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Race and Racism: Selected Books for Pre-K to Grade 12

When choosing books about race and racism and its impact on the lives of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), we have emphasized books by BIPOC creators. We have also included several books by white authors that can especially help white readers develop an awareness of whiteness and white privilege.

This list features books set in the past and books set in the present day: Understanding history is critical to understanding racism; it is also critical to acknowledge and discuss the realities of racism and the ongoing legacy of systemic racism today.

Most of the books are among titles included in our annual best-of-the-year list, CCBC Choices. There are many other books we've recommended that offer perspectives on race and racism in the past and present that you can access with the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

Finally, it's important to keep in mind that no book can take the place of ongoing, meaningful conversations about race and racism. To that end, you may also find resources compiled by We Need Diverse Books and Teaching Tolerance, among others, helpful as you seek out additional information.

PreK - Grade 5

Nonfiction

Abdel-Magied, Yassmin. Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism. Illustrated by Aleesha Nandhra. Candlewick/Walker, 2023. 127 pages. Ages 8-12

Bowman, Donna Janell and Billy Mills. Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills. Illustrated by S. D. Nelson. Little, Brown, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 7-10

Brockenbrough, Martha and Grace Lin. I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story. Illustrated by Julia Kuo. Little, Brown, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 7-10

Morales, Areli. Areli Is a Dreamer: A True Story. Illustrated by Luisa Uribe. Random House Studio, 2021. 40 pages. Ages 5-9

Reynolds, Jason and Ibram X. Kendi, Sonja Cherry-Paul. Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You. Illustrated by Rachelle Baker. Little, Brown, 2021. 164 pages. Ages 8-12

Tonatiuh, Duncan. Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation. Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams, 2014. 40 pages. Ages 6-10

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Carolrhoda, 2021. 32 pages. Ages 8-12

Fiction

Atinuke, . Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus!. Illustrated by Lauren Tobia. Kane Miller, 2011. 109 pages. Ages 4-8

Britt, Paige. Why Am I Me?. Illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko. Scholastic, 2017. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

Callaghan, Jodie. Ga's / The Train. Illustrated by Georgia Lesley. Translated by Joe Wilmot. Second Story, 2021. 36 pages. Ages 5-8

Craft, Jerry. New Kid. Illustrated by Jerry Craft. Harper, 2019. 249 pages. Ages 9-13

Fairbanks, Ashley. This Land: The History of the Land We're On. Illustrated by Bridget George. Crown/Random House, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 6-10

Honyouti, Mavasta. Coming Home: A Hopi Resistance Story. Illustrated by Mavasta Honyouti. Translated by Marilyn Parra . Levine Querido, 2024. 40 pages. Ages 9-13

hooks, bell. skin again. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. Hyperion, 2004. 32 pages. Ages 5-10

Johnson, Varian. The Parker Inheritance. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2018. 331 pages. Ages 8-11

Maldonado, Torrey. What Lane?. Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, 2020. 125 pages. Ages 9-13

Miller, Sharee. Don't Touch My Hair!. Illustrated by Sharee Miller. Little, Brown, 2018. 40 pages. Ages 5-8

Park, Linda Sue. Project Mulberry. Clarion, 2005. 225 pages. Ages 9-12

Peoples-Riley, Daria. America, My Love, America, My Heart. Illustrated by Daria Peoples-Riley. Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2021. 32 pages. Age 8 and older

Robertson, David A. When We Were Alone. Illustrated by Julie Flett. HighWater, 2016. 32 pages. Ages 5-8

Robertson, David A. The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage. HighWater, 2024. 190 pages. Ages 9-12

Salazar, Aida. Land of the Cranes. Scholastic Press, 2020. 243 pages. Ages 9-12

Shang, Wendy Wan-Long and Madelyn Rosenberg. Not Your All-American Girl. Scholastic Press, 2020. 243 pages. Ages 9-12

