Books

It’s 1959–1960 America, the age of Presley, poodle skirts, and space monkeys. Fourteen teenagers are separated from their homes and are driven to form a mixed gang, named Panthera, in an abandoned house they call Panthera’s Haven. They are an unusual bunch, often unpredictable, but mostly get along. Condemned by the youth gangs of the city and inspiring others with their radical nature, they soon find themselves under the spotlight, juggling the effects of gang violence and increasing fame. Through their struggles, they become a close-knit unit, and the name of Panthera comes to stand as a daring message to the world. But is their world ready to receive it?

A coming-of-age story of friendship, nonconformity, and racial tension, Panthera’s Haven is a unique study of each of the lives of fourteen teenagers, voicing their confusions, their wisecracks, and their frustrations with their contemporary world.

Available April 23, 2026