This is a post that I’ve been meaning to write for awhile, but wanted to do a bit more research first. But here we are! In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I thought an anti-racism book list was fitting. This list will be separated into fiction and nonfiction, and it might be periodically updated. By no means will it be exhaustive, though; maybe someday! There are new books coming out on this all the time. So, if you’re ever looking for anti-racism books for teens, be sure to check back to this list once in a while.
Actually, I used to do a series called Read to Resist where I posted about social justice themed books. This is something I want to try to bring back in 2021, once I get in a better blogging groove. So stay tuned for that!
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Anti-Racism Books for Teens
Fiction
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
When Rashad is wrongfully arrested and beaten for shoplifting, it’s on the witnesses to help free him of guilt. Quinn is a witness, who can’t believe the police officer would do something like that. The incident reveals what’s wrong with the American Justice system.
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Fabiola is moving to the United States from Haiti when her mother is detained by US immigration. Now, Fabiola has to navigate her new life with her cousins on her own. Which comes with its own complications.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Justyce is a straight-A student at a well-ranked high school, but that doesn’t matter to the police officer that finds him with a drunk white girl. And puts him in handcuffs. Told in a series of letters to Martin Luther King Jr., Justyce tries to figure out how his teachings hold up in present society. And how he can live his life by them.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
On the battlefield of Gettysburg during the Civil War, the dead started to walk. Which also happened to be two days before Jane was born. Now, due to the Native and Negro Education Act, Jane has to attend combat school. To learn to fight zombies. But suddenly, Jane finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy.
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
Enchanted Jones is spotted by known R&B legend Korey Fields at a talent show, and she knows this is her chance to make it. But when she wakes up with blood on her hands and Korey Fields is dead, she doesn’t know what to think. Especially since all of her dreams seemed to have derailed before that night.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Starr Carter is good at moving between her poor, mostly Black neighborhood and the mostly white private school she attends. But when she is the witness of a fatal police shooting, her two worlds collide.
How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon
When Tariq dies of two gunshot wounds, his community doesn’t stay quiet. Because Tariq was Black and his shooter is white. Everyone has something to say, but none of the accounts line up.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Since his brother Shawn was murdered, Will only cares about one thing. The number one rule of his community: get revenge. But as he rides the elevator down, he’s met by ghosts who make him rethink his choice. Does he really have to do this?
Pet by Awkaeke Emezi
When Jam meets Pet, she learns that there’s a monster on the loose in her community. And now she must hunt it. But only if she can get the courage to do so. Especially since supposedly, all the monsters disappeared years ago.
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
In order to succeed, Jade believes that she needs to make it out of her poor neighborhood. So, she takes advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. Which she’s find with, until she’s asked to join Women to Women. She’s tired of being someone that other people want to fix.
Non-Fiction
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
In a series of personal essays, George M. Johnson takes readers through their childhood growing up Black and queer. Each essay examines an aspect of topics related to both the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. Definitely a must-read.
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah’s journey into comedy is an unconventional one. Growing up in South Africa as a biracial kid who wasn’t supposed to exist, Noah navigates South Africa in changing times. Highly recommend the audiobook, read by Trevor Noah himself!
How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiymana
This is Uwiringiymana’s memoir immigrating to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She talks about how she overcomes trauma and becomes a social activist.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson is a young lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative. One of his first cases was Walter McMillian, a man sentence to death row for a crime he didn’t commit. A look at the racist nature of the American justice system.
March by John Lewis
John Lewis tells his story about his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement told in graphic novel format. Framed by the inauguration of Barack Obrama, Lewis shows his journey getting to Congress and the impact the Civil Rights Movement had.
Say Her Name by Zetta Elliot
A collection of powerful poems related to the #SayHerName campaign that was started by the Black Livers Matter movement. This collection pays tribute to victims of police brutality as well as activists fighting for equality.
Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
This is an adapted version of Ibram X. Kendi’s book Stamped From the Beginning, told in an engaging narrative that is sure to hook teens. Reynolds takes readers through the main concepts found in Kendi’s book, outlining the history of racist ideals in the United States.
This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell
Geared toward slightly younger teens, this book gives a series of journaling prompts to think about racism in every day life. And how we can work to be anti-racist. Thought-provoking and important.