Cover Reveal: What It Cost Us
We’re so excited to share the cover of this novel-in-stories by ten diverse young writers, complete with illustrations and photographs, chronicling the historic year of 2020 in Washington, DC through pandemic, protests, election, and insurrection.
What It Cost Us: Stories of Pandemic & Protest in DC
Caption: Cover Design by Gigi Mascarenas
Illustrated by Alexis Williams, Courtney Williams Skinner, Rae Flores, Sade Adeshida & Vivian Jones
Written in online workshops and one-on-one mentoring with SMP Story Coaches throughout 2022. The writers of What It Cost Us are Shout Mouse Press alumni authors, previously contributed to or co-authored 10 different SMP titles.
In this collaborative novel, ten diverse young writers from Washington, DC recreate the historic year 2020 from their perspectives, through fictional stories inspired by their own lived experiences. Told chronologically from the onset of the pandemic to the insurrection of January 6th, their stories of change and resilience are accompanied by maps, social media, original artwork, and real-life headlines to create an immersive experience of an unprecedented coming of age.
You’ll meet Faiza, a Muslim high school student, who struggles to celebrate Ramadan during the worst of the COVID-19 shutdowns. You’ll protest with Roman, the only Black student in his class, whose relationships are challenged in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. You’ll face the fraught 2020 election with Dennis, a young Nigerian immigrant, as he questions a democracy that seems to count him out.
By examining the shards of this shattered year, these authors explore “what it cost us” through stories that both acknowledge loss and celebrate what got us through. Ages 12+.
What It Cost Us will be available through all the usual channels (including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ingram and Follett). We’d be especially pleased if you pre-ordered it directly through us or your local independent bookstore.
Title at a Glance
Publication Dat: April 4th, 2023
What It Cost Us: Stories of Pandemic and Protest in DC
By the Young Authors of Shout Mouse Press
Foreword by Candice Iloh
Audience: Young Adult
Print ISBN: 978-1-950807-55-0
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-950807-60-4
We’ll be hosting a launch party for What It Cost Us on publication day here in DC on April 4th, 2023. We’d be delighted if you join us. Sign up for our mailing list if you’d like to be notified when we announce those details (sign up here or scroll to the bottom of this page, you’ll see a place to do that on the bottom right).