Black History Month is here and I am so excited! There is so much history to get into with students, many stories to tell, and activities to do! My students love to read books. Yours, too? Are you struggling to find the right Black History Month children’s books for your classroom? There are so many out there, how do you choose, right?
I’d like to share some of my favorite Black History Month children’s books with you. These have been a huge success for me. I hope they help you out, too!
* Each book title links to Amazon just to make it easy – you can read reviews, a summary, and order should you choose! (This post contains affiliate links.)
Rosa Parks
One of the most famous women that we can talk about is Rosa Parks. Bryan Collier beautifully illustrates Rosa by Nikki Giovanni. This is a book that introduces you to who Rosa Parks was. It doesn’t just tell you about what she did and why she’s famous, although it does give you all of that information as well. This book starts out by explaining some of what she did when she worked for an alteration department. If you’re looking for Black History Month children’s books for your classroom, this one is an excellent book to start with. You and your students can learn so much from this illustrative book about Rosa Parks.
Harriet Tubman Black History Month Children’s Books
Another famous woman we love discussing when looking for Black History Month children’s books is Harriet Tubman. This book, I am Harriet Tubman by Brad Meltzer was illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Part of the Ordinary People Change the World series, I am Harriet Tubman shows us where Harriet Tubman came from and how awful things were for those who were enslaved. It explains who Harriet Tubman grew up to be and how she changed the world. Harriet Tubman is a favorite of my students. She was indeed an amazing woman whose story should be told around the world.
Jackie Robinson
I Am Jackie Robinson is another book written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos, and it’s another book in the Ordinary People Change the World series. This is a beautiful book to pick up when looking for Black History Month children’s books. Jackie Robinson was an amazing baseball player. He just wanted to play on the best teams, which he was talented enough to play on, but because of the color of his skin, he wasn’t allowed to be part of those teams. This book talks about where he came from. It talks about his family and how it’s hard to be brave sometimes. It shows how having courage can be hard, but it can pay off in the end. When looking for Jackie Robinson, be sure to start here, with I Am Jackie Robinson.
Black History Month Children’s Books: Mae Jemison
While looking at Black History Month children’s books, the name Mae Jemison might be a little less familiar to you than the other names we’ve talked about. But Mae Jemison deserves a place in the Black History Month children’s books, just as much as the others. Mae Among the Stars, written by Roda Ahmed and illustrated by Stasia Burrington, tells the story of a little girl named Mae who wanted to dance among the stars in space. Mae Jemison would grow up to be the first African American woman to travel in space. Through her determination and her parents’ support and encouragement, Mae carved out her well-deserved spot on our list.
Bold Women: Black History Month Children’s Books
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison is among the Black History Month children’s books that showcase more than one person. In these colorful pages, you’ll find out about Sojourner Truth, Bessie Coleman, Alice Ball, Shirley Chisholm, Katherine Johnson, Maya Angelou, Julie Dash, and many, many more! Each of these women played a unique role in history in her own way. Dive into this longer book and read about these dozens (yes, dozens!) of women who have made a name for themselves.
The Underground Railroad
When you hear the phrase Underground Railroad, you may think immediately of Harriet Tubman. But there were thousands upon thousands of slaves whose tales could be told. The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom, written by Bettye Stroud and illustrated by Erin Susanne Bennett, tells a story of a young girl named Hannah and her father as they make their way to freedom through the images stitched into Hannah’s quilt. While this is a fictional story, it’s based on a lot of truths that have been passed down orally and you can still learn a lot. Hannah represents a lot of people who could’ve stood in her place in our Black History Month children’s books.
A Journey to Freedom
If you’re looking for more books about the Underground Railroad, you’ll want to check out Henry’s Freedom Box, written by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. This book tells a true story, straight from the Underground Railroad, of a young boy named Henry who actually put himself in a box and mailed himself to freedom. It wasn’t an easy journey, but little Henry successfully found freedom in the North.
Black History Month Activities for Your Classroom
If your students can’t get enough of the Black History Month children’s books, be sure to check out these Black History Month coloring pages! You’ll find all kinds of options that focus on helping your students learn! There are color-by-numbers, color-by-letters, and even color-by-sight words! These coloring pages are great for keeping your students entertained while helping them learn! These packages contain 28-46 pages, depending on which one you select. But the best part of all? Your students can use what they’ve been learning from the books to help them color these pages!
Are you still looking for more ideas? Check out the FREE Reading Graphic Organizer today! This tool helps students identify the main idea, story elements, and beginning, middle, and end of stories. It can be used with any story you want to introduce in your classroom, and best of all, it’s FREE!
