Black History Month Reading Scavenger Hunt Suggestions

This is not a complete list, and we encourage you to explore all the wonderful resources the library has to offer, but if you need a place to start to check off some of the categories, take a look at the suggestions below. You can also refer to our Black Characters, Culture, and History Booklist on our Recommended Books page for additional suggestions. Please note that chapter ​ ​ books are denoted with an * before the title.

Books with Black People as the Main Characters

Alfie: (the Turtle that Disappeared) by Thyra Heder, illustrations by the author ​ *Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson ​ ​ The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann, illustrations by the author ​ *Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott, illustrations by Geneva B. ​ Flower Garden by Eve Bunting, illustrations by Kathryn Hewitt ​ The Hula Hoopin’ Queen by Thelma Lynne Godin, illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton ​ *Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor ​ I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrations by Frank Morrison ​ Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, illustrations by the author ​ Layla’s Happiness by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, illustrations by Ashleigh Corrin ​ *Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron ​ Me & Mama by Cozbi Cabrera, illustrations by the author ​ *The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson ​ In Plain Sight by Richard Jackson, illustrations by Jerry Pinkney ​ Red Shoes by Karen English, illustrations by Ebony Glenn ​ *The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon ​ Southwest Sunrise by Nikki Grimes, illustrations by Wendell Minor ​ *Spirit Week Showdown by Crystal Allen, illustrations by Eda Kaban ​ *Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia ​ *Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson, illustrations by Nina Mata ​

Black Authors

Kwame Alexander Derrick Barnes Lesa Cline-Ransome Christopher Paul Curtis Zetta Elliott Shane Evans Varian Johnson Kelly Starling Lyons Kekla Magoon Oge Mora Christopher Myers Andrea Davis Pinkney Jason Reynolds Rita Williams-Garcia Jacqueline Woodson

Black Illustrators

Vanessa Brantley Newton Ashley Bryan Cozbi A. Cabrera Bryan Collier Floyd Cooper Ebony Glenn Vashti Harrison Ekua Holmes E.B. Lewis Kadir Nelson Brian Pinkney Jerry Pinkney James Ransome Christian Robinson Don Tate

Books About the Black Experience in History

All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson, illustrations by ​ E.B. Lewis Beacon to Freedom: the Story of a Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Jenna ​ Glatzer, illustrated by Ebony Glenn The Bell Rang by James E Ransome, illustrated by the author ​ BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by ​ Michele Wood Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrations by ​ Brian Pinkney Brick by Brick by Charles Smith, illustrations by Floyd Cooper ​ Ellen’s Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrations by Daniel Minter ​ Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by R. Gregory Christie ​ Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley ​ Bryan, illustrations by the author Granddaddy’s Turn: a Journey to the Ballot Box by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein, illustrations by ​ James E. Ransome *Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson, illustrations by the ​ author Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, illustrations by Kadir Nelson ​ Hush Harbor: Praying in Secret by Freddi Williams Evans, illustrations by Erin Bennet Banks ​ Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson, illustrations by Frank Morrison ​ Lillian’s Right to Vote by Jonah Winter, illustrations by Shane W. Evans ​ Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrations by R. Gregory ​ Christie *One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (and sequels, P.S. Be Eleven and Gone Crazy ​ ​ ​ ​ in Alabama) ​ Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrations by James Ransome ​ A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein, illustrations by Jerry Pinkney ​ *Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (and sequels) ​ Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrations by Hudson Talbott ​ ​ Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrations by ​ Brian Pinkney Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrations by Ron Husband ​ *This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality by Jo Ann Allen ​ Boyce and Debbie Levy This is the Rope: a Story from the Great Migration by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrations by ​ ​ James Ransome The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrations by Kadir Nelson ​ *The Underground Abductor: An Abolitionist Tale by Nathan Hale, illustrations by the author ​ Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane W. Evans, illustrations by the author ​ *The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis ​

Books About the Black Experience Today

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrations by Bryan Collier ​ Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Redd, illustrations by Nneka Myers ​ Crown: an Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, illustrations by Gordon C. James ​ Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller, illustrations by the author ​ *Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams ​ *Ghost by Jason Reynolds (and sequels in the Track series) ​ ​ ​ *A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée ​ Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrations by Daniel Minter ​ Hair Love by Matthew Cherry, illustrations by Vashti Harrison ​ Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrations by Shane W. Evans ​ *Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson ​ ​ I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrations by Gordon C. James ​ Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrations by Christian Robinson ​ Lubaya’s Quiet Roar by Marilyn Nelson, illustrations by Philomena Williamson ​ Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrations by April Harrison ​ *New Kid by Jerry Craft, illustrations by the author (and sequel, Class Act) ​ ​ ​ *The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert ​ *The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore ​ Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrations by Vashti Harrison ​

