New and Recommended Young Adult Books to celebrate Black History Month

Updated January 27, 2025
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All the days past, all the days to come
Taylor, Mildred D.
Paper Book
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...
American wings : Chicago's pioneering Black aviators and the race for equality in the sky
Smith, Sherri L.
Paper Book
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...
The beautiful struggle : a memoir
Coates, Ta-Nehisi
Paper Book
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,...
Black Birds in the Sky : The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
Colbert, Brandy
Paper Book
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,...
Black enough : stories of being young & black in America
Zoboi, Ibi Aanu
Paper Book
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 ...
Black girl unlimited : the remarkable story of a teenage wizard
Brown, Echo
Paper Book
Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, where apartments are small and parents suffer addictions to the white rocks. Yet there is magic . . . everywhere. New portals begin to open when Echo transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor. Each day...
The Black Queen
Emill, Jumata
Paper Book
Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High--but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller. Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming...
Blood at the Root
Williams, LaDarrion
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A COSMOPOLITAN BEST YA BOOK OF THE YEAR A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in...
Bloodmarked
Deonn, Tracy
Paper Book
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...
Brewed with Love
Page, Shelly
Paper Book
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
Chambers, Veronica (ART)/ Harlan, Jennifer (CON)
Paper Book
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...
Can't stop won't stop : a hip-hop history
Chang, Jeff
Paper Book
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. Hip hop is one of the most...
Children of anguish and anarchy
Adeyemi, Tomi
Paper Book
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER * INSTANT INDIE BESTSELLER "A phenomenon." ―Entertainment Weekly Featuring gorgeous designed edges, dazzling metallic foil designs on the jacket and case, and...
The color of a lie
Johnson, Kim
Paper Book
In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a "Whites Only" town in the suburbs. Caught between two worlds, a teen boy puts his family at risk as he uncovers racist secrets about his suburb. A new social justice thriller from the acclaimed author of This Is My America!
Discovering Black America : from the age of exploration to the twenty-first century
Tarrant-Reid, Linda.
Paper Book
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...
The dividing sky
Tew, Jill
Paper Book
A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR . " A high-stakes story packed with slow-burn pining and plentiful tension."-Publishers Weekly, starred review A cunning teen memory merchant falls for the handsome rookie officer on her tail in...
Far Sector
Jemisin, N. K./ Campbell, Jamal (ILT)
Paper Book
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...
Freedom! :
Martin, Jetta Grace/ Bloom, Joshua/ Martin, Waldo E., Jr.
Paper Book
Booklist Editors' Choice WINNER of the Russell Freedman Award for Non-Fiction for a Better World WINNER - International Literacy Association (ILA) - Young Adult Nonfiction HONOR - 2023 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights
Ghost Roast
Gibbs, Shawnee/ Cannon, Emily (ILT)/ Gibbs, Shawnelle
Paper Book
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...
Girl on fire
Keys, Alicia
Paper Book
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...
Hidden human computers : the black women of NASA
Edwards, Sue Bradford
Paper Book
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...
How the boogeyman became a poet
Keith, Anthony R., Jr.
Paper Book
Odyssey Award for Audiobook Excellence Winner Poet, writer, and hip-hop educator Tony Keith Jr. makes his debut with a powerful YA memoir in verse, tracing his journey from being a closeted gay Black teen battling poverty, racism, and homophobia to becoming an openly gay first-generation...
How to be a (young) antiracist
Kendi, Ibram X.
Paper Book
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...
Immortal dark
Girma, Tigest
Paper Book
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,...
In the shadow of Liberty : the hidden history of slavery, four presidents, and five black lives
Davis, Kenneth C
Paper Book
Did you know that many of America's Founding Fathers--who fought for liberty and justice for all--were slave owners? Through the powerful stories of five enslaved people who were "owned" by four of our greatest presidents, this book helps set the record straight about the role...
Inheritance : a visual poem
Acevedo, Elizabeth
Paper Book
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...
King: A Life (Young Adult Edition)
Eig, Jonathan
Paper Book
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.
The life of Frederick Douglass : a graphic narrative of a slave's journey from bondage to freedom
Walker, David
Paper Book
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...
A long time coming : a lyrical biography of race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama
Shepard, Ray Anthony
Paper Book
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...
The Love Interest
Comerford, Helen
Paper Book
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...
Miles Morales : suspended
Reynolds, Jason
Paper Book
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...
My dear Henry : a Jekyll & Hyde remix
Bayron, Kalynn
Paper Book
In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This gothic YA remix of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde subverts the cishet white perspective of the original,...
My Fairy God Somebody
Allen, Charlene
Paper Book
"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 perfect for fans of We Deserve...
Nearer my freedom : the interesting life of Olaudah Equiano by himself
Edinger, Monica
Paper Book
"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...
Needy Little Things
Desamours, Channelle
Paper Book
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...
Nubia. Real one
McKinney, L. L.
Paper Book
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...
A Quantum Life Adapted for Young Adults :
Oluseyi, Hakeem/ Horwitz, Joshua
Paper Book
A NASA astrophysicist narrates his improbable journey from an impoverished childhood and an adolescence mired in drugs and crime to the nation's top physics PhD program at Stanford in this inspiring coming-of-age memoir. Born into extreme poverty and emotional deprivation, James...
The Queen's Spade
Raughley, Sarah
Paper Book
"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...
Ruin road
Giles, Lamar
Paper Book
"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...
Skin
Zoboi, Ibi
Paper Book
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 folklore--about the power of inherited magic and the price we...
Stamped : racism, antiracism, and you
Reynolds, Jason
Paper Book
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. ...
Static : up all night
Giles, Lamar
Paper Book
VIRGIL (aka STATIC) can do amazing things with his vast array of electrical abilities, but instantly mending a broken heart isn't in his skill set. Virgil Hawkins has just gone through a bad break up. He can't get over his ex, so his best friend Richie has an idea for how to...
The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults): Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History
Valby, Karen
Paper Book
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...
Thief of the Heights
M., Son/ Yao, Robin (ILT)
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Enter the world of Muqadas, where the climb to the top of this vertically stacked city--away from disease-ridden waters of the lower levels--is paved with betrayal, secrets, and rebellion in this debut graphic novel from author...
This Ends in Embers
Cole, Kamilah
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn doesn't hold back. After all, there are no easy endings in war--especially when sisters are forced to fight on opposite sides.   ...
This is my America
Johnson, Kim
Paper Book
"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....
Twelve days in May : Freedom Ride 1961
Brimner, Larry Dane
Paper Book
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...
Twenty-four seconds from now... : a love story
Reynolds, Jason
Paper Book
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...
Under the heron's light
Pink, Randi
Paper Book
Inspired by stories about the real-world Great Dismal Swamp, this acclaimed fantasy explores alternate history, a family's supernatural connections to the swamp, and the strength that comes in knowing your roots. ★ "A fierce, loving, and exquisite humanity...
Unequal : a story of America
Dyson, Michael Eric
Paper Book
Finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award  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...
We Are Not Broken
Johnson, George M.
Paper Book
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...

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