Works of Fiction on Black Children and Libraries

Looking for books about libraries featuring children and teens as the central characters? Please consider checking out some of the titles below:

Abrams, Stacey. Stacey’s Remarkable Books. Illustrated by Kitt Thomas, First edition, Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022.

Best, Cari. Red Light, Green Light, Mama and Me. Illustrated by Niki Daly, Orchard Books, 1995.

Blue, Rose. A Quiet Place. Illustrated by Tom Feelings, Franklin Watts, Inc., 1969.

Blue, Rose, and Corinne J. Naden. Ron’s Big Mission. Illustrated by Don Tate, First edition, Dutton Childrens Books, 2009.

Bryon, Nathan. Rocket Says Speak Up! Illustrated by Dapo Adeola, First American edition, Random House, 2023.

Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Finding Langston. Holiday House, 2018.

Davis, Nadvia. Davis Practices Reading with Risks. Illustrated by George Franco, First edition, Nadvia Davis, 2019.

Elbee, Viviane. I Want My Book Back. Illustrated by Nicole Miles, Little Bee Books, 2022.

Freeman, Rodney E. Little Rodney the Librarian. Illustrated by Eduardo Paj, Preservation Media LLC, 2022.

Giovanni, Nikki. A Library. Illustrated by Erin Robinson, First edition, Versify, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2022.

Horn, Alvin L. A. Places to Be: A Young Adult Novel. Romantic Blues Publishing, 2022.

Ikegwuonu, Chukwujekwu, and Tiffany Ikegwuonu. Chukwu Gets a Library Card. [publisher not identified], 2022.

Johnson, Angela. Lottie Paris and the Best Place. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013.

Joosse, Barbara M. Hot City. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Philomel Books, 2004.

Magoon, Kekla. The Secret Library. Illustrated by Bea Jackson, First edition, Candlewick Press, 2024.

Malaspina, Ann. Finding Lincoln. Illustrated by Colin Bootman, Albert Whitman, 2009.ln

McKissack, Pat. Goin’ Someplace Special. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, 1st ed, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001.

McQuinn, Anna. Lola at the Library. Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, First U.S. edition, Charlesbridge, 2006.

McQuinn, Anna. Lola at the Library with Mommy. Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, Board book edition, Charlesbridge, 2020.

McQuinn, Anna. Lola Loves Stories. Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, 1st U.S. ed, Charlesbridge, 2009.

Miedoso, Andres. Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol. 05: The Scary Library Shusher. Illustrated by Victor Rivas, First Little Simon hardcover edition, Little Simon, 2018.

Miller, William. Richard Wright and the Library Card. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, First edition, Lee & Low Books, Inc., 1997.

Muhammad, Patrick S. Little Librarian Girl. Illustrated by Jeremy Hughes, Rathsi Publishing, 2008.

Noel, Melvina. Mama’s Library Summers. Illustrated by Daria Peoples, Cameron Kids, an imprint of Abrams, 2024.

Ramsey, Calvin A. The Library in the Woods. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Carolrhoda Books, 2025.

Reynolds, Jason. There Was a Party for Langston. Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, First edition, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023.

Rose, Tiffany. Dear Reader: A Love Letter to Libraries. First edition, Little Bee Books, 2022.

Tyner, Artika R. Kojo Goes to the Library. Illustrated by Bilal Karaca, First edition, Planting People Growing Justice Press, 2025.

Wallace, Gwendolyn. The Light She Feels Inside. Illustrated by Olivia Duchess, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, an imprint of Sourcebooks Kids, 2023.