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Black History Month book recommendations

We asked Meera Ghanshamdas and Jasmine Dellimore from the independent book shop Moon Lane Books to recommend some reads for children, young adults and adults with a focus on black history, racial equality, activism and justice.

Meera and Jasmine from Moon Lane BooksThey said:

 ‘Though we firmly believe that black history should not be confined to one month and should be taught throughout the year, we also recognise that this is a time to amplify a dialogue that can be continued all year round.

Through our recommendations we have focused on books that explore black history and its legacy on the present day. The books we have selected explore different views of the black experience within Britain, America, the Caribbean and Africa. Though there are similarities connecting these experiences, there are also significant differences that must be acknowledged and understood.

We have tried to focus on a historical perspective but some of the titles we’ve highlighted for Teens/Young Adults focus more on the present fight against racism; instances of police brutality threatening communities and the Black Lives Matter movement fighting for justice.’

Books for children age twelve and under

Title

Author

 Queen of Freedom: Defending Jamaica Catherine Johnson 
 Diver's Daughter: A Tudor Story (Voices #2) Patrice Lawrence 
 Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story Catherine Johnson 
 How High the Moon Karyn Parsons 
 Freedom Catherine Johnson
 The Undefeated Kwame Alexander
 Coming to England: an inspiring true story celebrating the Windrush Generation Floella Benjamin
 The story of Windrush K.N. Chimbiri 
 Timelines from Black History: Leaders, Legends, Legacies Mirielle Harper 
 What is Race? Who are Racists? Why does skin colour matter? And other big questions Nikesh Shukla 

Books for teens and young adults

Title

Author 

 Black and British: A short, essential history David Olusoga 
 Cane Warriors Alex Wheatle 
 I Am Nobody's N***** Dean Atta 
 Taking Up Space: The Black Girl's Manifesto for Change Chelsea Kwakye & Ore Ogunbiyi 
 The Black Kids Christina Hammonds-Reed 
 Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire (Sunday Times bestseller)  Akala
 Buffalo Soldier Tanya Landman 
 Dread Nation Justina Ireland 
 The Hate U Give Angie Thomas 
 Dear Martin Nic Stone 

Books for adults

Title

Author

 Voices of the Windrush Generation: The real story told by the people themselves David Matthews
 Black Tudors: The Untold Story Miranda Kaufman
 Frying Plantain (longlisted for the Giller Prize 2019) Zalika Reid-Benta
 The Louder I Will Sing: A story of racism, riots and redemption Lee Lawrence
 Afropean: Notes from Black Europe Johny Pitts
 Black and British: A Forgotten History David Olusoga
 Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial resistance and British dissent Priyamvada Gopal
 Barracoon: The story of the last slave Zora Neale-Hurston 
 The Underground Railroad (winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2017) Colson Whitehead
 The Sellout: (winner of the Man Booker Prize 2016) Paul Beatty
 Homegoing Yaa Gyasi

All books are available to purchase from Moon Lane Books, 300 Stanstead Road London SE23 1DE.   Open Weds-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm (closed Monday and Tuesday)

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