New and Recommended Young Adult Books to celebrate Black History MonthUnpublished

Share

Print

The saga of the Logan family--made famous in the Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry--concludes in a long-awaited and deeply fulfilling story. In her tenth book, Mildred Taylor completes her sweeping saga about the Logan family of Mississippi, which is also...

From the acclaimed author of Flygirl andthe bestselling author of Code Name Verity comes the thrilling and inspiring true story of the desegregation of the skies. "This beautiful and brilliant history of not only what it means to be Black and dream of flying but...

*"A powerful, necessary book." SLJ, starred review A powerful, impactful, eye-opening journey that explores through the Civil Rights Movement in 1950s-1960s America in spare and evocative verse, with historical photos interspersed throughout. In stunning verse...

Attucks! is true story of the all-black high school basketball team that broke the color barrier in segregated 1950s Indiana, masterfully told by National Book Award winner Phil Hoose. By winning the state high school basketball championship in 1955, ten teens from an...

A Sweet Valley High for a new generation, a dishy, dazzling YA drama set against the backdrop of an elite charter school where stars are made--or fade. When Chyna gets a scholarship to the newest, most prestigious sports school in the city, it's the best opportunity to...

Adapted from the adult memoir by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Water Dancer and Between the World and Me, this father-son story explores how boys become men, and quite specifically, how Ta-Nehisi Coates became Ta-Nehisi Coates. As a child,...

A searing new work of nonfiction from award-winning author Brandy Colbert about the history and legacy of one of the most deadly and destructive acts of racial violence in American history: the Tulsa Race Massacre. Winner, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. In the early morning of June 1, 1921,...

Edited by National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi, and featuring some of the most acclaimed bestselling Black authors writing for teens today--Black Enough is an essential collection of captivating stories about what it's like to be young and Black in America. A selection of the...

Through the help of a ghostly ancestor, sixteen-year-old Malcolm is sent on a journey through Reconstruction-era America to find his place in modern-day Black progress. Malcolm Williams hasn't been okay for a while. He's angry and despondent and feels like nothing good ever happens...

A searing debut YA poetry and essay collection about a Black cancer patient who faces medical racism after being diagnosed with leukemia in their early twenties, for fans of Audre Lorde's The Cancer Journals and Laurie Halse Anderson's Shout. When Walela is...

The Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller and book one of The Blood Chronicles Mirabella Owens grew up with legends of wolves that traveled to her midwestern town to protect humans from vampires. Of a werewolf that fell in love with one of the undead, unraveling a blood-soaked...

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller! "Deonn expertly weaves together a universe that both shines a light on the pervasive nature of racism and also harnesses the complexity of Black identity within this space. Deonn writes so much more than simple fantasies or Arthurian...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In the sequel to the "unforgettable" (People), New York Times bestselling fantasy debut Blood at the Root, a Black teenager with magical powers returns to Caiman University only to find new dangers and new secrets. It's...

A cozy sapphic romantasy about a teen witch trying to keep her family's apothecary up and running, with a little help from her ex-best friend-and first crush. "Brewed with Love will charm readers with its magic potions, quirky town, sweet romance, and witchy vibes." -F.T....

Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter is a broad and powerful exploration of the history of Black Lives Matter told through photographs, quotes, and informative text by New York Times bestselling authors Veronica Chambers and Jennifer Harlan. In this essential history, New...

In the first book of a new series inspired by African mythology, dragon gods rule the earth and sky--until the gods are betrayed, and one girl embarks on a journey to save the world from war and ruin. From the New York Times bestselling author of Skin of the Sea. ...

In this emotional novel in verse by the Stonewall Award-winning author of The Black Flamingo, a queer biracial teen confronts issues of race, privilege, class, and sexuality on his journey to falling in love. Kai knows who he is to others: The good grandson, the reliable best friend, the...

The American Book Award winner, now completely adapted for a young adult audience! From award-winning author Jeff Chang, Can't Stop Won't Stop is the story of hip-hop, a generation-defining movement and the music that transformed American politics and culture forever....

