RSSBlack Stories Matter | A Reading List for Kids and Teens
Picture Books
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James
A celebration of the simple pleasure of a new haircut and the magic of the barbershop.
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Mom is away, can Dad help Zuri feel like a superhero by getting herself put together for the perfect look?
How to Find a Fox by Nilah Magruder
Equipped with a camera and determination, an adventurous little girl tries to track down an elusive red fox, which proves more difficult than she imagined.
Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning
Two children sneak downstairs after bedtime to find their parents singing and dancing while washing dishes, and the whole family gets swept into the music.
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, Pictures by Christian Robinson
A boy learns to see the beauty (and fun!) all around him from his routine bus ride with his grandmother.
Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
In this fun take on Mother Goose, fabulous Mary helps her nursery-rhyme friends freshen up their style.
The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Well-prepared and encouraged by his parents, a little boy has a great first day of kindergarten.
Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
She’s not your average cowgirl, but Thunder Rose may have met her match when a whirling windy storm blows through town.
Juvenile/Middle Grade
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee
Blended by Sharon M. Draper
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliot
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender
Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Tight by Torrey Maldonado
Tristan Strong Punches A Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
No One Here is Lonely by Sarah Everett
Young Adult
A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Full Disclosure by Camryn Garret
Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
New Kid by Jerry Craft
On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Slay by Brittney Morris
Solo by Kwame Alexander
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson, Ellen Hagan
Who Put This Song On? By Morgan Parker
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