Bright Before Us, Like a Flame
Igniting a New Generation of Writers
From their own singular, intersectional perspectives, the writers and illustrators whose works are collected in the vibrant anthology Bright Before Us, Like a Flame reflect on urban life, immigration, activism, LGBTQ+ life, and coming of age.
A spirited, resonant anthology of the diverse work of young adult writers and illustrators, Bright Before Us, Like a Flame includes fiction, poetry, comics, and autobiographical reflections.
Its title gleaned from Langston Hughes’s rousing poem “Youth,” the anthology commemorates Shout Mouse Press’s tenth-year anniversary of showcasing the voices of marginalized youth. Most of the writers, poets, and artists are based in the Washington, DC, area. From their singular, intersectional perspectives, they reflect on urban life, immigration, activism, LGBTQ+ life, and coming of age. Brief contributions by established authors lend further context and dimension to selected works.
The book’s fiction and memoir pieces range from upbeat to troubled; some are bilingual. In “I Cross Barriers to Change Myself,” a harrowing, triumphant move from El Salvador to the United States is covered via both a bilingual narration and concise graphics; Phuong Do’s emigration from Vietnam, and how the subsequent COVID-19 shutdowns intensified his feelings of displaced anxiety, are represented in another streamlined, comic-format story.
The pandemic is the unsettling catalyst of Iman Ilias’s story “A Ramadan to Remember,” in which the heroine is frustrated by remote learning and the cancellation of anticipated events. Beyond fasting, prayers, and iftars of Medjool dates, the story deepens: Faiza’s beloved Imam Mahmood contracts the virus, and her community rallies, exchanging distant but “friendly waves and salaams” as they leave food and other necessities at the quarantined imam’s doorstep.
There are also stories about disrupted childhoods, troubled realities, and quiet resilience. Ayonna Williams’s “Shut Down” is about how her father, who has been “locked up” in prison for years, communicates with her through meaningful letters. Tajon, in “The Day Tajon Got Shot,” is enraged by his father’s violent abuse; he wishes that he could just shoot his father to stop him from beating his mother. Teenage pregnancies and their emotional aftermath are explored; a brief entry addresses housing insecurity and life at a shelter. And in the evocative “Self-Love Manifesto for Black Queer Women,” poet Nora Love proclaims that she is “an in between sky, needing release” and “the cyan sea with secrets not yet sailed.”
Supplemental interviews, writing prompts, creativity exercises, and discussion points are included to encourage young adults to craft their own stories. Illustrations provide an integral visual element; some have lush verve, others quirky angularity or expressive realism. At times, the shifting, almost kinetic variety of material compresses the book’s general layout and flow, but its vibrant density also heightens its expansive scope.
Enlivened by creative diversity, the anthology Bright Before Us, Like a Flame spotlights the burgeoning talents of young authors and artists.
Reviewed by
Meg Nola
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
