AGES 9-12 / GRADES 4-5

The start of a thrilling, highly illustrated series about a boy who finds a portal to a legendary world in his local barbershop . . . and learns he’s the hero they’ve been waiting for. For younger fans of Black Panther and Last Gate of the Emperor!

Jarell…

Unlock your inner hero!

Jarell has accepted his destiny as the savior of Ulfrika. But when he’s summoned back to the kingdom through the magical portal in his cousin’s barbershop, he finds it in even greater danger than when he left. A powerful god has put the inhabitants of Ulfrika in peril, and the only…

The third installment of the action-packed Future Hero series–perfect for younger fans of Black Panther!

Jarell answered the call of his ancestors and proved that he’s a worthy defender of the kingdom of Ulfrika. But with time running out, will he find the tools he needs to defeat the evil wizard?

Pusch Commey (A) and Innocent Dembetembe (ILT)

List Price:  $19.99 (Paperback – African Kings and Queens – 2014)

Volume one of 100 GREAT AFRICAN KINGS AND QUEENS chronicle the amazing exploits of 10 extraordinary monarchs of the African continent. Spanning over…

Charles R. Smith Jr. (A) and Shane W. Evans (ILT)

List Price: $20.99 (Hardcover – History / 28 Important Days In History – 2015) 

Each day features a different influential figure in African-American history, from Crispus Attucks, the first man shot in the Boston Massacre, sparking the Revolutionary War, to Madame C. J. Walker, who…

Angela Johnson (A)

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – Teen Fiction / Special Needs / Rare Skin Disease – 2003)

Born with a rare and dangerous allergy to sunlight, Lila’s spent her life hidden from the daylight-staying covered up and indoors until dark,…

Lisa Moore Ramee (A)

List Price: $9.99 (Paperback – 12 Year Old / Friendship -2019)

From debut author Lisa Moore Ramée comes this funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and standing up for what’s right, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give<span…

Linda Williams Jackson (A)

List Price: $16.99 (Hardcover – Social Justice/ Decision Making – 2018)

After the murder of Emmett Till, thirteen-year-old Rose is struggling with her decision to stay in Mississippi. Torn between the opinions of Shorty, a boy who wants to meet violence with violence, and Hallelujah, her best friend who…

Michelle Y. Green (A), Kadir Nelson (ILT), Mamie Johnson (Introduction)

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – Biography / Female / Sports / Negro Leagues / Pitcher – 2004)

Motivated by her love for the game and inspired by the legendary Jackie Robinson, Mamie Johnson is determined to be a professional baseball pitcher.…

Discover a full year of joy, creativity, and brilliance from Black voices around the world.

Curated by award‑winning author Jamia Wilson and brought to life with vibrant, full‑color illustrations by Jade Orlando, A Year of Black Joy gathers 52 contemporary Blackcreators, innovators, thinkers, and visionaries―one for every week of the year―to celebrate the…

The first book in a fast-paced, witty, and bighearted debut Afrofantasy trilogy about a twelve-year-old apprenticing in the kitchens at the prestigious Academy of Shamans who must ally with a snarky goddess and a knife-wielding warrior to save her kingdom.

Perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers and The…

Atlantis Tye Browder (A) and Anthony T Browder (A)

Liat Price: $11.99 (Paperback – Journal/ Travel To Africa – 1995)

Africa on My Mind is the second publication co-authored by 13 year old Atlantis Tye Browder and her father Anthony. It chronicles their experiences while participating in a 15 day study tour to…

Discover the incredible history and diversity of the…

Scott Reynolds Nelson (A) and Marc Aronson (A)

List Price: $18.95 (Hardcover – History / John Henry / Folk Hero – 2007)

Who was the real John Henry? The story of this legendary African-American figure has come down to us in so many songs, stories, and plays, that the facts are often lost.…

Barry Dennenberg (A)

List Price: $12.99 (Paperback – Biography / Sports / Boxing Champion – 2014)

The impressive life story of Muhammad Ali is interwoven with vital moments in American history in this visually stunning, full-color biography.

The story of famed boxing champion Muhammad Ali is more appealing and accessible than ever before…

An NAACP Image Award Nominee
A Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick!

From spiritual activist, racial justice educator, and bestselling author Rachel Ricketts comes an inspiring picture book guiding children in heart-centered and mindfulness-based practices in the face of fear, anxiety, and racial injustice.