Sorell, Traci and Charlene Willing McManis. Indian No More. Lee & Low/Tu, 2019. Ages 9-12

Tokuda-Hall, Maggie. Love in the Library. Illustrated by Yas Imamura. Candlewick, 2022. 32 pages. Age 8 and older

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Freedom in Congo Square. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Little Bee, 2016. 32 pages. Age 6 and older

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. Amistad/HarperCollins, 2010. 218 pages. Ages 8-12

Yang, Kelly. Three Keys (Front Desk, #2). Scholastic, 2020. 288 pages. Ages 9-12

Grades 6 - 12

Nonfiction

Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne and Jean Mendoza, Debbie Reese. An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People. Beacon, 2019. 270 pages. Age 12 and older

Favreau, Marc and Michael Eric Dyson. Unequal: A Story of America. Little, Brown, 2022. 347 pages. Age 12 and older

Fleming, Crystal M.. Rise Up! How You Can Join the Fight Against White Supremacy. Henry Holt/Macmillan, 2021. 230 pages. Age 12 and older

Joseph, Frederick. The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person. Candlewick, 2020. 254 pages. Age 11 and older

Reynolds, Jason and Ibram X. Kendi. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You. Little, Brown, 2020. 294 pages. Age 12 and older

Soontornvat, Christina and Erika Lee. Made in Asian America: A History for Young People. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, 2024. 303 pages. Age 13 and older

Takei, George and Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott. They Called Us Enemy. Illustrated by Harmony Becker. IDW/Top Shelf, 2019. 204 pages. Age 11 and older

Treuer, Anton. Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask. Levine Querido, 2021. 383 pages. Age 12 and older

Yoo, Paula. From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement. Norton, 2021. 374 pages. Age 12 and older

Yoo, Paula. Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire. Norton, 2024. 358 pages. Age 13 and older

Fiction

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. The Lines We Cross. Scholastic Press, 2017. 400 pages. Age 12 and older

Boulley, Angeline. Firekeeper's Daughter. Henry Holt/Macmillan, 2021. 494 pages. Age 14 and older

Delacre, Lulu. Us, In Progress: Short Stories about Young Latinos. Harper, 2017. 242 pages. Age 11 and older

Gibney, Shannon. See No Color. Carolrhoda Lab, 2015. 186 pages. Age 13 and older

Ixta, Carolina. Shut Up, This Is Serious. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, 2024. 349 pages. Age 14 and older

Jung, Mike. Unidentified Suburban Object. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2016. 272 pages. Ages 9-13

King, A. S.. Dig. Dutton/Penguin, 2019. 392 pages. Age 13 and older

King, Thomas. Borders. Illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Little, Brown, 2021. 171 pages. Age 8 and older

Manzano, Sonia. The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano. Scholastic, 2012. 224 pages. Age 12 and older

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2019. 245 pages. Age 12 and older

Rajurkar, Anuradha D.. American Betiya. Knopf/Random House, 2021. 366 pages. Age 14 and older

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Black Brother, Black Brother. Little, Brown, 2020. 239 pages. Ages 10-13

Ribay, Randy. After the Shot Drops. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. 325 pages. Age 12 and older

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. Hearts Unbroken. Candlewick, 2018. 286 pages. Age 13 and older

Smith, Pauline Vaeluaga. Dawn Raid. Illustrated by Mat Hunkin. Levine Querido, 2021. 217 pages. Ages 9-12

Williams-Garcia, Rita. A Sitting in St. James. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, 2021. 460 pages. Age 16 and older

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. Illustrated by Gene Luen Yang. First Second/Roaring Brook, 2006. 233 pages. Age 12 and older

Yoon, David. Frankly in Love. Penguin Random House/Putnam, 2019. 406 pages. Age 13 and older

Zoboi, Ibi and Yusef Salaam. Punching the Air. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2020. 386 pages. Age 13 and older

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes subject access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.