28 Books to Kickoff Black History Month
We are currently under a week away from the month of February, Black History Month. It seems unbelievable. February marks the start of our 28-day journey to highlight and explore Black history and culture. While we wholeheartedly appreciate the increased awareness that Black History Month provides, we also think that February should be a starting point for grounding your yearlong conversations around acceptance, equality, and the diverse culture of people around the African diaspora.
While many Black History Month recommendations are consumed with stories of oppression and struggle, we are very intentional about equally emphasizing the joy, love, and innovativeness that radiates through Black communities. We’ve offered a few books off of our shelves to share for your Black History Month journey. This is by no means an exhaustive list, these are just a few to start you off. We encourage you to continue to add more options to your reading routines throughout the rest of the year.
M is for Melanin
Author: Tiffany Rose
M is for Melanin
shining in every inch of your skin.
Every shade, every hue.
All beautiful and unique.
Each letter of the alphabet contains affirming, Black-positive messages, from A is for Afro, to F is for Fresh, to W is for Worthy. This book teaches children their ABCs while encouraging them to love the skin that they’re in.
Dream Big Little One
Author: Vashti Harrison
Featuring 18 trailblazing black women in American history, Dream Big, Little One is the irresistible board book adaptation of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History. The leaders in this board book may be little, but they all did something big and amazing, inspiring generations to come.
As a companion to Follow Your Dreams, Little One, a beautifully illustrated board book highlights true stories of black men in history. The legends in this book span centuries and continents, but what they have in common is that each one has blazed a trail for generations to come.
One Love
Author: Cedella Marley
Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel all right. Adapted from one of Bob Marley’s most beloved songs, One Love brings the joyful spirit and unforgettable lyrics to life for a new generation. Readers will delight in dancing to the beat and feeling the positive groove of change when one girl enlists her community to help transform her neighborhood for the better. It’s a testament to the amazing things that can happen when we all get together with one love in our hearts.
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip Hop
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Rooted in funk, jazz, folktales, and poetry, Carole Boston Weatherford takes readers on a journey to the roots of hip hop. She pays homage to the art form and some of its iconic stars.
Stacey's Extraordinary Words
Author: Stacey Abrams
Illustrator: Kitt Thomas
The debut picture book from iconic voting rights advocate and #1 New York Times bestselling author Stacey Abrams is an inspiring tale of determination, based on her own childhood.
I Am Every Good Thing
Author: Derrick Barnes
illustrator: Gordon C. James
This empowering book is a love letter to Black boys. It celebrates how dynamic they are and what they have the potential to become.
The Me I Choose to Be
Author: Natasha Anastacia Tarpley
Illustrator: Regis & Kahran Bethencourt
The possibilities are endless in this uplifting ode to the power of potential. With lyrical text by bestselling author Natasha Anastasia Tarpley and images by Regis and Kahran Bethencourt—the team behind CreativeSoul Photography—each page of The Me I Choose To Be is an immersive call for self-love that highlights the inherent beauty of all Black and brown children.
Black Boys Are
Author: Keaira Faña-Ruiz
Illustrator: TK Paigee
Black boys are loved. Black boys are valued. Black boys are truly a gift. Celebrate them with this inspirational book that tells the world how much we love Black boys.
Who Are Your People?
Author: Bakari Sellers
Illustrator: Reggie Brown
This inspiring picture book is a tribute to the family and community that help make us who we are. Children are shaped by their ancestors, and this book celebrates the village it takes to raise a child.
Cocoa, Tea and Honey
Author: Kimberly Davis-Peters
Despite the differences that set us apart, our shared experiences bring us together. Cocoa, Tea, And Honey celebrates all shades of beautiful brown complexions with inspirational encouragement of friendship, good character, and acceptance.
I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything!
Author: Alissa Holder & Zulekha Holder-Young
Illustrator: Nneka Myers
It’s a new day and Ayaan has woken up on the wrong side of the bed, where nothing feels quite right. What if he doesn’t know the answer at school? What if he messes up? But as he sets out that morning, all it takes is a few reminders from his mom and some friends in the neighborhood to remind him that a new day is a good day because…
HE IS SMART,
HE IS BLESSED,
AND HE CAN DO ANYTHING!
Parker Shines On: Another Extraordinary Moment
Author: Parker & Jessica Curry
Illustrator: Brittany Jackson
Parker Curry loves being a big sister. She gets to play dress-up with her little sister, Ava, and piano with her baby brother, Cash. And Parker loves to dance, twirling and leaping and spinning in joy. But when a dancer joins her class and needs her help, Parker wonders if she has what it takes to be not only a real dancer but a real friend. This inspirational picture book has an afterword by prima ballerina and New York Times bestselling author Misty Copeland.
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water
Author: Nikole Hannah Jones & Renee Watson
illustrator: Nikkolas Smith
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real Life Tales of Black Girl Magic
Author: Jestine Ware, Sonja Thomas, Lilly Workneh, Cashawn Thomas
The latest installment in the New York Times bestselling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, featuring 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls who showcase the spirit of Black Girl Magic.
