100+ Kids 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