Hold…

Milton J. Davis (A)

List Price: $16.95 (Paperback – Sci-Fi / Self Discovery / Super Powers – 2013)

Thirteen year old Amber Robinson’s life is full of changes. Her parents are sending her to a private school away from her friends, and high school looms before her. But little does she know that…

American Medical Association and Amy B. Middleman (EDIT) and Kate Gruenwald Pfeifer (A)

List Price: $17.00 (Paperback – Teen Self Help / Boys / Puberty / Health – 2006)

Becoming a teen is an important milestone in every boy life. It even more important to get answers and advice to the…

American Medical Association and Amy B. Middleman (EDIT) and Kate Gruenwald (A)

List Price: $18.00 (Paperback – Teen Self Help / Girls / Puberty / Health – 2006)

Becoming a teen is an important milestone in every girl’s life. It?s even more important to…

Cynthia Leitich Smith (EDIT)

List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover – Anthology of Native American Stories – 2021)

Edited by award-winning and bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of intersecting stories by both new and veteran Native writers bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride.

Native…

Penelope Arlon (A) 

List Price: $11.99 (Paperback – Ancient Egypt Guide – 2014)

A visual guide to ancient Egypt for newly confident readers.

This book is packed with exclusive photos so that kids can see ancient Egypt like never before! The images are accompanied by time lines, step-by-steps, and cross-section graphics for…

From A to Z, an authentic portrait of 26 African tribes, stunningly illustrated by winners of the 1976 & 1977 Caldecott Medal. The magnificently composed pictures are warm with the tones of the earth & rich with authentic details of African life. Their stylized elegance manages to capture both the variety & vitality of African…

B is For Black Wealth is an ABC book for children designed to expose them to entrepreneurial concepts and business terminology.

This exposure is meant to build confidence in our children while simultaneously educating the adults that love them. This book is intentional about teaching concepts related to group economics, business ownership and…

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (A) and R. Gregory Christie (ILT)

List Price: $19.99  (Library Binding – Biography Law Enforcement / U.S. Marshall – 2009)

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Tiki Barber (A), Ronde Barber (A), Paul Mantell (Contri)

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – Series / Sports/ Football – 2014)

The Hidden Valley Eagles have high hopes for the football championship in this novel from NFL superstars and bestselling authors Tiki and Ronde Barber.

Tiki and Ronde are ready to end junior high…

Ronde Barber (A), Tiki Barber (A) and Paul Mantell (ILT)

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – Series: Football / Identical Twins / New Coach / Team Spirit – 2008)

It Tiki and Ronde second year on their junior high school football team, the Hidden Valley Eagles. The eighth-grade season is here, and the boys…

Tiki Barber (A), Ronde Barber (A) and Paul Mantell (Contri)

Price: $7.99  (Paperback – Series / Sports / Football- Popularity – 2013) 

Balancing priorities presents a challenge in this heartwarming novel about teamwork and perseverance from NFL superstars and bestselling authors Tiki and Ronde Barber.

Tiki and Ronde have grown a lot during…

Tiki & Ronde Barber with Paul Mantell (A)

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – Sports / Jr. High Football / Siblings / Teamwork and Perseverance – 2007)

Tiki and Ronde twelfth summer is winding down — the nights are getting shorter and the evenings cooler. That means two things: The first day…

Tiki Barber (A), Ronde Barber (A) and Paul Mantell (Contri)

Price: $7.99  (Paperback – Series / Sports / Football – Playoffs – 2013) 

The Hidden Valley Eagles have the championship in sight—but will chicken pox get in the way?

The Hidden Valley Eagles are on track to make the playoffs. Full of focus…

Tiki Barber (A), Ronde Barber (A) and Paul Mantell (Contri)

Price: $7.99  (Paperback – Series / Sports / Football- Grades/Probation – 2012) 

From NFL superstars Tiki and Ronde Barber, a story of teamwork and determination—in the classroom as well as on the field.

The eighth-grade season couldn’t be going better for the Barbers’…

A dazzling story full of heart about how one twelve-year-old channels her rage into synchronized swimming dreams, from the author of The Education of Margot Sanchez and Never Look Back, Lilliam Rivera.

Natalia de la Cruz Rivera y Santiago, also known as Nat, was swimming neighborhood kids out…

Jewell Parker Rhodes (A)  

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – Mystery / Friends – 2016) 

A magical coming-of-age story from Coretta Scott King honor author Jewell Parker Rhodes, rich with Southern folklore, friendship, family, fireflies and mermaids, plus an environmental twist.

It’s city-girl Maddy’s first summer in the bayou, and she just…

Ilyasah Shabazz (A) and Renee Watson (A)

List Price: $17.56 (Hardcover – Biography / Young Activist – 2018) 

In Detroit, 1945, eleven-year-old Betty’s house doesn’t quite feel like home. She believes her mother loves her, but she can’t shake the feeling that her mother doesn’t want her. Church helps those worries fade, if only for…

This is the story of LeBron James and his social justice work.

