It’s often February when educators focus most on sharing chapter books to celebrate black history and culture. However, no matter what time of year it is, all ten of these books are excellent chapter books for elementary or middle grade readers. Our family has read (and loved!) every one — and we hope you do, too.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive, printable Black History Month book list, you can go here!
If you’d like a list of posts about different topics in black history, you can go here!
Brown Girl Dreaming
Author Jacqueline Woodson poetically describes her childhood growing up in the 1960s and 1970s as a black child torn between two identities — one as a southerner growing up with her grandparents in South Carolina and one as a city girl in New York. The book is written completely in poetic form, which lends a unique but completely engaging voice to the whole story.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963
The Watson family — made up of Momma, Dad, Byron, Kenny, and Joetta — live in Flint, Michigan but decide to make a long road trip south to visit their Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama. While the first half of the book describes (often laugh-out-loud) episodes in their family life, things certainly turn somber when they arrive in Birmingham just in time for the infamous bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. (Fair warning: The ending is intense for multiples reasons, and it made me wish I had waited to read this book until our kids were a little bit older.)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Touted as one of the best children’s books of all times, this book tells the story of Cassie Logan and her family as they fight social injustice and racism in Depression-era Mississippi. The tone is not scathing or bitter, but it is truthful — and it presents an era that should be read about and studied for years to come. If you love this one, be sure to check out the others in the Logan Family series.
Bud Not Buddy
This would be an excellent read during a study of the Great Depression as it deals with homelessness, poverty, Hoovervilles, and more. It was fairly lighthearted and funny throughout, but the ending was poignant and emotionally gripping. Interestingly, the author based two main character on his grandfathers, which was fun to learn! The ending was also unexpected and was definitely our favorite part of the book.
Stella By Starlight
Set in rural North Carolina during the Great Depression, it chronicles one particular young African-American girl, Stella, as she deals with fears of the Klu Klux Klan and racial tensions in her town. I particularly loved the portrayal of her close-knit family and church community. This would be wonderful for studies of the Great Depression or black history, but it’s also just a fantastic read-aloud for ages 8 and up.
The Gold Cadillac
Written by Mildred Taylor, this book is based on certain autobiographical events in her own life. A black family who lives in Ohio buys a gold Cadillac and learns some hard truths when they drive it into the South to visit family. This would be a great chapter book to teach about the realities of systemic racism in an honest yet less intense way.
One Crazy Summer
Three young sisters travel to California in the summer of 1968 to meet the mother who abandoned them, and in the process they learn more about their family and the ongoing Black Power Movement. If you love this one, don’t miss the next couple in this series.
The Crossover
I listened to this Newbery winner in one sitting and absolutely loved it. It tells the story of two twin basketball phenoms and the ups and downs of their own relationship and family life. It’s definitely best for middle grades, but the story and writing style really had me hooked.
Amos Fortune, Free Man
This is one of the few children’s books I know of that gives a “living” historical perspective of the Middle Passage. Amos Fortune had a fascinating life, and you can still see historic sites in New Hampshire that commemorate his work!
Addy American Girl Series
We love the entire American Girl series, but we can’t deny that Addy is our hands-down favorite. While not always easy to read (life on the plantation as a slave is somewhat graphic in Book 1), it is a story of hope and restoration and a gentle way to introduce the concept of the Civil War. It is also a good introduction to dialect, as Addy and her family speak as Southern slaves might have in the 1860s.
I hope this list inspires you with some wonderful chapter books to celebrate Black History! Do you have any other favorites that we missed? I’d love to hear in the comments!