18 Canadian books for children and young adults to read during Black History Month 2024
CBC Books | Posted: February 8, 2024 2:52 PM | Last Updated: February 8
In celebration of Black History Month 2024, explore this reading list of YA, middle-grade and picture books from buzzworthy Black Canadian authors.
The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett
The Probability of Everything follows 11-year-old Kemi Carter, an avid fan of probability. When she sees an asteroid hovering over the sky, her perspective on everything changes. The asteroid has an 84.7 per cent chance of colliding with Earth in four days. Is she the only one who feels like the world is ending?
The Probability of Everything is for ages 8 to12.
Sarah Everett is an author of several books for teens, currently based in Alberta. She won the 2023 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — text for The Probability of Everything. Her debut novel is Some Other Now.
LISTEN | Sarah Everett on Edmonton AM:
The Melancholy of Summer by Louisa Onomé
The YA novel The Melancholy of Summer is about a girl named Summer who must fend for herself when her parents abruptly leave town. When Summer is discovered to be living alone, without a guardian or a permanent residence, for a whole year, she is sent to live with a cousin who teaches her more about trust and the meaning of resilience.
The Melancholy of Summer is for ages 14 and up.
Louisa Onomé is a Nigerian Canadian author living in Toronto. Her YA books include novels Like Home and Twice as Perfect.
LISTEN | Sarah Raughley on books that feature marginalized characters:
Stay Up by Khodi Dill, illustrated by stylo starr
Stay Up is a YA nonfiction book that blends memoir, cultural criticism and anti-oppressive theory to reflect on anti-racism strategies and approaches. Khodi Dill examines issues including internalized racism, decolonizing schools, joining social justice movements and outlines paths to personal liberation and social transformation.
Stay Up is for ages 14 and up.
Dill is a Saskatoon-based Bahamian Canadian educator, poet and author. His first book, Welcome to the Cypher, is a picture book about music and the transformative power of rap music. His picture book titled Little Black Lives Matter was published in 2023. Dill's writing and poetry features themes of community activism, anti-racism and social justice. He was named by CBC Books as a "writer to watch" in 2022.
stylo starr is a Jamaican Canadian illustrator, collage artist and creative facilitator based in Hamilton, Ont. Starr's work centres nature, fantasy and notions of the Afrofuture.
LISTEN | Khodi Dill discusses writing books for young readers:
Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
The YA novel Delicious Monsters is set in Toronto and involves a girl named Daisy who can see ghosts. When her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario, Daisy discovers supernatural secrets that might be beyond her control. Flash forward a decade later and a teen named Brittney gets wrapped up in a mystery about what befell Daisy years prior.
Delicious Monsters is for ages 12 and up.
Liselle Sambury is a Trinidadian Canadian YA writer and blogger. Her debut novel, Blood Like Magic, was on the shortlist for the 2021 Governor General's Literary award for young people's literature — text.
LISTEN | Liselle Sambury discusses Delicious Monsters:
Shovels not Rifles by Gloria Wesley
Shovels not Rifles is a historical YA novel that follows a young Black man named Will, who enlists and joins the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada's only all-Black battalion, in the First World War. Will experiences racism and discrimination from his superiors and soon after he joins he learns that he won't be fighting on the front lines, but instead doing forestry work like he was back in his small Nova Scotia town. The novel follows Will as he experiences the harsh realities of the war in 1916.
Shovels not Rifles is for ages 13 and up.
Gloria Wesley is a novelist and poet. Her previous YA novels include If This Is Freedom and Chasing Freedom, which was shortlisted for the 2012 Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children's Literature. Wesley lives in Halifax.
Songs of Irie by Asha Ashanti Bromfield
Songs of Irie is a historical coming-of-age YA novel set in 1976. Irie and Jilly are from two different worlds — Jilly lives in the hills, safe in a mansion, while Irie is from the heart of Kingston, where fighting on the streets is a regular occurrence. Tension is building on the streets and there is civil unrest in the lead-up to an important election. Irie and Jilly bond at Irie's dad's record store over their love of Reggae music and must fight for their friendship and budding romance, to survive.
Songs of Irie is for ages 13 and up.
Asha Ashanti Bromfield is a Toronto writer, actress, singer and producer of Afro-Jamaican descent. She is known for starring as Melody Valentine, drummer for the band Josie and the Pussycats, in the television show Riverdale and as Zadie Wells in the Netflix show Locke and Key. She is also the author of the YA novel Hurricane Summer. CBC Books named Bromfield a Black Canadian writer to watch in 2022.
LISTEN | Asha Bromfield discusses Songs of Irie:
Goddess Crown by Shade Lapite
Goddess Crown is a YA Afro-fantasy novel set in the kingdom of Galla. Kalothia was raised in secret — in a woodland outside of the kingdom where she learned to fish and hunt and look after herself. On her 16th birthday, she is forced to flee her home after it is invaded by attackers and she ends up in the king's court, where she gets caught up in dangerous power struggles.
Goddess Crown is for ages 13 and up.
Shade Lapite is a British Nigerian writer living in Toronto. She runs a blog called Coffee Bookshelves, which celebrates and promotes writing by authors of colour. Goddess Crown is Lapite's debut novel.
The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond by Rachel Kehoe, with Wanda Robson, illustrated by Chelsea Charles
The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond is an illustrated nonfiction book for middle-grade readers about the life of civil rights activist Viola Desmond. Based on rare interviews with Desmond's sister, Wanda Robson, who spent her life championing her sister's story, this book tells Desmond's story — from being arrested for taking a stand against racial segregation, to her earlier childhood in Nova Scotia, to her career as a teacher and being a pioneer in Black beauty culture in Canada.
The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond is for ages 9 to 12.
Rachel Kehoe is a writer and photographer who has written for Muse, Faces and Science News for Students. She lives in Burlington, Ont.
Wanda Robson was a storyteller, writer and community activist. She was the youngest sister of the late civil rights pioneer Viola Desmond and was instrumental in bringing recognition to her sister's contribution to Canadian civil rights. She previously published the book Sister to Courage: Stories from the World of Viola Desmond. Robson died in 2022 at the age of 95.
Chelsea Charles is an illustrator living in Brampton, Ont. She received her BAA in illustration from Sheridan College.
LISTEN | The legacy of Viola Desmond:
Garden of Lost Socks by Esi Edugyan, illustrated by Amélie Dubois
Garden of Lost Socks is a story about friendship, curiosity and the magic of community. Akosua, who is a budding Exquirologist, and a new friend find a remarkable world hidden right in her very own community.
Garden of Lost Socks is for ages 4 to 7.
Esi Edugyan is a Victoria-based author of Half-Blood Blues and Dreaming of Elsewhere. Her book Washington Black was a finalist on Canada Reads 2022, shortlisted for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Booker Prize and won the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Amélie Dubois grew up in Montreal and currently lives in Mauricie, Que. She has illustrated children's books such as Rien du tout! by Marie-Hélène Jarry, Mingan les nuages by Marie-Andrée Arsenault and copine et Copine by Kim Nunès, Marie-Chantal Perron and Tammy Verge which was the French-language finalist for the 2020 Governor General's Literary Award. She has also illustrated for magazines and television.
LISTEN | Esi Edugyan speaks about her children's book The Garden of Lost Socks:
The Hockey Skates by Karl Subban, illustrated by Maggie Zeng
Inspired by his NHL hockey player son PK Subban, Karl Subban shares the story of young PK waiting for his new skates in The Hockey Skates. With each new delivery that arrives not being the right skates — whether it's the wrong colour or size, PK learns to persevere and remain optimistic in this comical story.
The Hockey Skates is for ages 4 to 7.
Karl Subban has been a coach, teacher, principal and the father to three NHL hockey players. He is also the author of How We Did It: The Subban Plan for Success in Hockey, School and Life.
Maggie Zeng is a Montreal-based student at Concordia University. She is an illustrator, animator and concept artist of children's books. The first picture book she illustrated is This is the Boat that Ben Built.
LISTEN | Karl Subban on CBC Radio's The Next Chapter:
My Hair Is Beautiful by Shauntay Grant
Shauntay Grant's latest children's book is a celebration of natural hair. My Hair Is Beautiful is a board book that encourages self-love and self-expression.
My Hair Is Beautiful is for readers up to 3.
Grant is a Canadian writer and performance artist based in Halifax. Her children's books include Up Home, which won the 2009 Best Atlantic-Published Book Prize, and Africville, which was a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature – illustrated books.
The Grover School Pledge by Wanda Taylor
In The Grover School Pledge, middle schooler Arlaina Jefferson challenges the injustices that she sees around her at school and teams up with other students in her school to right a systematic wrong, showing the ability of young people to make a difference.
The Grover School Pledge is for ages 8 to 12.
Wanda Taylor is an author of children and adult books, freelance journalist, screenwriter and college instructor. Her writing has appeared in publications such as Atlantic Books Today, Black2Business magazine and Peak Magazine.
My Name is Henry Bibb by Afua Cooper
My Name is Henry Bibb is a novel about Henry Bibb, an American slave who, after repeated attempts, escaped in 1841 to become an anti-slavery speaker, author and founder of a Black newspaper. It traces Bibb's boyhood, marriage, fatherhood and the developing awareness of his bondage and his determination to break free of it or die.
My Name is Henry Bibb is for ages 10 to 14.
Afua Cooper is an award-winning speaker, scholar, historian, author, poet and performer. She helps organizations improve racial and ethnic justice in the workplace and lives in Halifax.
LISTEN | Afua Cooper talks about what it's like to be Black in Canada:
The Enchanted Bridge by Zetta Elliott
The Enchanted Bridge is the fourth book in the middle-grade fantasy series Dragons in a Bag. A young Black boy named Jaxon is about to embark on another adventure filled with mythical creatures. In The Enchanted Bridge, Jax and his friends learn about their new abilities and a secret plan. Can Jax protect the realms and all its magical creatures?
The Enchanted Bridge is for ages 8 to 12.
Zetta Elliott is a writer, teacher and poet born in Ajax, Ont. and now based in the U.S. She is the author of the children's fantasy series Dragons in a Bag and the longform poem A Place Inside of Me.
LISTEN | Zetta Elliott speaks with Shelagh Rogers about her children's book series:
Malaika, Carnival Queen by Nadia L. Hohn, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher
In Malaika, Carnival Queen, Malaika visits the farm where her father had worked as a migrant worker when he came to Canada. The farm workers tell Malaika that her father had always dreamed of celebrating carnival at the orchard, just like back home. Will Malaika agree to be their Carnival Queen for the harvest festival?
Malaika, Carnival Queen is for ages 3 to 6.
Nadia L. Hohn is a Toronto-based award-winning writer and educator. She is the author of numerous picture books, including Malaika's Costume, Malaika's Winter Carnival, Malaika's Surprise and Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter, illustrated by Gustavo Mazali.
Irene Luxbacher is a writer and artist from Toronto. She has illustrated numerous picture books, including Malaika, Carnival Queen, Malaika's Surprise and Malaika's Costume by Nadia L. Hohn, Treasure by Mireille Messier and Aunt Pearl by Monica Kulling.
LISTEN | Canadian Children's Book Centre's Carol Ann Hoyte recommends titles for young readers:
I Am Big by Itah Sadu, illustrated by Marley Berot
In I Am Big, a young Black hockey player finds joy in his talent and confidence in the cheers of his family, his coach, and the other players.
I Am Big is for ages 6 to 8.
Itah Sadu is a Toronto-based children's author. She is the co-owner of the bookstore A Different Booklist, which specializes in African and Caribbean Canadian literature.
Marley Berot is a Toronto-based illustrator. Her work includes cover art for Neuron, graphic design work for the Toronto International Film Festival, logo design and book illustration.
LISTEN | Itah Sadu on CBC Radio's The Next Chapter:
Abolition is Love by Syrus Marcus Ware, illustrated by Alannah Fricker
Abolition is Love follows a young person called Amelie as they learn about care, justice and love in the everyday. This picture book engages in conversations for young people about how to imagine different futures for themselves and their communities.
Abolition is Love is for ages 3 to 7.
Syrus Marcus Ware is a Toronto-based artist, writer and activist. He is also a founding member of Black Lives Matter Toronto and a contributor to the anthology series presented by CBC Arts 21 Black Futures. His other books include I Promise and Love is in the Hair.
Alannah Fricker is an artist, community organizer and registered social worker. Abolition is Love is the first children's book that she has illustrated.
WATCH | Syrus Marcus Ware reflects on connections between Blackness and queerness:
Julie and the Mango Tree by Sadé Smith, illustrated by Sayada Ramdial
Julie's favourite fruit are mangoes but she can never seem to pick a sweet one from the tree in her yard. In Julie and the Mango Tree, Julie pleads with her mango tree on a summer afternoon in this vibrantly illustrated picture book. CBC Books named Julie and the Mango Tree as one of the best books of 2023.
Julie and the Mango Tree is for ages 3 to 6.
Sadé Smith is a Canadian's children's author of Jamaican descent. Her previous book, Granny's Kitchen, was nominated for the 2023 Blue Spruce Award.
Sayada Ramdial is an illustrator from Trinidad and Tobago that is currently based in the U.S.
LISTEN | The Next Chapter's Children's Book Panel recommends great books for kids:
This list was curated by Ryan B. Patrick
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
Clarifications:
- This list previously included Black Girl, Black Girl by Angela Bowden, illustrated by Letitia Fraser. This title will now be released in February 2025. February 8, 2024 5:56 PM