Discovering Black America offers readers an unprecedented account of more than 400 years of African American history set against a background of American and global events. The book begins with a black sailor aboard the Niña with Christopher Columbus and continues through the...

This honest, engrossing graphic memoir tells the story of professional athlete and activist Akim Aliu's incredible life as a hockey prodigy in Canada. Akim Aliu -- also known as "Dreamer" -- is a Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian professional hockey player whose career took him all around the world and...

Winner of the 2022 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story or Comic! The first murder in 500 years. Twenty billion suspects. One hope. The City Enduring, a booming metropolis at the edge of the universe, hasn't experienced a violent crime in generations. The Emotion...

The First Pharaoh is an action packed story about Rah who has emerged from the Rift and his only goal is to conquer the land of Kemet. Rah is accompanied by two young warriors, Nuit and Geb. Their path leads them across the fertile hills of Canaan, but all is not well in the...

From the New York Times-bestselling author of All Boys Aren't Blue comes an empowering set of essays about Black and Queer icons from the Harlem Renaissance. In Flamboyants, George M. Johnson celebrates writers, performers, and activists from 1920s...

Booklist Editors' Choice WINNER of the Russell Freedman Award for Non-Fiction for a Better World Knowledge is power. The secret is this. Knowledge, applied at the right time and place, is more than power. It's magic. ...

Experience Jewell Parker Rhodes's award-winning storytelling in this tender yet visceral graphic novel adaptation of her New York Times bestselling novel, with poignant illustrations by Setor Fiadzigbey. Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who...

A Harvey Award Nominee! Ghost Roast delivers a paranormal adventure full of first crushes, lost histories, and the impossible task of fitting in when your dad is a professional ghosthunter. A stand-alone YA graphic novel from authors Shawneé and Shawnelle Gibbs and artist...

From New York Times bestselling author and 15-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Alicia Keys comes a new authentic and poignant coming-of-age young adult graphic novel, about finding the strength within when your whole world changes in an instant. Lolo Wright always thought she was...

8 starred reviews · Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best · William C. Morris Award Winner · National Book Award Longlist · Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Honor Book · #1 New York Times Bestseller! "Absolutely riveting!" --Jason Reynolds ...

"A high-stakes fantasy that's impossible to put down... the dangerous romance between Emma and Malcolm kept me on the edge of my seat. Don't miss this beautiful, powerful debut." - Kristen Ciccarelli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heartless Hunter A...

Hidden Human Computers discusses how in the 1950s, black women made critical contributions to NASA by performing calculations that made it possible for the nation's astronauts to fly into space and return safely to Earth. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential...

Adapted from Clint Smith's #1 New York Times bestselling and universally acclaimed How the Word Is Passed, this must-read narrative takes readers to historical sites across America, exploring the legacy of slavery to help readers make sense of our nation's...

The #1 New York Times bestseller that sparked international dialogue is now a book for young adults! Based on the adult bestseller by Ibram X. Kendi, and co-authored by bestselling author Nic Stone, How to be a (Young) Antiracist will serve as a guide for teens seeking a way forward...

2024 Silver INDIES Winner for Young Adult Fiction A novel-in-rap-verse telling the story of 17-year-old Mason Tyndall-- an aspiring rap artist whose mother is a BLM activist. She saw fatal officer-involved shootings as senseless tragedies. He viewed them as trending...

An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller! An Instant Indie Bestseller! A USA Today Bestseller! "Entirely irresistible. Immortal Dark takes the best parts of vampire lore and brings the undying,...

The killing of Emmett Till is widely remembered today as one of the most famous examples of lynchings in America. African American children in 1955 personally felt the terror of his murder. These children, however, would rise up against the culture that made Till's death possible. From the...

They tell me to "fix" my hair. And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten; but how do you fix this shipwrecked history of hair? In her most famous spoken-word poem, author of the Pura Belpré-winning novel-in-verse The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo embraces all the...

