Books for Black History Month
for Lower and Middle School Readers
By Ann Levine, PLNY School Advisor
So many events dot family calendars, all deserving of our time and attention. Maybe some need no reminders, others may last more than a day, but all are acknowledged for various reasons and with a range of emotions.
Black History Month occurs in this country every February, but it is more than a one-month occasion. It is a paused moment for extended reflection – a time to carry forward all the important history of the past in recognition of days to come.
Reading about dates, people, and places in books written specifically for young readers keeps history alive. It allows kids to discover the past in connection to present-day events. Here are recent nonfiction books to read throughout the year to remember different times, unforgettable times, and meaningful times that shape better future times for all.
Think of this selection as introducing real lives to children of today, who learn to admire the thoughts and deeds that continue to shape us.
Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States
by Alliah Agostini
Muhammad Ali: Athletes Who Made a Difference
by Josh Anderson
African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History
by Tracey Baptiste
Fly High: The Story of Bessie Coleman
by Louise Borden and Mary Kay Kroeger
by Anitra Butler-Ngugi
Ketanji Brown Jackson: Justice for All
by Tami Charles
Teaching for Change: How Septima Clark Led the Civil Rights Movement to Voting Justice
by Yvonne Clark-Rhines and Monica Clark-Robinson
Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit
by Kelly Crull
Dream Builder’s Blueprint: Dr. King’s Message to Young People
by Alice Faye Duncan
Underground Abductor: An Abolitionist Tale about Harriet Tubman
by Nathan Hale
Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Jimmy’s Rhythm and Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin
by Michelle Meadows
Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller
by Breanna McDaniel
Frederick Douglass: Voice for Justice, Voice for Freedom
by Frank Murphy
You Should Meet John Lewis
by Denise Lewis Patrick
Stamped for Kids: Racism, Antiracism, and You
by Jason Reynolds and X. Kendi
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library
by Carole Boston Weatherford
What Is Black Lives Matter?
by Lakita Wilson
Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa
by Jeannette Winter
Purchase these books and see more PLNY book suggestions on our Bookshop.org affiliate page!
Ann Levine’s love of books, words, and reading has steered her career choices: from editorial roles at Meredith Publishing and Hearst Magazines to teaching and administrative positions at the School at Columbia and Preschool of America to assistant manager at Bank Street Bookstore. She received an undergraduate degree in English at Washington University and a graduate degree at Bank Street College of Education. She is still a big believer in the three Rs of learning — reading, reading, and reading.
