I try to set high standards for the books I offer up to my children. Certainly, I want them to read the very best literature and hear ideas from the great minds of long ago and today. But when so many things make it seem otherwise, I want the books they read to reinforce, or at the very least not contradict, the refrain that they are made in the very image of God.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14
Lately, we’ve hit upon a series of unrelated historical fiction books that meet this standard. They’re not religious books, in the literal sense, but most show the characters’ reliance on Him, and they all point to the God-breathed humanity of black people in the midst of nightmarish persecution. They share a clear picture of God’s sustaining hand in life’s seemingly unbearable trials. Yes, they’re school books, but they’re so much more. And according to Charlotte Mason,
“…we do not merely give a religious education because that would seem to imply the possibility of some other education, a secular education, for example. But we hold that all education is divine, that every good gift of knowledge and insight comes from above… that the culmination of all education is that personal knowledge of and intimacy with God in which our being finds its fullest perfection”
School Education, 95 (emphasis is mine)
These are my top recommendations for African American historical fiction books that we’ve enjoyed within the last year:
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A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia 1859 (Dear America Series) “Having secretly taught herself how to read and write, Clotee, a brave twelve-year-old Virginia slave, witnesses the horrors of slavery and eventually becomes a conductor on the Underground Railroad.”
I recommend reading Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters by the same author (Patricia McKissack is one of our favorites!) before reading this book. Christmas is a mature picture book with lots of text, and it lays the groundwork for a few things that are referenced in the Clotee book.
Running Out of Night This is the tale of “the incredible journey of an abused twelve-year-old white girl and an escaped slave girl who run away together and form a bond of friendship while seeking freedom.”
The main character in this book is white, so at first glance, it may not seem like a story of the black experience, but it so is. Not only does the white girl journey with black loved ones, but the story leaves us with an understanding of how people of all backgrounds can connect through their shared pain and triumph.
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule “Like other ex-slaves, Pascal and his older brother Gideon have been promised forty acres and maybe a mule. With the family of friends they have built along the way, they claim a place of their own. Green Gloryland is the most wonderful place on earth, their own family farm with a healthy cotton crop and plenty to eat. But the notorious night riders have plans to take it away, threatening to tear the beautiful freedom that the two boys are enjoying for the first time in their young lives.”
This book uniquely describes a time period that is often overlooked in children’s literature – Reconstruction. We hear a ton about slavery and Jim Crow, but what was going on during the years between? The author, Harriette Gillem Robinet, does a great job of bringing to life flawed, yet heroic, characters that struggled, prevailed, failed, and lost during those years.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This is typically the token black book on every middle grade book list, and rightfully so. I mean, it stinks that there’s only one book, but if they’re only willing to list one, I can see why this would be it. This book is beautifully raw. It doesn’t hold back, but nothing is shared for shock value; it’s all necessary. It feels like Mildred D. Taylor agonized over every single word in order to make everything spill out into a story that you’ll never want to end. My kids sat in complete silence when it ended, and they literally begged me to order the next book in the Logan Family saga, Let the Circle Be Unbroken. I obliged, of course, and they enjoyed it just as much.
Stella by Starlight. “Stella lives in the segregated South…Some stores she can go into. Some stores she can’t. Some folks are right pleasant. Others are a lot less so. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn’t bothered them for years. But one late night…Stella and her little brother see something they’re never supposed to see…As Stella’s community—her world—is upended, she decides to fight fire with fire. And she learns that ashes don’t necessarily signify an end.”
The main character bravely battles racism in this Depression-era book. My younger daughter selected this book from our shelves as a free read. I was apprehensive because I didn’t pre-read it, but I took a chance, and I’m glad I did. She enjoyed it so much! In fact, I’ll call this a “gateway” book – one that elevated her desire to read more dense texts because she got a taste of what joy a great book can provide – even if it’s stacked with an intimidating 352 pages. Because I only got the story second-hand – through her many descriptions (Might we call them elective narrations? Yes, let’s do that.) – I can’t give a first-hand endorsement, but I know my girl, and if she raved as she did, the book was really good.
Sounder. “The boy knows that times are tough for his family. Every night, his father goes out hunting with their great coon dog, Sounder, to try to put food on the table. But even with the little they bring back, there is still never enough for the family to eat. When the boy awakens one morning to a sweet-smelling ham on the table, it seems like a blessing. But soon, the sheriff and his deputies come to the house and take the boy’s father away in handcuffs. Suddenly the boy must grow up fast in a world that isn’t fair, keeping hope alive through the love he has for his father’s faithful dog, Sounder.”