As Iyanu continues to master her burgeoning powers, she finds herself in the midst of a fierce conflict between Elu and the People of the Deep, led by the formidable Queen Adura and her second-in-command, Boju. Meanwhile, Toye reunites with Biyi in the Riverlands, after discovering a mysterious set...

"Utterly swoony...an endearing reminder that true love can change the world" --J. Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person...

Hailed as "the most compelling account of [Martin Luther] King's life in a generation" by the Washington Post, the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller is now adapted for young adults in this new standard biography of the most famous civil rights activist in American History.

dear Knucklehead, perhaps you are like me: always figuring out if your soul and your skin are thick enough to protect your body from sticky stones thrown from the mouths of those who know that spoken words have the power to spit out freedom and break-in...

**NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST!** "Intimate and astonishing."--Jason Reynolds, New York Times Bestselling Author For fans of You've Reached Sam and If I Stay, a hauntingly beautiful, ultimately hopeful novel-in-verse about a girl in between...

A graphic novel biography of the escaped slave, abolitionist, public speaker, and most photographed man of the nineteenth century, based on his autobiographical writings and speeches, spotlighting the key events and people that shaped the life of this great American. Recently...

This YA biography-in-verse of six important Black Americans from different eras, including Ona Judge, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama, chronicles the diverse ways each fought racism and shows how much-and how little-has changed for Black...

In this swoony and electric YA rom-com that offers a satirical take on superhero conventions, a teenage girl finds herself reluctantly fake-dating a superhero. Seventeen-year-old Jenna Ray has just been saved by the world's newest superhero, Blaze. And, in the eyes of the...

You Should See Me in a Crown meets Black girl magic--literally--in this enchanting rom-com about a reluctant witch caught up in a faking dating scheme. Witches and humans have always had issues. Cayden is well aware of that: her witch mom was shunned by her...

The New York Times bestselling memoir now adapted for young adults! Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to ever be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, chronicles her life story and her extraordinary path to becoming a jurist on America's highest court in this inspiring, intimate...

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Featuring colored endpapers and a designed case! New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is back with a Frankenstein-tinged horror romance. Meka is used to death....

"Vital, brilliant" --New York Times Book Review * A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection * 4 starred reviews National Book Award-winning and #1 New York Times-bestselling author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi brings a global icon to life in the first major...

Growing up as a prodigy, Malika inherits the crown from her father in an incredibly unusual way, splitting the kingdom of Azzaz in half. After years of civil war, Malika finally unites all of Azzaz, expanding it into one of the largest empires in all of West Africa - but expansion will not come...

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes the "action-packed...banter-filled" (School Library Journal, starred review) sequel to his groundbreaking young adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man about the adventures of the unassuming, everyday kid who just...

Phenom writer Cody Ziglar continues his run on megastar Miles Morales, as the young wall-crawler gets tangled in a fight between two gods! Anansi, the story-weaving Spider-God, chooses Miles Morales as his champion in a contest between gods - and their mortal heralds - to settle his ancient blood...

A young man searches for the reason behind his best friend's disappearance and the arrival of a magnetic stranger in this haunting retelling of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson and Mexican Gothic. "Addressing invisibility, power, and...

"A richly drawn story that explores the precarious construction of identity and the pain of complex family dynamics." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Author Charlene Allen blends mystery, romance, and friendship in this contemporary YA novel about a teen girl who spends...

"Permit me to lay at your feet the following genuine Narrative . . ." Olaudah Equiano was a writer and abolitionist whose autobiography, The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano, captured the attention of British readers at the height of the transatlantic slave trade. The...

In this debut speculative YA mystery, a Black teen with premonition-like powers must solve her friend's disappearance before she finds herself in the same danger, perfect for fans of Ace of Spades. Sariyah Lee Bryant can hear what people need--tangible things, like a...

Can you be a hero...if society doesn't see you as a person? Nubia has always been a little bit...different. As a baby she showcased Amazonian-like strength by pushing over a tree to rescue her neighbor's cat. But despite her having similar abilities, the world has no problem...

