50 Must Read Black Children’s Books

Growing up I didn’t really get the difference in the books that I was reading. Yea, there was a variety of characters, but I didn’t see how it would shape my view of the world so early. Now that I’m a parent, I’m realizing how important it is for my son to be reading black children’s books with characters that look like him. Now that Black History Month is coming, the books are more easily grabbable at the front of your library or bookstore.

Black History Month means so much more when you have children, especially African American children. It’s not just a month to celebrate our heritage, but also to connect those lessons to our children and a reminder for every one of the beautiful people we can honor.

As parents we can do so much to teach and incorporate the lessons our history has taught us and one way is through your night story time or by sharing books with your children. Here are a few black children’s books you might want to pick up during Black History Month and for the 11 months after.

1. Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table – Jacqueline Briggs Martin
2. Gordon Parks – Jamey Christoph
3. Ira’s Shakespeare Dream – Glenda Armand
4. Discovering Black America – Linda Tarrant-Reid
5. Biddy Mason Speaks Up – Arisa White
6. My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – Martin Luther King, III
7. What Was Your Dream, Dr. King? – Mary Kay Carson
8. President of the Whole Sixth Grade – Sherri Winston
9. You Should Meet Misty Copeland – Laurie Calkhoven
10. Sauerkraut – Kelly Jones
11. The Youngest Marcher – Cynthia Levinson
12. Freedom Summer – Deborah Wiles
13. Hey, Black Child – Useni Eugene Perkins
14. Trombone Shorty – Troy Andrews
15. When Marian Sang – Pam Munoz Ryan
16. Born to Swing – Mara Rockliff
17. Just a Lucky So and So: The Story of Louis Armstrong – Lesa Cline-Ransme
18. Play Louis, Play – Muiel Harris Weinstein
19. Josephine – Patricia Hruby Powell
20. When the Beat Was Born – Laban Carrick Hill
21. The Day You Begin – Jacqueline Woodson
22. Radiant Child, The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat – Javaka Steptoe
23. Lift Your Light a Little Higher – Heather Henson
24. Ticktock Banneker’s Clock – Shana Keller
25. The Hallelujah Flight – Phil Bildner
26. Henry’s Freedom Box – Ellen Levine
27. Words Set Me Free – Lesa Cline-Ransome
28. Jump Back, Paul – Sally Derby
29. The Stone Thrower – Jael Ealey Richardson
30. Skit-Skat Raggedy Cat – Roxane Orgill
31. Let ‘Er Buck – Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Gordon James
32. Woosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Invenions – Chris Barton
33. Little Leaders: Bold Women in History – Vashti Harrison
34. Mae Among the Stars – Roda Ahmed
35. The Young Marcher – Cynthia Levinson
36. All American Boys – Brendon Kiely and Jason Reynolds
37. What Color is My World – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld
38. Princess Hair – Sharee Miller
39. Piecing Me Together – Renee Watson
40. We March – Shane Evans
41. Yesterday I had the Blues – Jeron Ashford Frame
42. Look What Brown Can Do – T. Marie Harris
43. One Crazy Summer – Rita Williams-Garcia
44. Chocolate Me! – Taye Diggs
45. Harlem’s Little Blackbird – Renee Watson
46. Of Thee I Sing – Barack Obama
47. Jabari Jumps – Gaia Cornwall
48. Hair Love – Matthew A Cherry
49. Please Baby Please – Tanya Lewis Lee and Spike Lee
50. Saturday – Oge Mora