Celebrate Black History Month with these inspiring books that bring key moments, figures, and themes in Black history to life. From picture books that introduce young readers to heroes like Henry Brown and Rosa Parks to middle-grade and young adult novels exploring civil rights, slavery, and racial justice, this list offers age-appropriate recommendations. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or young reader yourself, these must-read books provide an engaging way to honor Black history and foster meaningful conversations about resilience, activism, and equality.
Age recommendations as suggested by Amazon Books.
Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
Caldecott Medal winner Henry’s Freedom Box follows the true story of Henry Brown, a slave who mailed himself from Richmond, Virginia to freedom in Philadelphia during the time of the Underground Railroad. Author Ellen Levine and illustrator Kadir Nelson powerfully capture the drama and intensity of Henry Brown’s experience in a way that is suited for young audiences. Ages 4-8 years. Get the book here
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
This picture book tells the civil rights story of Rosa Parks through beautiful illustrations by Bryan Collier and moving prose by legendary African American poet and activist Nikki Giovanni. It was adapted to film in 2007 and narrated by the author herself. Ages 4-8 years. Get the book here
The Watsons Go To Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
This middle-grade classic and Newberry Honor winner follows the Watson family as they head to Birmingham to visit relatives at the height of the Civil Rights movement. In the city at the same time as Martin Luther King Jr., they witness marches and are even present at the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing orchestrated by the KKK, which claimed the lives of four young black girls. With incredible characters, valuable themes, and important historical perspectives, The Watsons Go To Birmingham is a must-read for young readers. Ages 8-12 years. Get the book here
Witness by Karen Hesse
Written in a creative, outside-the-box format, Karen Hesse’s Witness captures a small, pastoral Vermont town plagued by the Ku Klux Klan, and the two motherless young girls who have now become KKK targets: twelve-year-old Leonora Sutter, who is black, and six-year-old Esther Hirsch, who is Jewish. Hesse tells the story in a series of diary entries and poems from eleven distinct characters, weaving mystery and suspense through both real and fictitious events in 1924. A hidden gem among young reader historical fiction, Witness is a powerful story with plenty of themes that extend well beyond the page. Ages 9-12 years. Get the book here
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
This novel is the first in a historical fiction trilogy for young readers. Following a thirteen-year-old enslaved girl and her sister who are taken to New York after the death of their owners, the novel provides an emotional perspective into slavery at the time of the American Revolution. Chains has won several children’s book awards, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 2008, and was a National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature in 2008. Ages 10+. Get the book here
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Perfect for teen and young adult readers, A Lesson Before Dying is the story of two young black men in 1940s Louisiana: Grant Wiggins, fresh out of college and returning to his hometown to teach, and Jefferson, who is caught on the scene of a shootout and, being the only survivor, is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Implored by his aunt and Jefferson’s grandmother, Grant visits Jefferson in jail in the days leading up to his execution, hoping to instill some pride in and impart his knowledge onto Jefferson before his time runs out. This 1993 classic forces the reader to consider compassion, empathy, and the complexity of human psychology against a background of racial injustice. Ages teen and young adult. Get the book here