Valeria Publications

Have you ever read a book that just stayed with you, long after you were done reading it?

Was it so good that you had to reread it over and over and over again?

That’s how I felt about every one of the books that I’m going to share with you in this story.

Literacy is critical to me, not just because I’m a writer. I truly believe that there’s a book out there for everyone; they just have to find it.

Plus, what better way to start Black History Month off with some great books that your kids can enjoy?

So, here are some great books that you can introduce to your kids to celebrate it the right way. I’ll also include my affiliate links to Bookshop.org if you want to purchase them.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

It’s only right that Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is my first book recommendation.

I remember reading this book when I was 10 years old, and it opened my eyes to so much of my culture. Things I did not learn about in school until years later were effortlessly introduced to me in this book.

Written by Mildred D. Taylor, this is the first book in a series of The Logan Family, a fictional Black family in Mississippi. We’re shown what life was like during the Great Depression through the eyes of Cassie Logan, a feisty 9-year-old girl who’s so relatable.

Even though Cassie lives during a dangerous time, you forget that as you’re reading. There are several times in the book where she and her brothers outsmart the racist White people that they interact with.

But the most endearing part about this novel is the love that the Logan family has for each other. There are moments where Cassie’s mother and grandmother have to show tough love to Cassie while being empathetic to the anger inside of her.

There are relatable moments where Cassie and her brothers have to fall out with a friend who is making questionable decisions that could get them killed.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is top-notch storytelling. You feel like you’re right there with Cassie and her family as they navigate life on their family farm.

This book was so great that I read the other books in the series Let The Circle Be Unbroken and The Road To Memphis.

If you want to purchase this novel and the other novels in The Logan Family series, click here to my online Bookshop with Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/85810/9780140384512

Bud, Not Buddy

This is another great historical fiction book for children.

Written by Christopher Paul Curtis and set in Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression Era, we’re introduced to Bud, an innocent boy with one thought in mind: to find his father.

As a kid, we all remember packing our things and trying to run away (or at least I do).

And that’s exactly what Bud does.

When his mother passes away, he takes it upon himself to look for his father. The only clue he has as to who could be his father is a flyer of a musician called Herman E. Calloway and the Dusky Devastators.

From Flint to Grand Rapids, Bud experiences so many scary situations. He has to travel by train, rely on the kindness of strangers, and encounter racism along the way.

But he remains brave and determined throughout it all. And his determination leads to a reunion that will rock you to the core.

To order this book, you can click on this link https://bookshop.org/a/85810/9780440413288.

The Watsons Go To Birmingham

Another classic from Christopher Paul Curtis is The Watsons Go To Birmingham.

Another historical fiction novel set in the early 1960s, this story is told through Kenny Watson’s eyes. He is the middle child in a family of 3, and he struggles to find his place throughout school and in the family.

Whether you’re a middle child, the oldest child, or even an only child, you’re going to relate so much to what Kenny goes through in the book.

From being bullied in school to getting in trouble because of his brother, you empathize with Kenny.

There are also parts of the book that every Black family can relate to. We all remember spending summers with our grandparents or even going down South for family reunions. And Kenny’s family does the same thing.

That summer, Kenny goes through two traumatic events on the same day that change his world forever. One of the events involves the 16^th Street Baptist Church bombing that took the lives of four little girls.

The way that Kenny responds to that incident is reflective of how many children probably felt during the Civil Rights movement. If you’re trying to find ways to speak about certain aspects of our history that are difficult to discuss with your kids, this is a great book to help you start the discussion.

If you would like to buy this book, click on this link here: https://bookshop.org/a/85810/9780385382946.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is the autobiography of civil rights activist and writer Maya Angelou.

Maya Angelou lived an interesting life, and this first autobiography in a series of seven novels is a great introduction to her life. This novel is about her childhood from the age of three to sixteen.

Like Angelou herself, some aspects of her childhood are unique. I love how she shares that she and her brother learned pig Latin and would speak it while visiting her family in Stamps, Arkansas.

Some parts of her childhood are heavy, such as her sexual assault and how she copes with the aftermath of that incident.

While these subjects are heavy, her autobiography is still inspirational to read. No matter what Maya goes through in the first part of her life, she’s resilient and keeps on going.

Click on the link here if you want to order Maya’s autobiography: https://bookshop.org/a/85810/9780345514400.

The Legend of Buddy Bush

Last but certainly not least, The Legend of Buddy Bush is another great historical fiction novel.

Written by Sheila P. Moses, this book is about the love that a little girl has for her uncle, Goodwin “Buddy” Bush. Pattie Mae is a Rich Square, North Carolina native who thinks that her Uncle Buddy is the coolest person.

When he comes down to visit her from Harlem in 1947, he is accused of a crime that he didn’t commit against a White woman. Pattie Mae and her family deal with the consequences of that false accusation and learn the true meaning of family pride.

I loved reading this book for so many reasons. Every kid has a favorite family member (whether we admit it or not), and reading about Pattie Mae’s interactions with her uncle was fun.

It also is based on a true story. Goodwin “Buddy” Bush was a Black man who was accused of raping a White woman and escaped a lynch mob that illegally tried to transfer him to Jackson, North Carolina.

There’s always something new to learn when it comes to Black History, and this book is a great way to introduce your children to someone that they may not have even heard of.

If you would like to buy this book, you can buy it from Mahogany Books, a Black-owned bookstore in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Click the link right here: MahoganyBooks.

Final Thoughts

Why am I recommending these books? For two reasons.

One: Because I can.

Two: Because a majority of these books at one point and time were on the Banned Book List. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, in particular, is one of the most challenged and banned books in American history.

That’s crazy.

I want to do something to combat book banning, especially books that are written by Black authors. Books that were crucial to my childhood, and who shaped me into the person that I am today.

And I want to make sure that other children have access to those books as well.

I hope that your children enjoy reading these books as much as I did when I was younger.

If you know some other books that children can read for Black History Month (and all year), share them in the comments section below.