New and Recommended Children's Books to celebrate Black History MonthUnpublished

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Each day features a different influential figure in African-American history, from Crispus Attucks, the first man shot in the Boston Massacre, sparking the Revolutionary War, to Madame C. J. Walker, who after years of adversity became the wealthiest black woman in the country, as well as one of...

In this New York Times bestseller that takes a bold journey through the alphabet of Black history and culture, B is for Beautiful, Brave, and Bright! Letter by letter, The ABCs of Black History celebrates a story that spans continents and centuries,...

Hop on board for this tender family story, inspired by the author's own, and discover a dynamic chapter in American history--and the many trains people rode toward freedom. A must-have for home and classroom libraries. A CBC-NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book ...

This bounce-to-the-beat picture book by America's favorite rapping teacher from Chicago is a tribute to the sights and sounds of a city neighborhood and the special bond between brothers as they help each other overcome their fears.    Today is June 19th,...

Bursting with warmth and words of encouragement, this lyrical picture book celebrates growing up and believing in yourself--the perfect gift for graduations, birthdays, the first day of school, and beyond. You are brave. You are enough. You are...

In his sophomore picture book, NBA superstar Stephen Curry encourages kids to embrace the differences that make them extraordinary! It's the first day of school for Zoe, a young girl with hearing loss who dreams of playing on her school's soccer team. But, self-conscious of her...

A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Book A 2023 New York Times Best Children's Book A 2023 Publisher's Weekly Best Picture Book An NPR Best Book of the Year #1 New York Times Bestselling and...

Stunning poetry and illustrations introduce a new generation to the beloved literary icon Toni Morrison, by New York Times bestselling author Andrea Davis Pinkney and Caldecott Honor winner Daniel Minter. From imaginative child to...

The Racial Justice in America: Histories series explores moments and eras in America's history that have been ignored or misrepresented in education due to racial bias. Atrocities in Action explores the various forms of violent and cruel oppression Black people have endured over the years in a...

"As a lifelong literacy advocate, I seek out children's books that help kids explore the world around them. Ayo's Adventure is a journey through the sights and sounds of the African diaspora. I loved hanging out with Ayo on his adventure. I learned so much" - LeVar Burton, actor and children's...

The Boss Baby meets Space Jam in this hilarious tale of a baby turned basketball superstar from NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, author Sam Apple, and illustrator Parker-Nia Gordon When a big kid teaches his little brother how to play basketball for the first time,...

In the first middle grade offering from Zora Neale Hurston and Ibram X. Kendi, young readers are introduced to the remarkable and true-life story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last survivors of the Atlantic human trade, in an adaptation of the internationally bestselling and...

From Laura Obuobi, acclaimed author of NAACP Image Award nominee Black Gold and What Love Looks Like, comes a triumphant nonfiction picture book about ballet star Michaela Mabinty DePrince, one of the most celebrated ballerinas of our generation. This lyrical true tale follows...

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. FIVE STARRED REVIEWS Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors-including Jason Reynolds, Jerry Craft, and Kwame Mbalia. ★"Pick up Black Boy Joy...

Dear boy, Black boy, I believe in you so. Let's start your story-ready, set, go. From athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick to musician Sam Cooke, inventor Elijah McCoy to writer Chinua Achebe, there are so many inspirational men in Black history. Imagine what you can be...

A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on. Red is a rainbow color. Green sits next to blue. Yellow, orange, violet, indigo, They are rainbow colors, too, but...

The 1619 Project's lyrical picture book in verse chronicles the consequences of slavery and the history of Black resistance in the United States, thoughtfully rendered by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and Newbery honor-winning author Renee Watson. A...

From teen activist and artistic prodigy Tyler Gordon comes a heartwarming picture book inspired by his own life about a boy with a speech difference who learns the power of self-expression through art. There once was a young boy who had trouble with words. He paused and...

