In light of things happening in the publishing world, I figured now is the perfect time for a Black History Month post! The Lee and Low Blog recently released their 2019 diversity survey, which hasn’t changed much since the previous one. It’s not surprising, but sad. Publishing is still drastically lacking in diversity. Yes, in 2020, this is something we’re still struggling with.
You might be thinking, so what can I do? Support diverse authors and voices! There’s no better way as a reader to show publishers what you want. Buy their books! Review them! Talk about them online! Request them at your local library! Putting these books in the spotlight is one way to help move toward change.
So, without further ado, here are five authors whose books you should definitely check out this month!
Black History Month Authors
Nic Stone
Nic Stone has done a lot since the publication of her debut, Dear Martin, back in 2017. Now, she’s got four books under her belt, with her middle grade debut, Getaway, coming out last month. She’s currently writing a sequel to Dear Martin, which is still probably my favorite of her books. It’s gut-wrenching and powerful, and I can’t wait for the sequel.
Tiffany D. Jackson
Jackson has a new book coming out this year too, but Monday’s Not Coming is one of those books that I keep thinking about now and again. It’s written in such a way that you don’t realize what’s happening until the very end of the book. The writing alone blew me away, and I’m sure her next book (Grown) is going to be just as powerful.
Kacen Callender
Callender has books from middle grade to adult and while I’ve only read two of them, the others are definitely on my list! Well, one just came out last week, and one doesn’t come out until later this year, so I guess I’ve read all of their books that are currently out. In addition to exploring different cultures, Callendar also explores the intersection of culture and LGBTQ identity. Their next YA book, Felix Ever After, is one of those books I’m most excited for this year!
Jason Reynolds
I wasn’t going to include him here because I figured he’s big enough that everyone knows about him, but I caved. He’s one of my favorite authors, and I got to meet him at BookCon last year! Recently appointed the Children’s Literature Ambassador to the United States, we’re not done seeing great things from him. If you’re looking for a great audiobook for this month, I highly recommend Long Way Down. Read by Reynolds himself, it’s a must-listen for audiobook fans.
Lamar Giles
Finally, another author with a book that just came out. I sense a theme in this list. Fake I.D. by Giles is in my hold shelf from Libby to hit one of my Read Harder challenges this month. Like many of the authors on this list, his books span from middle grade to YA, and more of them need to be on my list. Or, they are on my Goodreads to-read shelf, they just haven’t moved anywhere yet. Will definitely be changing this month, though!