The Undefeated

by Kwame Alexander

This Caldecott Award and Newbery Honor winning picture-book poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present.

The Usual Suspects

by Maurice Broaddus

When a gun is found at a neighborhood hangout, Thelonius and his pals become instant suspects. Thelonius may be guilty of pulling crazy stunts at school, but a criminal? T isn't about to let that label stick in this oh-so-honest middle-grade novel.

The Stars Beneath our Feet

by David Barclay Moore

A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity.

Good Kind of Trouble

by Lisa Moore Ramee

This funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and the struggle and power of standing up for what’s right.

Black Brother, Black Brother

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

This powerful coming-of-age novel tells the story of  two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition.

Ghost Boys

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a white police officer, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Till in this moving middle-grade novel.

Ninth Ward

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

This heartbreaking and uplifting middle-grade novel tells the story of survival in the face of Hurricane Katrina, and celebrates resilience, friendship, and family--as only love can define it.

Woke 

by Mahogany L. Browne, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Olivia Gatwood, illustrated by Theodore Taylor

Historically poets have been on the forefront of social movements. This illustrated collection of poems reflects the joy and passion in the fight for social justice, tackling topics from discrimination to empathy, and acceptance to speaking out. Kids will be inspired to create their own art and poems to express how they see justice and injustice.

What Lane? 

by Torrey Maldonado

Anything his friends can do, Stephen should be able to do too, right? So when they dare each other to sneak into an abandoned building, he doesn't think it's his lane, but he goes. Here's the thing, though: can he do everything his friends can? As a mixed kid, he feels like he's living in two worlds with different rules. In this middle-grade novel, a young boy comes of age in a racially split world, trying to blaze a way to be his best self.

Genesis Begins Again

by Alicia D. Williams

This deeply sensitive and powerful novel for tweens and middle schoolers tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself. It received a Newbery Honor and the Correta Scott King-John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award, among other accolades.