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Black History Month Reads for Middle Schoolers & Teens February 2026 |
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Candace, the Universe, and Everything
by Sherri L. Smith
Thirteen-year-old Candace discovers a portal in her locker that connects her across time and space with two other women who also had the same locker as girls, and the three go on to investigate the origins of the portal.
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All the Blues in the Sky
by Renée Watson
New York Times bestselling author Renée Watson explores grief, loss, and friendship in this poignant middle grade standalone.
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The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze
by Derrick Barnes
Thirteen-year-old Henson Blayze strives to be seen as more than just a football player in his predominantly white small town of Great Mountain, Mississippi, but when a horrific incident compels him to speak out, he must choose between playing football and seeking justice.
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One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance
by Nikki Grimes
From the New York Times bestselling and Coretta Scott King award-winning author Nikki Grimes comes an emotional, special new collection of poetry inspired by the Harlem Renaissance -- paired with full-color, original art from today's most exciting African-American illustrators.
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The black kids
by Christina Hammonds Reed
With the Rodney King riots closing in on high school senior Ashley and her family, the privileged bubble she has enjoyed, protecting her from the difficult realities most black people face, begins to crumble.
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If I Could Go Back
by Briana Johnson
Struggling with anxiety and feelings of abandonment, Aaliyah secretly contacts her parents who left her as a toddler, upsetting her grandfather and the family who has always supported her.
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Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . .: A Love Story
by Jason Reynolds
Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren't for the dog's owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine. Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon's dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven't taken that next big step...yet, they've starting talking about...that. Twenty-four days ago: Neon's mom finds her--gulp--bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he'd figured he'd better practice, what with the big day only a month away. Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad's bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They're not candlelight and they definitely aren't caviar, but they are her favorite. And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria's bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to...about to... Well, they won't do anything if he can't get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!
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Black History Is Your History
by Taylor Cassidy
With sparkling wit and humor-and lots of fun pop culture references-digital content creator Taylor Cassidy (creator of TikTok sensation Fast Black History) takes readers on a journey through the Black history that she wishes she was taught in school. Weaving together research and personal anecdotes that illuminate each trailblazer's impact on her own life, Taylor paints a vibrant picture of twelve figures from Black history whose groundbreaking contributions shaped America as we know it today. From activists like Claudette Colvin and Marsha P. Johnson to literary giants Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelou, fashion designer Patrick Kelly, Olympic Gold medalist Tommie Smith, and more, this one-of-a-kind collection makes Black history relatable, relevant, and inspiring, so modern readers can recognize themselves within its pages.
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Black History for Every Day of the Year
by David Olusoga
A unique celebration of well-known figures and unsung heroes, famous cultural moments and hidden histories, from ancient times to today Inspiring, accessible and meticulously researched . . . invaluable, fascinating, often heartbreaking resource for anyone, teen or adult, with an interest in history.
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Champion: A Graphic Novel
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
A high school student whose promising basketball career is in jeopardy discovers the triumphs and hardships of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's life as a social justice advocate.
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