* Broadside * Online Teacher's Guide and Author/Illustrator Q&A (10/1/08) * School & Library e-newsletter lead feature promoting author Q&A and online teacher materials (11/08) * "Look Back at Our Stars" booth promotion at ALA Midwinter * Extensive f&g promotion at...

This powerful and hopeful picture book--inspired by the historic election of Vice President Kamala Harris--celebrates brown and Black girls and is magnificently illustrated by a Caldecott Honor-winning artist. Brown girl, brown girl, what did you see?...

New York Times best-selling author Kwame Mbalia and New York Times best-selling illustrator Nikkolas Smith explore the world of Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World. This new picture book is perfect for fans of Sam Wilson, Captain America. Set in...

Essential Black History Reading The first-ever picture book biography of Carter G. Woodson, the Father of Black History Month Carter G. Woodson Book Award (Honor Book), NCSS Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book ...

An incredible memoir from Sharon Robinson about the pivotal year of the civil rights movement -- and her unique role in it alongside her father, baseball legend and activist Jackie Robinson.In January 1963, Sharon Robinson turns thirteen the night before George Wallace declares on national...

Civil rights icon Claudette Colvin teams up with Phillip Hoose--author of the Newbery Honor and National Book Award-winning blockbuster biography Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice--to tell her groundbreaking story in this unforgettable picture book illustrated by New York Times<...

They became America's first black paratroopers. Why was their story never told? Sibert Medalist Tanya Lee Stone reveals the history of the Triple Nickles during World War II. World War II is raging, and thousands of American soldiers are fighting overseas against the injustices...

Students will learn about some of the inventions and discoveries Black men and women have made in the world of STEM. From Dr. Marie Maynard Daly to Dr. Tai-Danae Bradley, some of the many ways Black people have contributed to our country's science and technology are explored. The Racial Justice in...

Whether it's poetry, painting, fiction writing, or music, Black men and women have contributed so much to the artistic fabric of America. From David Drake to Beyonce, students will explore some of the infinite ways the art of Black Americans have shaped our understanding of art and culture. The...

"This ghost story gave me chill after chill. It will haunt you." -- R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps "Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten?" On a cold winter night, Iris and her best friend, Daniel, sneak into a clearing in the woods to play in the freshly...

"The go-to Frederick Douglass biography for younger students" (Booklist starred review). In this powerful picture book biography, New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers and acclaimed artist Floyd Cooper take readers on an inspiring journey through the life...

A USA Today Bestseller!  * Discover the story of young James Baldwin in this ode to the legendary writer and the power of the written word--with exquisite prose from acclaimed poet Quartez Harris, and breathtaking illustrations from New York Times <...

When a little girl declares that she hates her hair, her parents show her that good hair is whatever hair you have in this celebration of self-acceptance--and the diversity of beauty. Birungi doesn't want to go to school today. Waking up is hard, but doing her hair is harder. "I...

Based on the true story of one family's struggle for voting rights in the civil rights-era South, this moving tale shines an emotional spotlight on a dark facet of U.S. history. Life on the farm with Granddaddy is full of hard work, but despite all the chores, Granddaddy always...

A New York Times Bestseller and tie-in to Academy-Award Winning Short Film "Hair Love"   "I love that Hair Love is highlighting the relationship between a Black father and daughter. Matthew leads the ranks of new creatives who are telling unique stories of the Black...

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who stood up, spoke up and rose up against the odds! In this chapter book biography by bestselling and award-winning author Andrea...

A powerful and poetic picture book about Black history in the United States, from the shores of Africa and slavery, to the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements. With stunning lyricism reminiscent of traditional African spirituals and today's rhythm and flow of hip-hop, a...

Six-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier brings this classic, inspirational poem to life, written by poet Useni Eugene Perkins. Hey black child, Do you know who you are? Who really...

Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award-nominated movie, author Margot Lee Shetterly and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award winner Laura Freeman bring the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to...

A brilliant picture book biography about Thurgood Marshall, who fought for equality during the Civil Rights Movement and served as the first Black justice on the Supreme Court, from Coretta Scott King Honor winners Kekla Magoon and Laura Freeman. Growing up in Baltimore, Thurgood Marshall...