From critically acclaimed author L.L McKinney and brought to life with delightful, vivid art by Robyn Smith and Manou Azumi, highly anticipated sequel, NUBIA- TOO REAL follows Nubia as she explores her Amazonian identity, learns the importance of self-acceptance and the enduring power of...

Set in the universe Africanfuturist luminary Nnedi Okorafor first introduced in the World Fantasy Award-winning Who Fears Death, One Way Witch is the second in the She Who Knows trilogy The world has forgotten Onyesonwu. As a teen, Najeeba...

Overground Railroad chronicles the history of the Green Book, which was published from 1936 to 1966 and was the "Black travel guide to America." For years, it was dangerous for African Americans to travel in the United States. Because of segregation, Black travelers couldn't eat,...

This gripping graphic novel adaptation of Octavia E. Butler's groundbreaking dystopian novel stands beside the acclaimed previous graphic novel adaptations, Kindred, a #1 New York Times bestseller, and Parable of the Sower...

"A rich, thoughtful anthology exploring centuries of Black poetry." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "This deep and complex assemblage of Black poetry culminates in a joyful, painful, and emotionally rich experience." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "An eclectic mix of Black...

A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR "Irresistibly fun and authentic, Pretty Girl County is a luminous showcase of community, friendship, love in all its complexities, and the ways we blaze our own paths. A sparkling, must-read delight!"--Julian Winters, award-winning author...

Renowned American astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi (born James Plummer) pens a gripping, gritty coming-of-age memoir, from young boy to graduate-school student, that will resonate with teenagers, especially those of color, who are facing many choices and obstacles as they navigate their young adult...

"You will bow before this queen." --Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of Night of the Witch "Revenge and justice have never been so satisfying!" -- Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles In this riveting historical thriller inspired...

The acclaimed superhero saga of Quincredible reaches its apex in a powerful new graphic novel reuniting Eisner Award-nominated series creator/writer Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia) and powerhouse artist Selina Espiritu (Critical Role) for a riveting new adventure featuring...

Caster Semenya is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world champion in track from South Africa. Since her first spectacular performance at the 2009 World Championship in Berlin, she has been at the center of a growing debate about female eligibility rules in professional athletics...

"Jeanne's book not only inspired the documentary but has been a catalyst in changing our national understanding of Rosa Parks. Highly recommend!"--Soledad O'Brien, executive producer of the Peabody Award-winning documentary The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks "A must...

A National Book Award Finalist A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book A Michael L. Printz Honor Book A Walter Dean Myers Honor Book With passion and precision, Kekla Magoon relays an essential account of the Black...

In the spring of 1992, after a jury returned not guilty verdicts in the trial of four police officers charged in the brutal beating of a Black man, Rodney King, Los Angeles was torn apart. Thousands of fires were set, causing more than a billion dollars in damage. In neighborhoods abandoned by...

"My twin, Lamar, is a phenomenal innovative storyteller... A true king!" -- Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Grown and The Weight of Blood Sometimes a little fear is a good thing... Cade Webster lives between worlds. He's a...

From Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of Yummy G. Neri comes an epic journey across the South Side of Chicago for Darius, his little sister Cissy, and his best friend Booger as they set out to find an armored truck that has lost a payload of cash. Fifteen-year-old...

Sam Wilson wields the shield once more as the high-flying Captain America! When Captain America attends a birthday party for Isaiah Bradley, he catches wind of a new tech venture that sounds too good to be true: magnificent floating platforms in the sky, where the disenfranchised can apply for land...

A New York Times Bestseller "This suspenseful YA thriller is yet another testament to Jackson's talent."--ELLE New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another stunning, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a...

Critically acclaimed author Lawrence Goldstone offers an affecting portrait of the road to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which significantly shaped the United States and effectively ended segregation. Since 1896, in the landmark outcome of Plessy v. Ferguson,...

A FINALIST FOR THE 2025 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD SIX STARRED REVIEWS A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection From award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Ibi Zoboi comes her groundbreaking contemporary fantasy debut--a novel in verse based on Caribbean...

A Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book! In this haunting story about family, legacy, and sacrifice, a young Black girl living in a Texas sundown town must find the courage to stand up for what's right even when it means facing impossible choices--perfect for fans of...

Don't miss this "fresh and conversational" (TIME Magazine), "potent and provocative" (The San Francisco Chronicle), #1 New York Times bestselling exploration of racism--and antiracism--in America. ...

Iconic X-Man Storm flies higher than ever before in her own solo series! Serpents, salamanders and storm gods! Fifty years ago, Ororo Munroe - the iconic Storm - made her debut in GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1, thundering her way into our hearts! Now, in her very own solo series, she will host a mix of debuts...

'She put in her work, but there's so much left to do.' Begun in the Antebellum era, the song of suffrage was a rallying cry across the nation that would persist over a century. Capturing the spirit of this refrain, New Yorker contributing cartoonist Caitlin Cass pens a sweeping history of women's...

Meet five amazing Black ballerinas from The Dance Theater of Harlem, including some of the founding members. They broke barriers and made history in the world of classical dance, at a time when racism shut out Black dancers from major dance companies. A young adult adaptation of...

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick "A snow-kissed, warmhearted ode to new beginnings, second chances, and the real, enduring magic of love and community." --Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

In this young adult speculative mystery, a teen must find a way to free a cursed witch in order to save her best friend before time runs out. Every year horror-loving Simone Washington throws an epic Halloween party for her classmates. Party-planning is her favorite...

"Goes for the heart and doesn't miss." -Booklist (starred review) Love is a wild ride. Hold on. When life lassoes Josie and Shawn back together three years after their dreamy first date, their second chance at love is anything but easy. A big...

Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn, follows sisters Faron and Elara as they fight on opposite sides of a war that could redefine their world.   ...

"Incredible and searing." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin The Hate U Give meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting first novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system....

Finalist for the 2025 National Book Award for Young People's Literature From the critically acclaimed author of All the Fighting Parts comes an empowering and defiant novel in verse in which a teen poet grapples with an unplanned pregnancy and determines what...

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Winner "An engaging and accessible account" for young readers about the Freedom Riders who led the landmark 1961 protests against segregation on buses (School Library Journal)   On May 4, 1961, a group of...

A Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner A New York Times Bestseller Seven starred reviews! "Jason Reynolds has done it again!...Fresh from start to finish...This is what it could be, should be, if only we were all as lucky as Aria. Girls (and...

The thrilling saga of the Black Panther in the Ultimate Universe enters its exciting second year! With Moon Knight defeated and the Maker's Council forced to regroup, T'Challa must learn the secrets of vibranium - because his very life and soul are at risk! The Sorcerer Supreme can help understand...

Inspired by stories about the real-world Great Dismal Swamp, this acclaimed fantasy explores alternate history and a family's supernatural connections to the swamp, perfect for fans of Sinners, Blood at the Root, Judy I. Lin, and Jason Reynolds!

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award Finalist ★  New York Times bestselling author Michael Eric Dyson and critically acclaimed author Marc Favreau show how racial inequality permeates every facet of American society, through the lens of...

"Sweet and joyful, this book is as irresistible as hot chocolate swirled with magic!" ―Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times-bestselling author of The Spellshop The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock...

"A dynamic and heart-pounding thriller . . . Up In Smoke has the highest of stakes and a tender love story at its core. Nick Brooks is a force." --Jessica Goodman, NYT-bestselling author of The Meadowbrook Murders and The Legacies A girl determined to...

New memoir from George M. Johnson, the New York Times bestselling author of All Boys Aren't Blue--a "deeply impactful" (Nic Stone), "striking and joyful" (Laurie Halse Anderson), and "stunning read" (Publishers Weekly, starred) that celebrates Black boyhood and...

"A necessary and inspirational read." --Booklist Lemonade Mouth meets climate change activism in this enemies-to-lovers YA romance. A tied election throws two rival teen activists together to lead their school's environmental justice club, and they are taken by surprise...