100+ Children’s Books Featuring Black Characters for Black History Month
As we continue to to find ways to use our time and resources to observe Black History Month, children's literature is always a great way to bring more representation into our homes and classrooms as well as open up conversations about different lived experiences. Below, we have compiled and linked a list of 100+ books for kids ages 4-12, as recommended by Black educators.
This list of Black History Month book recommendations contains affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission to help support our work in anti-bias education if you purchase through these links, but it does not change your price.
Black Heroes Arlisha Norwood
This Book Is Anti-Racist Tiffany Jewell
Dream Big, Little One Vashti Harrison
Ghost Boys Jewell Parker Rhodes
Some Places More Than Others Renee Watson
Ways to Make Sunshine Renee Watson
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History Vashti Harrison
Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World Vashti Harrison
My Name Is Celia Monica Brown
Radiant Child Javaka Steptoe
Freedom Soup Tami Charles
Ruby Head High Irène Cohen-Janca
Sisters and Champions: The True Story of Venus and Serena Williams Howard Bryant
Bedtime Bonnet Nancy Amanda Redd
The King of Kindergarten Derrick Barnes
Carter Reads the Newspaper Deborah Hopkinson
Brave Ballerina Michelle Meadows
Let the Children March Monica Clark-Robinson
Rocket Says Clean Up! Nathan Bryon
Time for Kenny Brian Pinkney
A Ride to Remember Sharon Langley
Shirley Chisholm is a Verb! Veronica Chambers
Midnight Teacher Janet Halfmann
Stompin’ at the Savoy Alan Govenar
Someday is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-ins Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil Degrass Tyson Kathleen Krull
The Women Who Caught The Babies: A Story of African American Midwives Eloise Greenfield
Mae Among the Stars Roda Ahmed
Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks Suzanne Slade
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race Margot Lee Shetterly
Patricia's Vision: The Doctor Who Saved Sight Michelle Lord
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Touch the Sky Rashmi Bansal
Lizzie Demands a Seat! Beth Anderson
Lift Every Voice and Sing James Weldon Johnson
Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson Leda Schubert
A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon Suzanne Slade
Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration Samara Cole Doyon
Hair Love Matthew A. Cherry
Black Is a Rainbow Color Angela Joy
Sulwe Lupita Nyong'o
The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath Julia Finley Mosca
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment Parker Curry
I Am Enough Grace Byers
Firebird Misty Copeland
Sing a Song: How "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Inspired Generations Kelly Starling Lyons
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters Barack Obama
Me & Mama Cozbi A. Cabrera
Beyoncé: Shine Your Light Sarah Warren
Above the Rim Hank Herman
I Am Every Good Thing Derrick Barnes
Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions Chris Barton
I, Matthew Henson: Polar Explorer Carole Boston Weatherford
Hey Black Child Useni Eugene Perkins
Before She Was Harriet Lesa Cline-Ransome
Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea Meena Harris
Muhammad Ali: A Champion Is Born Gene Barretta
Look Up with Me: Neil deGrasse Tyson: A Life Among the Stars Jennifer Berne
RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul Carole Boston Weatherford
I Look Up To... Michelle Obama Anna Membrino
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground Rita Williams-Garcia
The Revolution of Birdie Randolph Brandy Colbert
Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson Katherine G. Johnson
Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History Vashti Harrison
Barack Obama Is Elected President (Perspectives on American Progress) Duchess Harris
The Fierce 44: Black Americans Who Shook Up the World The Staff of The Undefeated
I Am a Promise Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce
An ABC of Equality Chana Ginelle Ewing
Work it, Girl: Run the Show Like CEO Oprah Winfrey Caroline Moss
Work It, Girl: Become a Leader Like Michelle Obama Caroline Moss
Brave. Black. First.: 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World Cheryl Hudson
I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything! Alissa Holder
Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman's Dreams Took Flight Karyn Parsons
Mommy's Khimar Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
My Hair is a Garden Cozbi A. Cabrera
Happy Hair Mechal Renee Roe
Grandma's Purse Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane Carole Boston Weatherford
We Are The Supremes Zoë Tucker
Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song Andrea Davis Pinkney
Stella's Stellar Hair Yesenia Moises
Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice Nikki Grimes
With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School Suzanne Slade
Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America Carole Boston Weatherford
The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne Lesa Cline-Ransome
All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom Angela Johnson
Freedom Bird: A Tale of Hope and Courage Jerdine Nolen
Clap Your Hands: A Celebration of Gospel Toyomi Igus
Hammering for Freedom Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood Tony Hillery
The ABCs of Black History Rio Cortez
Blacksmith's Song Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker Patricia Hruby Powell
A Voice Named Aretha Katheryn Russell-Brown
A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice Nadia L. Hohn
Mamie on the Mound: A Woman in Baseball's Negro Leagues Leah Henderson
The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership, and Legacy Kekla Magoon
Martin & Anne, The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank Nancy Churnin
The Undefeated Kwame Alexander
Fresh Princess Denene Millner
The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague Julia Finley Mosca
How We Are Smart W. Nikola-Lisa
Thank You, Omu! Oge Mora
Bread for Words: A Frederick Douglass Story Shana Keller
The Legendary Miss Lena Horne Carole Boston Weatherford
Sweet Dreams, Sarah: From Slavery to Inventor Vivian Kirkfield
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop Carole Boston Weatherford
Black Music Greats: 40 Inspiring Icons Olivier Cachin
Fearless Mary: The True Adventures of Mary Fields, American Stagecoach Driver Tami Charles
Follow Me Down to Nicodemus Town: Based on the History of the African American Pioneer Settlement A. LaFaye
Beautiful Shades of Brown Laura Wheeler Waring, Artist Nancy Churnin
She Was the First! The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm Katheryn Russell-Brown
The Unstoppable Garrett Morgan: Inventor, Entrepreneur, Hero Joan DiCicco
Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott Dee Romito
Ambitious Girl Meena Harris
