This Black History Month book list is made up of wonderful books that celebrate African-Americans and their history. With so many amazing books out there, it was incredibly hard to select which books to include in my 2009 list. I plan on expanding this list for 2010 — in the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions by leaving a comment at the end of this post. The list begins with books suitable for babies and finishes with a great book for young-adult readers. Enjoy!
Honey, I Love
by Eloise Greenfield (Author), Jan Spivey Gilchrist (Illustrator)
Reading level: 0 – 6
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Amistad; 1st edition (December 24, 2002)
by Nikki Grimes
Reading level: 0 – 6
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Orchard Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2006)
This Jazz Man
by Karen Ehrhardt (Author), R.G. Roth (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Publisher: Harcourt Children’s Books (November 1, 2006)
The Colors of Us
by Karen Katz
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks (April 3, 2007)
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
by Kadir Nelson
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Dial (August 8, 2005)
Wind Flyers
by Angela Johnson (Author), Loren Long (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing (January 9, 2007)
The Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles (Author), George Ford (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (June 1, 2004)
When Marian Sang
by Pam Munoz Ryan (Author), Brian Selznick (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1st edition (October 1, 2002)
Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope
by Nikki Grimes (Author), Bryan Collier (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; illustrated edition edition (August 26, 2008)
Something Beautiful
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Dragonfly Books (January 8, 2002)
I am Rosa Parks
by Rosa Parks (Author), Jim Haskins (Author), Wil Clay (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Puffin (December 1, 1999)
Bright Eyes, Brown Skin
by Cheryl Willis Hudson (Author), George Ford (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Just Us Books (November 1, 1990)
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Reading level: Ages 5 – 9
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Scholastic (2001)
Talkin’ About Bessie
by Nikki Grimes (Author), Earl B. Lewis (Illustrator), B. Moser (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 7 – 10
Hardcover: 144 pages
Publisher: Orchard (November 1, 2002)
Jackie Robinson and the Story of All-Black Baseball
by Jim O’Connor
Reading level: Ages 8 -12
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (May 6, 1989)
Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (May 1, 1987)
Women of Hope: African Americans Who Made a Difference
by Joyce Hansen
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperback Nonfiction (January 1, 2007)
March On!: The Day My Brother Changed the World
by Christine King Farris (Author), London Ladd (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (August 1, 2008)
Through my Eyes
by Ruby Bridges
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (September 1, 1999)
Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll (Author), Christopher Myers (Illustrator)
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; Library Binding edition (September 4, 2007)