Black History Month Booklist 2021
I am delighted to share a list of recently published children’s books that highlight and celebrate the accomplishments and experience of African Americans. The books on this list are deserving of being read every month of the year – not just in February – and deserving of being shared with every child – not just those who identify as African American. You can follow the links to the publishers’ websites to learn more about each title.
Because these books have been newly published, not all are yet available in the school library, so you may want to reserve them from your public library or order them at Kepler’s or your favorite book source. I encourage you to diversify your home bookshelves, expand your child's reading experience, and enrich your life!
– Maeve Knoth, Librarian
ABOVE THE RIM: HOW ELGIN BAYLOR CHANGED BASKETBALL, by Jen Bryant, Illustrated by Frank Morrison, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)
ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER, by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier, published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., ©2020
(Elementary school, fiction, lyrical poetry, picture book)
BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES, by Nikki Grimes, pictures by Elizabeth Zunon, published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, an imprint of Sourcebooks Kids, ©2020
(Preschool/Elementary school, fiction, picture book)
BECOMING MUHAMMAD ALI: A NOVEL, by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, published by Jimmy Patterson Books, an imprint of Little Brown and Company, ©2020
(Upper elementary school/Middle school, prose, novel in verse)
BEFORE THE EVER AFTER, by Jacqueline Woodson, published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, ©2020
(Upper elementary school/Middle school, fiction)
BLACK IS A RAINBOW COLOR, by Angela Joy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership, ©2020
(Kindergarten/Elementary school, poetry, picture book)
CLASS ACT, written and illustrated by Jerry Craft, published by Quill Tree Books and Harper Alley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, ©2020
(Upper elementary school/Middle school, fiction, graphic novel)
DARK WAS THE NIGHT: BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON’S JOURNEY TO THE STARS, by Gary Golio, illustrated by E. B. Lewis, published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)
I AM EVERY GOOD THING, by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon James, published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, ©2020
(Elementary school, fiction, picture book)
KAMALA HARRIS: ROOTED JUSTICE, by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Laura Freeman, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)
LEAVING LYMON, by Lesa Cline-Ransome, published by Holiday House, ©2020
(Upper elementary school/Middle school, fiction)
LITTLE MERMAID, THE, written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, published by Little Brown Company, Hachette Book Group Inc., ©2020
(Elementary school, fiction, picture book)
LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT! ELIZABETH JENNINGS FIGHTS FOR STREETCAR RIGHTS by Beth Anderson, Penguin Random House, ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)
LORETTA LITTLE LOOKS BACK: THREE VOICES GO TELL IT, A MONOLOGUE NOVEL, by Andrea Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney, published by Little Brown and Company, a division of Hachette book Group Inc., ©2020
(Upper elementary school/Middle school, fiction)
MAGNIFICENT HOMESPUN BROWN: A CELEBRATION, by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Jaunita, published by Tilbury House, ©2020
(Pre-school/elementary school, picture book)
ME & MAMA, written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, published by Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers. ©2020
(Pre-school/elementary school, picture book)
NANA AKUA GOES TO SCHOOL, by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison,published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, ©2020
(Elementary school, fiction, picture book)
OLDEST STUDENT, THE: HOW MARY WALKER LEARNED TO READ, by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora, published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: ARETHA FRANKLIN, THE QUEEN OF SOUL, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison, published by Atheneum Books For Young Readers, ©2020
(Elementary, non-fiction/biography, picture book)
SHE WAS THE FIRST!: THE TRAILBLAZING LIFE OF SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, by Katheryn Russel-Brown, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, published by Lee & Low Books Inc., ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)
THIS IS YOUR TIME, by Ruby Bridges, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, ©2020
(Elementary school/Middle school/High school, nonfiction/autobiography)
TWINS, by Varian Johnson, illustrated by Shannon Wright, published by Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., ©2020
(Upper elementary school/Middle school, graphic novel, fiction)
WILLIAM STILL AND HIS FREEDOM STORIES: THE FATHER OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, written and illustrated by Don Tate, published by Peachtree Publishing Company, ©2020
(Elementary school, nonfiction/biography, picture book)