Black Liberation Reading List for KidsLike this list

37 items

• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | The New York Public Library

  View on nypl.org

  The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A Is for Activist

  Nagara, Innosanto,

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  Introduces the letters of the alphabet with terms related to social justice, environmental justice, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and other causes activists support. [Available in other formats]

• Beautiful Blackbird

  Bryan, Ashley

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  Coretta Scott King Award winner Ashley Bryan's adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia resonates both with rhythm and the tale's universal meanings - appreciating one's heritage and discovering the beauty within.

• Betty Before X

  Shabazz, Ilyasah,

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  Raised by her aunt until she is six, Betty, who will later marry Malcolm X, joins her mother and stepfamily in 1940s Detroit, where she learns about the civil rights movement. [Available in other formats]

• Black Is a Rainbow Color

  Joy, Angela, 1975-

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  Illustrated by Ekua Holmes A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on.

• Blended

  Draper, Sharon M. (Sharon Mills),

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  Eleven-year-old Isabella's blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity. [Available in other formats]

• Boycott Blues

  How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation

  Pinkney, Andrea Davis

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  A poignant, blues-infused tribute to Rosa Parks and the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott, who refused to give up until they got justice.

• Brown Girl Dreaming

  Woodson, Jacqueline,

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  In vivid poems that reflect the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, Woodson shares what it was like to grow up in the 1960s and 1970s in both the North and the South. [Available in other formats]

• Crown

  An Ode to the Fresh Cut

  Barnes, Derrick D,

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  Illustrated by Gordon C. James | Celebrates the magnificent feeling that comes from walking out of a barber shop with newly-cut hair. [Available in other formats]

• The Day You Begin

  Woodson, Jacqueline,

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  Illustrated by Rafael López | A poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone. [Available in other formats]

• Everett Anderson's Goodbye

  Clifton, Lucille, 1936-

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  Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi | Everett Anderson has a difficult time coming to terms with his grief after his father dies.

• Genesis Begins Again

  Williams, Alicia, 1970-

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  Thirteen-year-old Genesis tries again and again to lighten her black skin, thinking it is the root of her family's troubles, before discovering reasons to love herself as is. [Available in other formats]

• Ghost

  Reynolds, Jason,

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  Aspiring to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school's track team, gifted runner Ghost finds his goal challenged by a tragic past with a violent father. [Available in other formats]

• Ghost Boys

  Rhodes, Jewell Parker,

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  After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Till. [Available in other…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Hair Love

  Cherry, Matthew A,

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  Illustrated by Vashti Harrison | A little girl's daddy steps in to help her arrange her curly, coiling, wild hair into styles that allow her to be her natural, beautiful self.

• Heart and Soul

  the Story of America and African Americans

  Nelson, Kadir

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  A simple introduction to African-American history, from Revolutionary-era slavery up to the election of President Obama. [Available in other formats]

• Hey Black Child

  Perkins, Useni Eugene,

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  Illustrated by Bryan Collier | A lyrical poem with bright images celebrates African American children and encourages them to realize their dreams and achieve their goals. [Available in other formats]

• Hurricane Child

  Callender, Kheryn,

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  Born on Water Island in the Virgin Islands during a hurricane, which is considered bad luck, twelve-year-old Caroline falls in love with another girl--and together they set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother.

• I Am Enough

  Byers, Grace,

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  Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo | A lyrical ode to self-confidence and kindness for girls from every background, written by the activist star of Empire, touches on themes of diversity, respecting others and loving oneself. [Available in other formats]

• Juneteenth for Mazie

  Cooper, Floyd,

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  Little Mazie wants the freedom to stay up late, but her father explains what freedom really means in the story of Juneteenth, and how her ancestors celebrated their true freedom. [Available in other formats]