To celebrate Black History Month, the Backstory Team has put together some of our favourite books by black authors - from classics to recent reads to children's.
The Half-God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams
A retelling of Chekov's play “The Three Sisters” set in a period of history I knew nothing about. - Sally
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
Probably my favourite fantasy series of all time. Compelling, immersive, and at times heart-wrenching, Jemisin explores a fractured and divided world, questioning what it will take to heal it. - Darby
An incredible novel set in Harlem. Anything by James Baldwin is a must-read! - Savannah
Push by Sapphire
The story about a 16-year-old who finds her voice in order to fight back against adversity. - Savannah
Passing by Nella Larsen
Published in the 1920s, Passing is a philosophical and moving story about two black women - one of whom chose to pass as white, concealing her heritage from even her husband. - Darby
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
Poetry meets essays meets photojournalism. A fantastic read, I flipped it straight over and started it again. - Sally
Oxygen Mask by Jason Reynolds
An award-winning graphic novel set in a family's home during the pandemic, exploring how comforting books and artworks are in times of extreme stress. - Savannah
An African History of Africa by Zeinab Badawi
In this phenomenal book, Badawi covers the history of the African continent, including ancient civilisations, medieval empires, the miseries of conquest, and the elation of independence.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
A dystopian classic exploring hope in a broken world. - Savannah
James by Percival Everett
A retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of James, who escapes from slavery in the US to avoid being separated from his family. Somehow, Everett handles difficult and heavy topics in a way that’s approachable and very readable. - Darby
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The atmosphere that Morrison creates in this book lingers with you. "not evil, but sad." - Sally
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
A phenomenal short story collection. A bit dystopian and surreal at times, while still exploring very real and urgent themes. - Darby
Children's and Young Adult, put together by Denise
Brilliant Black British History by Atinuke
A fascinating journey through the history of Britain and the black Britons who shaped it from science, sport, literature and law and learn about complex topics such as the world wars, slavery, the industrial revolution, Windrush and the Black Lives movement.
The Story of Afro Hair by K.N. Chimbiri
The Story of Afro Hair celebrates the fashion and styles of Afro hair over the last 5,000 years. From plaits to the Gibson Girl, cornrows to locks, the hi-top fade to funki dreds, The Story of Afro Hair is the ultimate book of Afro hairstories. Kicking off with an explanation of how Afro hair type grows and why, The Story of Afro Hair then takes us right back to the politics and fashion of Ancient Egypt. Speeding forwards to modern times we experience the Kingdom of Benin, Henry VIII's court, the enslavement of African peoples, the Harlem Renaissance, the beginnings of Rastafarianism, Britain in the 1980s – and much more.
Mama's Sleeping Scarf by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This gorgeous picture book is a joyful exploration of family life following a young girl called Chino as she plays with her mama's sleeping scarf through the day.
Daddy Do My Hair series by Tola Okogwu
These wonderful books are about hair adventures and father/son and father/daughter relationships.
Kofi series by Jeffrey Boakye
This fiction series, there are two books so far, follows Kofi, who loves music and his enterprising schemes with friends.
Onyeka series by Tola Okogwu
This is an action packed superhero series where a British-Nigerian girl learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers. She's whisked away to a school in Nigeria for children with superpowers where Onyeka and her new friends are soon facing a battle.
The Boy Who Fell From The Sky by Benjamin Dean
An otherworldly adventure featuring twelve-year-old Zed who has always been fascinated by the Demons that fall from the sky. His whole life his dad has worked as a Hunter, tasked with eliminating Demons once and for all, and Zed hopes to one day follow in his footsteps.
But then one night Spark appears and disrupts everything Zed thought he knew. Because this Demon is nothing like the myths – he’s a frightened boy, no older than Zed, who wants to go back home. Can Zed stand up for what’s right, even if it means going against his own family?
Browse the Full Collection Below