I Can Be Anything From A-Z
Author: Denere Postell
Illustrator: Dustin James
Zaina is a young girl with a big imagination. She takes her parents on a journey through all of the things that she wants to be. We hope to inspire young minds to find their purpose and to remember that they too can be anything from A to Z.
Ellington Was Not a Street
Author: Ntozake Shange
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Kadir Nelson beautifully captures Ntozake Shange’s poem “Moon Indigo.” A young girl recalls the countless innovators such as W.E.BDebois, Dizzy Gillespie, and Paul Robeson that gathered at her home.
The Afro-Latino Alphabet: El Alfabeto de Afro-Latino
Author: Keaira Faña-Ruiz & Jose Faña-Ruiz
Illustrator: TK Paigee
Celebrate with us as we pay homage to the Afro-Latino Culture. A culture full of rich history, champions, strength, variety, pride, and color. Every child should be able to see themselves when they gaze through the illustrations of a book as their stories are told.
Marley and the Family Band
Author: Cedella Marley
Illustrator: Tracey Baptiste
When Marley and her family move from Jamaica to Delaware, she knows life is about to change in big ways. And she’s got the perfect plan to help her and her siblings make friends: an outdoor concert for the whole neighborhood!
But when weather ruins their plans, she discovers help in the most unlikely places as her new neighbors quickly become the kindest of friends.
She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
Author: Lesa Cline-Ransome, Chelsea Clinton
Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger
We all know the name Rosa Parks. Did you know there was a young girl who refused to give up her seat and inspired Rosa Parks to do the same? This biography tells the story of fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin and her choice to stand up for equality and justice in Montgomery, Alabama.
A Lesson For Martin Luther King Jr.
Author: Denise Lewis Patrick
Illustrator: Rodney S. Pate
Young Martin Luther King Jr. is having some problems with his best friend, Bobby. First, they are going to different schools this year. Next, Bobby’s dad is not letting his son play with Martin. When Martin learns why, he is confused and hurt–but he learns a lesson that he will never forget.
She Persisted: Coretta Scott King
Author: Kelly Starling Lyons, Chelsea Clinton
Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds–including Coretta Scott King! Coretta Scott King is known for being the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but she was a civil rights activist and leader in her own right! She was a singer and an author too, and her work made a difference for Black Americans and for all women for decades to come.
Ty’s Travels: Lab Magic (My First I Can Read)
Author: Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrator: Nina Mata
Ty and Corey love to visit the museum. When they step through the doors, they become scientists. They study bugs and hunt for fossils. They catch the wind. When Ty can’t participate in a lab activity because of his age, he uses his big imagination at home. Discovering new things is so much fun!
She Persisted: Wangari Maathai
Author: Eucabeth Odhiambo & Chelsea Clinton
Illustrator:Alexandra Boiger
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger comes a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds–including Wangari Maathai! When Wangari Maathai learned about how many trees had been cut down in Kenya, where she was from, she was horrified. So she founded the Green Belt Movement and got friends, family, and even strangers to help her plant trees and respect the environment–and she received a Nobel Peace Prize for her work.
Sky Watcher (Jada Jones #5)
Author: Kelly Starling Lyons
Jada is excited to do a school project about her hero Dr. Mae Jemison, a former NASA astronaut and the first Black woman to travel to outer space. She even gets to pretend to be her for the presentation in front of her teacher, parents, and friends! But when Jada’s research reminds her how accomplished her hero truly is, she suddenly feels like she’s made a mistake. How can she portray someone who seems to have everything together when she feels like she’s falling apart?
VIP: Lewis Latimer: Engineering Wizard
Author: Denise Lewis Patrick
Illustrator: Daniel Duncan
If your child is a fan of the Who Was series, this will be a perfect book to add to their library. This biography details the life of Lewis Latimer, one of the greatest inventors of his time.
Shuri: A Black Panther Novel
Author: Nic Stone
An original, upper-middle-grade series starring the break-out character from the Black Panther comics and films: T’Challa’s younger sister, Shuri! Crafted by New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone. Shuri is a skilled martial artist, a genius, and a master of science and technology. But, she’s also a teenager. And a princess.
This story follows Shuri as she sets out on a quest to save her homeland of Wakanda.For centuries, the Chieftain of Wakanda (the Black Panther) has gained his powers through the juices of the Heart-Shaped Herb. Much like Vibranium, the Heart-Shaped Herb is essential to the survival and prosperity of Wakanda. But something is wrong. The plants are dying. No matter what the people of Wakanda do, they can’t save them. And their supply is running short. It’s up to Shuri to travel from Wakanda in order to discover what is killing the Herb, and how she can save it, in the first volume of this all-new, original adventure.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Author: Kwame Mbalia
Seventh grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he’s going to spend on his grandparents’ farm in Alabama, where he’s being sent to heal from the tragedy.
But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up in his bedroom and steals Eddie’s notebook. Tristan chases after it–is that a doll?–and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to wrestle the journal out of the creature’s hands, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters that are hunting the inhabitants of this world.
Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left Black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves?
Anything catch your eye? Let these be a starting point for stories centered in the Black experience. Let us know your favorites.
Tag us on social media reading your favorites.
Instagram: @storiesofacolorfulwrld
TIKTOK: @storiesofacolorfulworld