Nnedi Okorafor (A)

List Price: $11.99 (Paperback – Fantasy / Futuristic Africa / Price of Knowledge – 2015)

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy.…

Nnedi Okorafor (A) 

List Price: $13.99 (Paperback – SciFi / Book 2 / Female Hero – 2017)

The thrilling sequel to the Hugo and Nebula-winning Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, and a finalist for the 2018 Hugo and Nommo Awards

It’s been a year since Binti and Okwu enrolled at Oomza University. A year since Binti was declared…

Zetta Elliott (A) and Shadra Strickland (ILT)

List Price: $13.95 (Paperback – Fiction / Grief and Loss / Mentoring / Art / Hope)

An urban African-American boy transcends the loss of loved ones with help from a caring elderly mentor and from the sustaining ability to create art. Bird looks back and remembers…

Andrea Davis Pinkney (A)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – Friendship – 2012)

In a small upstate New York town during the Great Depression, three children–Hibernia, Willie, and Otis–are about to meet.

Hibernia dreams of becoming a famous singer and performing at Harlem’s swanky Savoy Ballroom.
Willie is recovering from a tragedy that prevents…

Kwame Mbalia (Editor) 

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – 17 Voices Sharing Their Joy – 2021)

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • FIVE STARRED REVIEWS

Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors—including Jason Reynolds, Jerry Craft, and Kwame Mbalia!

★ “Pick up Black Boy Joy for a heavy…

Jewell Parker Rhodes (A)

List Price: $16.99 (Hardcover – Racial Injustice / 2 Worlds – 2020)

From award-winning and bestselling author, Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all…

Arlisha Norwood (A)

List Price: $14.99 (Paperback – Black Leaders In History  – 2020)

Meet extraordinary black heroes throughout history―biographies for kids ages 8 to 12

You’re invited to meet ancient Egyptian rulers, brilliant scientists, legendary musicians, and civil rights activists―all in the same book! Black Heroes introduces you to 51 black…

William Loren Katz (A)

List Price: $14.99 (Paperback – Native American /African American History – 1997)The compelling teen nonfiction account of how two heritages united in their struggle to gain freedom and equality in America.

The first paths to freedom taken…

Discover 15 inventors and inventions that changed the world in this guide for kids ages 8 to 12

Throughout history, Black inventors have achieved some of the world’s greatest advancements in science, technology, engineering, and math. This book highlights 15 men and women who made a big impact with their inventions―from Marie Van Brittan…

Incredible stories of Black men who changed the course of science—for kids ages 8 to 12

All throughout history, Black men have made important contributions to scientific discovery. This collection of biographies for kids explores 15 of these intelligent men and the extraordinary scientific accomplishments they achieved—even when they faced huge challenges. You’ll…

Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) and Wilfredo Torres (ILT)

List Price: $16.98 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Black Super Hero – 2017)

Where next for the Black Panther? Find out as a sensational new arc begins! Eons ago – before Black Panthers, before Wakanda, before time itself – there were only the Orishas! The pantheon…

Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) and Brian Stelfreeze (ILT)

List Price: $16.99 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Black Super Hero – 2016)

Description:  A new era begins for the Black Panther! MacArthur Genius and National Book Award-winning writer T-Nehisi Coates (BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME) takes the helm, confronting T’Challa with a dramatic upheaval in…

Ta-Nehisi Coates (A) and Chris Sprouse  (ILT)

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Black Super Hero – 2017)

Dark times for the Black Panther, as Ta-Nehisi Coates chronicles the fi nal days of the kingdom of Wakanda! As Zenzi and the People poison Wakanda’s populace against their king, a cabal of…

Ta-Nehisi Coates (A), Brian Stelfreeze (ILT) and Chris Sprouse (ILT)

List Price: $16.99 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Black Super Hero – 2017)

The full truth of the People’s revolution – and the power players supporting it – has been revealed! Now, T’Challa must fight like never before for the fate of his…

Kimberly Brown Pellum PhD (A) 

List Price: $9.99 (Paperback – Black Women In Science -2019)

Bold, black women in science―where will their inspiration take you?

Throughout history, black women have blazed trails across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Black Women in Science brings something special to black history books for kids, celebrating incredible black…

Sharon Draper (A)

List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover – BiRacial / Paralell World / Self Discovery – 2018)

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Out of My Mind, Sharon M. Draper.

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are…