Black Lives Matter Book List for Young People

Posted on June 12, 2020

by Regina S

When I was in fifth grade, I spotted Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor on my school library shelf in small town Nebraska. I don’t know if it was because I had recently watched the Roots Mini-Series that captivated the country or if it was the shiny Newbery Medal on the cover, but I checked it out and was carried away into a different time and place, meeting people that I wouldn’t have occasion to meet in my regular life. It made an impression to read about Black people’s struggles. This is what literature does for me—connects me to people with different points-of-view and helps me to have empathy with them.

But people are more than their struggles. Books also celebrate the beauty, complexity, perseverance and joy experienced by Black people. I believe that it is important for Black children to see themselves reflected positively in literature because the messages our society sends them about themselves is, tragically, too often negative.

I offer this list of books for young people that addresses fighting racism and celebrates Black Americans. Read them and hear their voices because Black Lives Matter.

Books for Younger Children:

Cover of My Hair Is a Garden Cover of My Hair Is a Garden
Cover of The Undefeated Cover of The Undefeated
Cover of Saturday Cover of Saturday
Cover of I Am Enough Cover of I Am Enough
Cover of The Other Side Cover of The Other Side
Cover of We March Cover of We March
Cover of Sulwe Cover of Sulwe
Cover of Crown : An Ode to the Fresh Cut Cover of Crown : An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Cover of The Day You Begin Cover of The Day You Begin
Cover of Parker Looks Up Cover of Parker Looks Up
Cover of Let the Children March Cover of Let the Children March
Books for Kids 8 to 12

Cover of We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices Cover of We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices
Cover of From the Desk of Zoe Washington Cover of From the Desk of Zoe Washington
Cover of A Good Kind of Trouble Cover of A Good Kind of Trouble
Cover of Genesis Begins Again Cover of Genesis Begins Again
Cover of Blended Cover of Blended
Cover of The New Kid Cover of The New Kid
Cover of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Cover of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Cover of One Crazy Summer Cover of One Crazy Summer
Cover of Ghost Boys Cover of Ghost Boys

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