Black History Month Books for Kids and Teens
Each year during February, Black History Month is observed in the United States. Also known as African American History Month, the nation pays tribute to and raises awareness about the millions of African Americans who struggled for decades to achieve equal civil rights in American society.
Teaching children the significance of African American History and the contributions of many brave, courageous, and remarkable people are essential for learning from the mistakes in our past and promoting tolerance, acceptance, and equality in our present and future. We have worked hard to curate a collection of stories that are poignant, inspirational, motivational, and genuinely excellent reads. Sharing books with young readers about inequalities and suffering, but also the extraordinary demonstrations of heroism and self-sacrifice is our responsibility so that we can continue to push for change and progress towards equality.
To get you started, these are a few of the books for kids and teens that have remained atop our recommendation lists for Black History Month:
Books that reflect on lessons learned and mandate continuous change:
Seven Middle Grade Books for African American History Month
Add to a readers’ knowledge of the Civil Rights era with these stories:
4 African American Biography Books For Kids
Nic Stone boldly tackles American race relations:
Nic Stone, Author of Dear Martin | Speed Interview
Celebrating the length, diversity, and strength of this extraordinary woman’s life:
Before She Was Harriet, by Lesa Cline-Ransome
If you are a history buff and believe in equal rights for all, please share your favorite books for kids and young adults with us. You can send us suggestions on books for Black History Month through our Twitter handle, and share your most distinguished books on Instagram or Facebook with #thechildrensbookreview. In the meantime, keep turning pages out there.
Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, is an empowering collection of poetry that celebrates the identity of Black girls.
Come on now; it’s time to go crazy over One Crazy Summer—an excellent and moving book punctuated with humor in all the right places.
Legendborn is a powerful, gripping fantasy that resituates Arthurian legend within a context of US race relations and the legacy of slavery.
Playing the Cards You’re Dealt is an enjoyable and thought-provoking book—especially for boys wondering what it takes to be a man.