Books About Black Contributions to Art and Writing

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth and Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux ​ Nelson, illustrations by R. Gregory Christie Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, illustrations by ​ Cozbi A. Cabrera *Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome ​ Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole ​ Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Jamey Christoph I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes, illustrations by Bryan Collier ​ *Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace by Ashley Bryan, ​ illustrations by the author *One Last Word by Nikki Grimes ​ Radiant Child: the Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe, ​ illustrations by the author Rise: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus, ​ illustrations by Tonya Engel Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Eric ​ Velasquez A Splash of Red: the Life and Art of Horace Pippen by Jen Bryant, illustrations by Melissa ​ Sweet *Wake Up Our Souls: A Celebration of Black American Artists by Tonya Bolden ​

Books About Black Contributions to Music and Dance

Brave Ballerina: the Story of Janet Collins by Michelle Meadows, illustrations by Ebony ​ Glenn *Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia ​ A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina’s Dream by Kristy Dempsey, illustrations by Floyd ​ Cooper The Double Bass Blues by Andrea Loney, illustrations by Rudy Gutierrez ​ Harlem’s Little Blackbird: the Story of Florence Mills by Renée Watson, illustrations by ​ Christian Robinson Jazz Day: the Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill, illustrations by Francis ​ Vallejo Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo & Diane Dillon, illustrations by the authors ​ Let’s Clap, Jump, Sing & Shout; Dance, Spin & Turn It Out! By Patricia C. McKissack, ​ illustrations by Brian Pinkney Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrations by Frank ​ Morrison Muddy: the Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters by Michael Mahin, illustrations by Evan ​ Turk Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice and Sing Inspired Generations by Kelly Starling Lyons, ​ illustrations by Keith Mallett Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews and Bill Taylor, illustrations by Bryan Collier ​ When the Beat was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip-Hop by Laban Carrick Hill, ​ illustrations by Theodore Taylor III

Books About Black Contributions to Sports

*Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander ​ *Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrations by Sean Qualls ​ *The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (and sequel, Rebound) ​ ​ ​ Game Changers: the Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome, ​ illustrations by James E. Ransome Henry Aaron’s Dream by Matt Tavares, illustrations by the author ​ I Am Jackie Robinson by Brad Meltzer, illustrations by Christopher Eliopoulos ​ Let ‘Er Buck! George Fletcher, the People’s Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, ​ illustrations by Gordon C. James Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm and Rich Tommaso ​ Swish: the Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters by Suzanne ​ Slade, illustrations by Don Tate Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper by Ann Malaspina, illustrations by ​ Eric Velasquez *We Are the Ship: the Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson, illustrations by the ​ author When Wilma Rudolph Played Basketball by Mark Weakland, illustrations by Daniel Duncan ​

Books About Black Contributions to Science and Business

Buzzing with Questions: the Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N. ​ Harrington, illustrations by Theodore Taylor III A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon by Suzanne Slade, illustrations by Veronica Miller Jamison Dream Builder: the Story of Architect Philip Freelon by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrations by ​ Laura Freeman Fly High! The Story of Bessie Coleman by Louise Borden and Mary Kay Kroeger, illustrations ​ by Teresa Flavin I, Matthew Henson, Polar Explorer by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Eric ​ Velasquez Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed, illustrations by Stasia Burrington ​ No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas by Tonya Bolden, ​ illustrations by Don Tate *Reaching for the Moon: the Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson by Katherine Johnson Tiny Stitches: the Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas by Gwendolyn Hooks, illustrations ​ by Colin Bootman The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Everett Just by Mélina Mangal, illustrations by ​ Luisa Uribe *What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem ​ Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld, illustrations by Ben Boos and A.G. Ford Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton, ​ illustrations by Don Tate

Books About Black Leaders in Government and Social Movements

Barack by Jonah Winter, illustrations by AG Ford ​ Carter Reads the Newspaper by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrations by Don Tate ​ Molly, by Golly!: the Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by ​ Dianne Ochiltree, illustrations by Kathleen Kemly Preaching to the Chickens: the Story of Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim, illustrations by ​ E.B. Lewis Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, illustrations by Bryan Collier ​ Thurgood by Jonah Winter, illustrations by Bryan Collier ​ The United States v. Jackie Robinson by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrations by R. ​ Gregory Christie Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole ​ Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Ekua Holmes What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?: the Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan by Chris Barton, illustrations by Ekua Holmes ​ Words Set Me Free: the Story of Young Frederick Douglass by Lesa Cline-Ransome, ​ illustrations by James Ransome The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton ​