There is so much to discover and learn about Black British history and culture and HELLO!'s guide to the best books to read for Black History Month UK will help you point your ever-inquisitive children and coming of age young adults in the right direction.
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From enchanting picture books by Baroness Floella Benjamin to funny and thought-provoking teen novels by award-winning authors examining identity and beauty ideals, we have something for everyone. History buffs will appreciate the children's version of the bestseller 'Black and British: An Illustrated History.' And 'Black Tudors: The Untold True Story' is an acclaimed historical book currently being adapted for ITV audiences. The must-read collection of raw coming-of-age essays 'I will not be erased' collated by gal-dem has garnered acclaim from the most stoic of critics.
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Keep scrolling to see our top picks to educate your children (and yourself!) during Black History Month UK...
Best Black History Month UK books for young children (2 - 7 years)
Coming to England by Floella Benjamin & Diane Ewen
Coming to England, £7.99, Watersones
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'Coming to England: An Inspiring True Story Celebrating the Windrush Generation' is an enchanting picture book edition of Baroness Floella Benjamin's story so far. Through colourful imagery, your child will learn as they discover Floella's childhood journey from Trinidad to London as part of the Windrush generation, culminating in a seat in the House of Lords.
Your child will love following ten-year-old Floella from her shipwreck encounter in the Caribbean to the streets of London. What will her new school be like? Will she meet the Queen? Filled with optimism and joy, yet deeply relevant, Floella's voice and Diane Ewen's vibrant illustrations resonate with and inspire your little one.
Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Racism by Jordan Akpojaro and Vici Leyhane
Questions and Answers about Racism, £9.99, Waterstones
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This important addition to the bestselling Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers series answers the difficult questions that children have about racism such as: "What is race?", How did racism begin?" and "don't ALL lives matter?" in a way that's both accessible and meaningful. Kids will understand who to talk to and how to make a difference.
The eye-catching illustrations by Vici Lyhane have grabbed the attention of thousands of children, with impressed parents calling the book "brilliant" and enthusing, "my child chose it from the library and has been reading it unprompted since, as well as bringing it into school."
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My Two Grannies by Floella Benjamin and Margaret Chamberlain
My Two Grannies, £7.99, Waterstones
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This story about Alvina, a mixed-race little girl, and her two grannies from vastly different backgrounds is a brilliant story for promoting cultural differences and inclusion. When Alvina's parents go away on holiday, both the grannies move into Alvina's house to look after her, however, the two grannies want to do different things, and neither will budge…
Through the unique perspective of the young heroine and cheerful illustrations, children will learn that we can all try a little taste of each culture and love each other's differences.
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Best Black History Month UK books for children (7 - 14 years)
Black and British: An Illustrated History by David Olusoga
Black and British: An Illustrated History, Hardback Edition, £16.99, Waterstones
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This short, essential introduction to Black British history written by the award-winning historian and broadcaster David Olusoga will answer all your child's questions from "when did Africans first come to Britain?" through to more comprehensive historical questions that parents dread such as, "why did the American Civil War disrupt the Industrial Revolution?"
Olusoga's book is the children's version of the bestseller 'Black and British: A Forgotten History' and is illustrated with maps, photos and portraits. It will equip your child with a background understanding of Black British history from the Ancient Roman Africans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall right up to the present day.
O.M.G.s (OH MY GODS) by Alexandra Sheppard
O.M.G.s (OH MY GODS), £7.99, Waterstones
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Vivacious half-Jamaican teenager Helen just wants to be seen as "normal" and fit in, but her family keeps getting in the way. She has just moved in with her dorky dad and self-absorbed older siblings - who happen to be the ancient Greek gods, living incognito in London!
Fabulous friendships, sparky romance, teenage stresses and a family like no other – author Alex Sheppard is "a hilarious new voice in the world of funny, relatable teen fiction perfect for fans of 'Geek Girl' and the Netflix series 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before'".
When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten
When Life Gives You Mangoes, £7.99, Waterstones
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When a quirky British girl called Rudy arrives in Sycamore Hill, she disrupts the life of 12-year-old Clara who enjoyed nothing more than eating ripe mangoes fallen from trees, running outside during the rainy season on an island that visitors call "exotic", and escaping to her secret hideout with her best friend Gaynah. There's one other problem - she can't remember anything that happened last summer.
One parent says: "I love that this book is about a girl with mental health issues (memory loss), and it was really well done." The Birmingham-based author Getten is said to have added a surprising twist that will send young readers back to the start of the book to enjoy it all over again.
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Best Black History Month UK books for teenagers and young adults
I will not be erased by gal-dem
I will not be erased, £7.99, Waterstones
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'I will not be erased: Our stories about growing up as people of colour' is brought to you by gal-dem, an award-winning company committed to sharing the perspectives of people of colour from marginalised genders.
This life-affirming, moving and joyous collection of fourteen essays by gal-dem's writers use raw material from their teenage years - diaries, poems and chat histories - to give advice to their younger selves and those growing up today. From unexpected dollops of humour to countless memorable quotes such as: "I don't want you to regret not getting to know yourself, for yourself, sooner", it is easy to see why gal-dem have been described as "the agents of change we need."
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
The Black Flamingo, £7.99, Waterstones
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'The Black Flamingo' is the bold and remarkable coming of age verse novel from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta. It is about a boy named Michael who comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen before finding his wings as a drag artist at university. Most importantly, this is a story about the power of embracing your uniqueness, exploring the layers of identity that make us who we are—and allowing us to shine.
We see Michael try to navigate what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican—but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough. As he gets older, Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, he finally finds where he belongs—and the Black Flamingo is born.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
Girl, Woman, Other, £9.99, Waterstones
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The winner of the Booker Prize 2019, 'Girl, Woman, Other' follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different, mostly women, Black and British characters. They tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers across Britain and through the years. This vibrant and contemporary telling of history has been described as a novel of our times and "celebratory, ever dynamic and utterly irresistible."
One reader described the novel as: "Beautifully interwoven stories of identity, race, womanhood, and the realities of modern Britain. The characters are so vivid, the writing is beautiful, and it brims with humanity."
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Black Tudors: The Untold True Story by Miranda Kaufmann
Black Tudors: The Untold True Story, £10.99, Waterstones
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Standard school history lessons might leave your teenager confident that they know Tudors inside out from what they wore and ate to King Henry VIII's six wives. But what about Black Tudors? Until now, the story has remained untold. Miranda Kaufmann's enthralling and award-winning book tells the incredible story of Africans who lived and died in 16th century England.
"Intricately researched and brilliantly written…This is history on the cutting edge of archival research but accessibly written and alive with human details and warmth. 'Black Tudors' is a critical book that allows us to better understand an era of our national past that fascinates us like no other", says acclaimed Nigerian-British historian Prof David Olusoga.
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