This is a tear-jerker, but it’s worth all of the tissues. It’s the black version of Where the Red Fern Grows, so I read both aloud this fall so we could compare and contrast. With only 116 pages, it’s a pretty quick read, but don’t plan to rush. You’ll want to meander through it as there are parts that have to kind of sit with you. There are also movies: This one by Disney (rated PG) and this older one starring Cicely Tyson (Supposedly rated G but there were curse words). We haven’t watched them yet, but they’re on our movie list for lazy days during our worldschooling trip.
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Thank you for this list and your awesome descriptions of these books. Where do you typically buy these? Also Corton has had some introduction to these subjects but probably not nearly enough. As you know he’s in first grade, what are some of the more intro books for him? If this is in one of your previous blogs let me know.
I usually buy them used or new on Amazon. I actually have a post coming up in a couple of weeks that contains a list of black history books that I’ve recently read to my 1st grader so keep an eye open for that. But for a more comprehensive list, check out the first 60 books on this list: https://bookriot.com/2017/02/01/100-best-childrens-books-for-african-american-history-month/. We either own or have read many of these, and we’re working our way through the rest of them. Happy learning!
This is just the list I was hoping to find and add to our school year! Thank you. What ages do you recommend for these books, as a read aloud? My kids are 7, 6, and 4.
I get a lot of these books on thriftbooks.com for $4-6.
That’s a great option! I started using them a ton last year and have been happy with the pricing and quality.
Thank you for sharing your findings.
You’re welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read it.
Thank you for this blog. Can you recommend books for teens? I am a little uneasy about some classic authors – Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Zora NH – that they are rather heavy and deal with very adult themes. What is out there that is of high quality, appropriate for teens and not all heavy? I don’t know enough about modern authors to judge their quality. What modern authors are out there who are writing high quality fiction? Thanks so much.
Hannah, you just voiced a very real concern of mine as well. I started reading the authors you mentioned when I was a senior in high school. Before that, I didn’t read any books by or about black people. I don’t want my children to have that same issue, but I also don’t have an answer for you right now. I’ve been very disappointed by the YA books I’ve previewed so far. It’s not that they weren’t good books; it’s that they contained material that was far beyond what many of us deem appropriate for that age group. I’m going to research this more – for both of us – and get back to you. I have some older moms who have graduated their children that I really trust, and I want to see what they say.
Priscilla Shirer has the Prince Warrior series, she is a black Christian author. I’ve heard tweens/teens love them but have not read them myself yet.
One of my BFF’s sons ADORES that series. I asked him about it just last week after watching a promo video on Amazon, and he said that the books are amazing and multicultural. Thanks for bringing them up!
Hi! Wondering if you have found any good books for teens? My daughter has ran out of books to read!
Hi! My oldest just became a teen this year, so more of those recommendations will be forthcoming. For now, the history time period booklist on this page include recommendations that work well for teens: https://heritagemom.com/heritage-mom-book-recommendations/
Thank you! Look forward to hearing from you.
Wonderful recommendations. Thank you! I am a part of a team that is founding a new Charlotte Mason charter school in Pittsburgh. (A team member of mine may have already reached out to you on IG:) We are looking at our curriculum to make sure there are many “mirrors and windows!” I love what you bring to the CM community, and I, and my team as well, loves having your perspective. Do you have an email where we could ask you questions, if need be? God bless, Tracy Born
Hi Tracy, I’d love to hear from you. My email is info@heritagemom.com. Talk to you soon!
Hi, Amber! I’m now preparing for our next term. Would you recommend Sounder and A Hundred Penny Box for a 9 year old? I’ve listed them for this coming term, but I’m not sure. I haven’t read either of the books yet. Thanks!
Hi Elorie! I would definitely recommend A Hundred Penny Box. I read Sounder to my 9 year old, but she already knew a lot about the time period so was not alarmed by what took place in the story. It is a good book, but not a good starting point. I hope this helps!
Thanks, Amber! I’ll take your recommendations. Thanks for your help! I might be asking for more, as I’m here digging treasures. I’m certainly blessed by your generosity! 🙂
Dig away! You’re welcome. I truly love what I do.
Hi Amber! Do you present these books to your children as independent, free reads that you’ve previewed? Or are they generally read-alouds? Thank you!
All of these were read-alouds except for Stella by Starlight. I’ve started allowing my kids to read some of these types of books on their own if I’m able to find reliable reviews from people or organizations that I respect and trust, but we do tend to still do many of them as read alouds just because I want to discuss a lot of it with my kids.
I read Sounder when I was a young girl and I’ve watched the movie (Cicely Tyson is wonderful) several times. Highly recommend the movie!
Yesss! We ended up watching it and it was so very good.