When happy things come to you, hold them close and never let go. From celebrated author of Your Name Is a Song Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, fine artist Patrick Dougher, and photographer Jamel Shabazz, Hold Them Close is a picture book celebration of Black past, present, and future--a...

Featuring artists ranging from Miles Davis to Kendrick Lamar, dive into this stunningly illustrated celebration of the history of Black music in America by the award-winning author of The Undefeated. Listen to the sound of...

A joyous exploration of imagination and finding inspiration, The Idea in You is the debut picture book from Questlove--New York Times bestselling author, six-time GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, producer, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker--and Coretta Scott King Honor Award...

The Racial Justice in America: Histories series explores moments and eras in America's history that have been ignored or misrepresented in education due to racial bias. Jim Crow and Policing explores the unjust laws and law enforcement policies Black people have faced in a comprehensive, honest, and...

Mazie is ready to celebrate liberty. She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history. The day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth.

A celebration of twelve Black women who were pivotal to the civil rights movement and the fight for justice and equal rights in America. On the Black Caucus American Library Association's Best of the Best 2023 List! You've heard the names Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, but...

A picture book celebration of United States Vice President Kamala Harris--the first female, Black, and South Asian American person to be vice president of the US--from her childhood to her historic run for president. Ever since she was a child defending against...

The creators of the award-winning Baby Goes to Market follow the family at dawn through the lively streets of Lagos, where they are selling lemons--and learning the letter L. L is for Lemons. L is for Lucky. L is for . . . ...

This powerful picture book introduces young readers to a key event in the struggle for Civil Rights. Winner, Coretta Scott King Honor Award. In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama, thousands of African American children volunteered to march for their rights after hearing Dr. Martin Luther King...

This lyrical, loving picture book from popular singer-songwriter Laura Veirs and debut illustrator Tatyana Fazlalizadeh tells the story of the determined, gifted, daring Elizabeth Cotten--one of the most celebrated American folk musicians of all time. Elizabeth Cotten was only a...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Meet the little leaders. They're brave. They're bold. They changed the world. Featuring 40 trailblazing black women in history, this book educates and inspires as it relates true stories of women...

Author-illustrator Vashti Harrison shines a bold, joyous light on black men through history in this #1 New York Times bestseller. An important book for readers of all ages, this beautifully illustrated and engagingly written volume brings to...

From a bestselling and award-winning husband and wife team comes an innovative, beautifully illustrated novel that delivers a front-row seat to the groundbreaking moments in history that led to African Americans earning the right to vote. "Right here, I'm sharing the honest-to...

A beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the...

Tip your hat to fashion designer and civil rights icon Mae Reeves in this picture book biography written in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture! "A fine introduction to a determined trailblazer." -The New York Times...

Once upon a time, children's music was just Mother Goose, nursery songs, and lullabies. And then came Ella Jenkins. Ella Jenkins is an American folk singer and living legend dubbed "The First Lady of Children's Music." For nearly 70 years, she has been writing and...

John Horse (c. 1812-1882, also known as Juan Caballo) was a famed chief, warrior, tactician, and diplomat who played a dominant role in Black Seminole affairs for half a century. His story is central to that of the Black Seminoles-descendants of Seminole Indians, free Blacks, and escaped slaves...

When a young boy receives his first smock as a gift, his Dada tells him that every smock has a special story.  Will his smock make him as joyful as a harvest dancer Or as powerful as his royal elders, the Dagomba In his smock, what will his story be ...

"A brilliant work of US history." --School Library Journal (starred review) "Gripping." --BCCB (starred review) "Accessible...Necessary." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A School Library Journal Best Nonfiction Book of 2019!...

"An easy bedtime tale with a special affection for nighttime." - Kirkus Even long ago, there was day and night. The day was full of light and warmth, and people and animals alike rejoiced in the rays of the sun. But what happens when people get greedy and take...

