13 Books Every Young Black Girl Should Read

Here’s my roundup of 13 books every young black girl should read to nourish their gifts, confidence, courage, and self esteem. And hey, even if you’re not a young black girl these books are guaranteed to inspire you to dream big, to recommit to your goals, and to stand up in courage. Add these books to your personal library and watch your little one flourish.

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History

By: Vashti HarrisonLittle Leaders: Bold Women in Black History shows that black woman have blazed trails in nearly every field imaginable. From entertainment to the sciences and even space, black girls rock in any environment. Some of the bold women in the book may be unfamiliar even to you. All the more the little leader in your life should be reading this book. She might not learn about these women in school.

I Love My Hair!

By: Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

Oh the infamous hair! I have to admit I didn’t love my hair when I was a young girl. I wanted long, straight hair like every other ethnicity on the plant. I wondered what God had against black women. Times have changed and hopefully younger women growing up aren’t left to develop their own hair insecurities. I Love My Hair! is guaranteed to be a good read for the young black girl with “different” hair.

I Am Enough

By: Grace Byers

Similar to how young black girls should feel comfortable and confident in their own hair, they should also feel comfortable and enough in their own skin. I Am Enough celebrates our differences and sends the message that we are all enough despite our differences. In fact, I’d argue we are enough because of our differences. Self acceptance and positive self image are just a few of the lessons offered by this quick read.

I’m a Pretty Little Black Girl!

By: Belly K. Bynum

Don’t you just want to walk up to every little black girl and whisper to her, “Yes you are a pretty little black girl”? Sometimes we don’t hear it. But it’s true. No matter your skin tone, your hair texture, or your size you’re beautiful. I’m a Pretty Little Black Girl! instills these truth in young black girls (and the little black girl in the grown black woman).

The Princess and the Pea

By: Rachel Isadora

This classic story is set in Africa. As someone who recently journeyed to the motherland (Ghana) for the first time I had to put this on the list. There aren’t too many black princesses in fairy tales, but young black girls are princesses too. If you want your young black daughter to connect with her African heritage, this version of The Princess and the Pea just might be what you’re looking for.

Look What Brown Can Do!

By: T. Marie Harris

Look What Brown Can Do! is another book affirming what black girls (and boys for that matter) can do with their lives. Simply put we can do anything anyone else can do. We just need to be told so every now and then. African Americans have accomplished so much and there’s still more to come. The next generation of young black girls can and will be movers and shakers in their own rights. This book will inspire them to think big about their contributions to the world.

June Peters, You Will Change The World One Day

By: Alika R Turner

If you want your young black daughter to have a spirit of giving this is the book to invest in. It’s not enough to advance and improve our own lives. Helping and supporting others is an important part of who we are. It’s the part of life that humbles us and that makes life special. June Peters, You Will Change The World One Day will inspire young black girls to work hard, give back, and change the world.

Dancing in the Wings

By: Debbie Allen

Dancing in the Wings is an inspiring book based on Debbie Allen’s own personal experiences. Debbie Allen is the famed ballerina who overcame racism that almost thwarted her career to star in the Tony Award-winning musical Raisin.

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race

By: Margot Lee Shetterly

This one needs no explanation. We all loved the movie. Well at least I did. Share Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race with the young black ladies you know to introduce them to the story in a beautifully illustrated way.

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World

By: Susan Hood

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World will inspire you and anyone who reads it to do a little shaking up of their own. This book showcases how young women as young as six years old have contributed to the world. The women featured were persistent, daring, and passionate – great traits for any young woman wanting to someday shake up the world.

She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History

By: Chelsea Clinton

You remember the popular expression, “Nevertheless, she persisted” in remarks to Senator Elizabeth Warren who refused to be silenced. She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History tells the story of 13 women who also persisted, nevertheless and changed the course of history as a result. Any young black girl who desires to change the world has to develop persistence. This book will inspire her to do just that.

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist

By: Cynthia Levinson

It’s never too early to step up. It’s never too early to take a stance on what you believe in. It’s never too early to pay attention to the events around you and how they impact the world. At just nine years old Audrey Faye Hendricks proved just that. As the title suggest she was the youngest marcher. The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist tells her story and is bound to inspire the young reader to pursue what matters to her despite her age.

Let the Children March

By: Monica Clark-Robinson

This book also tells the story of the role young children played in the history of blacks in America. In the 1960s, young black children were brave enough to march in the name of civil rights. They used their voices to change the world. Let the Children March is a great read for helping children understand the role they can have in moving society forward.  Again, young black girls are not too young to make a meaningful impact.

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