December 18, 2019
Jerald LeVon Hoover released his debut YA title My Friend, My Hero in 1992. A year later, he was
awarded Best New Male Writer of the Year by the Literary Society in Virginia for this novella.
Stories this photo appears in:
Powerful Book For Young Black Boys Celebrates 25 Years With a Pledge to Get 1 Million New Readers
Jerald LeVon Hoover became the published author of a Young Adult (YA) title, one of a few books targeted toward young Black and Brown boys ages 12 and up, My Friend, My Hero. This novella has become a staple, as recommended reading in elementary through high schools across the country and around the world. That is a distinct honor Hoover shares with a short list of African-American male YA authors including: Walter Dean Myers, Kevin Powell, Kwame Alexander, and Ralph Burgess.