– Nelson Mandela
Now more than ever, Black History Month is extremely important for kids and adults of all ages and backgrounds to recognize. Check out this post by History.com for the origins and back story of Black History Month.
As librarians, we strive to deliver as much information as we can in regards to every topic but this month is very special to all of us. It's the month where we spotlight our already popular books written by Black authors and/or books written about Black characters.
Here are some of our favorite authors:
Jason Reynolds - Some of his more popular books are "All American Boys," "Miles Morales-Spiderman," and the "Track" series.
Maya Angelou - "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is one of her most popular works. She is also known for her poetry.
Toni Morrison - "The Bluest Eye," "Beloved," and "The Song of Solomon" are some of her works.
Angie Thomas - A newer young adult author, Thomas has written "The Hate U Give" as well as "On the Come Up."
Jacqueline Woodson - A 2020 recipient of The Hans Christian Andersen Award, her most notable work is "Brown Girl Dreaming."
Tomi Adeyemi - A fantasy writer, Adeyemi is best known for her book "Children of Blood and Bone," the first in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.
Derrick Barnes - His picture book, "Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" received the Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award for this book.
Here are a few book lists that have been made by others:
The Chicago Parent website has a fantastic list of 13 Black History Books to Read With Your Kids
Top 15 Children's Books for Black History Month compiled by Erin Dower on familyeducation.com.
Afoma Umesi is a blogger who has recently compiled a list of 58 Black Middle-Grade Books.
The Epic Reads website put out a list entitled 20 YA Books You Need to Read—Especially During Black History Month.
Please check out our previous post on books related to social justice and race relations here for more great titles and authors!