In On This Day in Black History, kids who love facts and trivia will spend hours poring over nearly 300 pages of milestones in Black sports, music, art, history, politics, and more, all neatly arranged by day of the year. Inspiring and empowering as it is informative, On This Day in Black History...

In this Newbery Honor novel, New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 to meet the mother who abandoned them. A strong option for summer reading--take this book along on a family road...

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Opal Lee! Opal Lee grew up as a Black girl in Texas at a time when Black and...

From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her debut picture book--a tour de force that uses the principles of Kwanzaa to talk about the history of African Americans. This lyrical, powerful tribute is sumptuously illustrated by New Yorker artist and rising star Loveis...

As a new generation of activists demands an end to racism, A Place to Land reflects on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the movement that it galvanized. Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Selected...

"A powerful story." --The Horn Book "A worthy addition to children's biography collections." --Booklist "A solid treatment of an important but little-known figure, and it may prompt kids to think about the role and composition of a free press....

The riveting story of how a young man turned $25 into more than 200 schools around the world and the guiding steps anyone can take to lead a successful and significant life. Adam Braun began working summers at hedge funds when he was just sixteen years old, sprinting down the...

Lyrical, inspiring, and affecting text paired with bright, appealing illustrations make Ready to Fly perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere who are ready to leap and to spread their wings! Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African...

Acclaimed civil rights icon, Ruby Bridges, shares the touching tale of reuniting with the first-grade teacher who changed her life, Mrs. Henry. Once again, you have shown me that you never get too old to learn. Teaching really is the noblest of professions. When Ruby...

The picture book inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film The Green Book Ruth was so excited to take a trip in her family's new car! In the early 1950s, few African Americans could afford to buy cars, so this would be an adventure. But she soon found out that Black travelers weren't...

★ "Entertaining and informative. A fine contribution to African American creative nonfiction for young readers." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review From Karyn Parson's critically acclaimed Sweet Blackberry video series comes the little known story...

An inspiring portrait of a monumental day in US history, seen through a child's eyes Agnes can hardly contain her excitement! She's headed to the March on Washington. Sitting on her father's shoulders, she's awed by the sea of people-people of every color, gathered together to be...

A fully illustrated middle-grade anthology celebrating Black women singers throughout history in a first-of-its-kind collection. Winner of the 2022 JJA Jazz Awards for Book of Year about Jazz From jazz and blues, hip hop and R&B,...

This stirring book celebrates the history of the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing"-aka the Black National Anthem-and how it inspired five generations of a family. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us. Sing a song full of the hope that the...

A young Aretha Franklin captivates her community with the song "Respect" during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, in this striking picture book biography that will embolden today's young readers to sing their own truth. When Aretha Franklin sang, she didn't just sing.....

Until now, you've only heard one side of the story- how slavery began, and how America split itself in two to end it. Here's the true story of America from the African American perspective. From the moment Africans were first brought to the shores of the United States,...

"A brilliant introduction to a powerful Black female politician and voting rights activist. Todd and Freeman bring this to life in their creative biography of Georgia-based politician Abrams." --Kirkus Reviews (starred reviews) "Freeman's airbrush-style digital art leans into portraiture...

The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling and NAACP Image Award-winning Stacey's Stories picture book series, from Stacey Abrams and artist Kitt Thomas. Stacey and her friends can't wait for lunchtime on Friday, also known as TacoPizza FryDay! But when Stacey...

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER This chapter book edition of the groundbreaking #1 bestseller by luminaries Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds is an essential introduction to the history of racism and antiracism in America  

A Caldecott Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds's debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and...

In this stirring and powerfully illustrated story, an enslaved young man uses his ability to read and write to educate others in the pursuit of freedom. Back inside the store I write up receipts for Master's deliveries for Master's orders...

The New York Times' 14 Antiracist Books for Kids and Teens Arnold Adoff Poetry Awards 2020, Special Recognition Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2019 Bank Street College of Eduction Best Children's Books 2019 Lee Bennett...

