected short stories and poems remind us to breathe as these New York City teens discover their will to survive, their determination to dream, and their joy.

By: Mahogany L. Browne
Imprint: Crown Books for Young Readers
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 140mm,
Weight: 369g
ISBN: 9780593486504
ISBN 10: 0593486501
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 03 March 2026
Recommended Age: From 12 years
Audience: Young adult , Preschool (0-5)
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Mahogany L. Browne, a Kennedy Center's Next 50 fellow, is a writer, playwright, organizer, and educator. Browne received fellowships from All Arts, Arts for Justice, Air Serenbe, Baldwin for the Arts, Cave Canem, Poets House, Mellon Research, Rauschenberg, and Wesleyan University. Browne’s books include A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe, Vinyl Moon, Chlorine Sky (optioned for Steppenwolf Theater), Black Girl Magic, and banned books Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice and Woke Baby. Founder of the diverse litinitiative Woke Baby Book Fair, Browne is the 2024 Paterson Poetry Prize winner. She is the inaugural poet-in-residence at the Lincoln Center and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Reviews for A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe

★ ""Heavy, important, powerful and evergreen; remembers kids during the time when the world stopped."" —Kirkus Reviews, starred review ★ ""An emotionally impactful read."" —Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ ""The book boasts memorable characters and beautiful writing—especially the poems. It is singularly relevant in its unsparing examination of the plague and its impact on young lives."" —Booklist, starred review ★ ""An essential purchase to explore grief associated with the pandemic; give to fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Elisabet Velasquez."" —School Library Journal, starred review ""[An] intriguing and heartbreaking collection of stories and poems."" —The Bulletin