Perfect for fans of Hidden Figures and Mae Among the Stars! To Boldly Go tells the true story of Nichelle Nichols and how she used her platform on Star Trek to inspire and recruit a new generation of diverse astronauts and many others in the space and STEM fields. As...

CCBC Choices 2013 2014-2015 Children's Crown Award 2013-2014 Macy's Multicultural Collection of Children's Literature 2015 Louisiana Readers' Choice Master List A 2013 CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People ...

This beautiful picture book tells the little-known story of Raven Wilkinson, the first African American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company and an inspiration to Misty Copeland. When she was only five years old, her parents took her to see the Ballet Russe de...

Adapted from Emmanuel Acho's New York Times bestseller Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, comes an essential young readers edition aimed at opening a dialogue about systemic racism with our youngest generation. Young people have the power to affect...

Winner of the 2020 Caldecott Medal A 2020 Newbery Honor Book Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award The Newbery Award-winning author of THE CROSSOVER pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time...

A moving and inspiring nonfiction picture book about Jackie Robinson's court martial trial--an important lesser-known moment in his lifetime of fighting prejudice with strength and grace. Students who have been introduced to this American hero from such books as Brad Meltzer's I Am...

Barbara Binns presents the inspiring story of one man in his struggle for racial equality in the field of battle and the field of medicine. Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle...

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards for Author and Illustrator A Caldecott Honor Book A Sibert Honor Book Longlisted for the National Book Award A Kirkus Prize Finalist A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book "A must-have"--Booklist (starred review)<...

A poignant picture book biography on how John Lewis got his library card and helped change history. All John Lewis wanted was a library card, but in 1956, libraries were only for white people. That didn't seem fair to John, and so he spent a lifetime advocating for...

The remarkable life of Myrlie Evers-Williams is honored and celebrated in this stunningly illustrated picture book biography of a civil rights hero--the very first of its kind. A BANK STREET BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2025 A BCALA AWARD WINNER A NOTABLE SOCIAL STUDIES TRADE...

The Racial Justice in America: Histories series explores moments and eras in America's history that have been ignored or misrepresented in education due to racial bias. Voting Rights explores the regulations Black people and people of color have endured in pursuit of their right to vote. Concepts...

Activists Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab present a poetic anthem to your brilliance, your beauty, your very existence. Every child has the right to be free. . . the right to reach. . . the right to dream. . . This lyrical affirmation of what freedom truly means celebrates the...

An empowering follow-up to New York Times bestselling picture book All Because You Matter that celebrates the rich history of Black and brown men and women throughout history with soaring language and stunning illustration. Lyrical, affirmational, and bursting with love,...

From the #1 New York Times bestselling series comes the latest title in the Who HQ Now format for trending topics. It tells the history of a political and social movement that advocates for non-violent civil disobedience and protests against incidents of police brutality--and all racially...

A 2023 Jane Addams Children's Book Award Finalist An awe-inspiring autobiographical picture book about a young African American girl who lived during the shutdown of public schools in Farmville, Virginia, following the landmark civil rights case Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka....

Discover how a young girl who was the star of her school's debate team became a federal jurist and the first Black woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court. Presenting Who HQ Now- an exciting addition to the #1 New York Times Best-Selling Who Was? series!

Read all about about the first Black woman to be elected to Congress in this empowering addition to the Who Was? series. Shirley Chisholm showed interest in politics early on, majoring in sociology at Brooklyn College in New York City. During this time she was awarded for her...

From award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate comes a remarkable picture book biography of William Still, known as Father of the Underground Railroad. William Still's parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a...

A picture book biography about the barber shop of woodcarver Elijah Pierce, recipient of the highest folk art honor in the United States. "Creeeeak!" goes the screen door to self-taught artist Elijah Pierce's barbershop art studio. A young boy walks in for an ordinary...

"...to be revisited again and again...The candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resist..." -The New York Times "...diverse collection of iconic figures...vibrantly illustrated...beautifully crafted volume..." -Kirkus Reviews, Starred...