Contemporary African-American Children’s Fiction

Titles in orange have African-American girls as the main characters. 

Titles in brown have African-American boys as the main characters.

Chevrolet Saturdays - Candy Boyd
When he enters 5th grade after his mother’s remarriage, Joey  has trouble adjusting to his new teacher and stepfather.

Your Move - Eve Bunting
When 10-year-old James’ gang initiation endangers his 6-year-old brother Isaac, they find the courage to say no.

Life Riddles - Melrose Cooper
Ten-year-old Janelle, a talented writer, uses her skills to help her cope with her family’s problems.

Yolonda’s Genius - Carol Fenner
Fifth grader Yolonda decides to prove that her younger brother is not a slow learner, but a true musical genius.

How Many Miles to Babylon? - Paula Fox
Ten-year-old James skips school to go to his secret place, a deserted house, where he is found by 3 teenagers who force James to help them steal dogs.

Koya DeLaney and the Good Girl Blues - Eloise Greenfield
Eleven-year-old Koya has trouble expressing anger, until her cousin, a popular male singer, comes to town.

Cheetah Girls series - Deborah Gregory
The story of 4 hip friends at Manhattan’s Fashion Industries High who form a singing group.

I’ve Already Forgotten Your Name, Philip Hall - Bette Greene
Beth, a teenager in small town Pocahontas, Arkansas, experiences the ups and downs of friendship with members of the Pretty Penny Club and her best friend, Philip.

Jennifer, Hecate, MacBeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth - E.L. Konigsburg
Two fifth-grade girls, one of whom is the first African-American child in the suburb, play at being apprentice witches.

Jessi (Baby-Sitters Club) books - Ann Martin
The only African-American in her 6th grade class, Jessi feels less isolated when she joins the Baby-Sitters Club.

Teacup Full of Roses - Sharon Mathis
Joe leaves home because his mother ignores his younger brother’s talents and because of his older brother’s drug addiction.

Sink or Swim - Betty Miles
11-year-old B.J. from New York City goes to a small country town in New Hampshire on a Fresh Air program for 2 weeks.

Whose Side Are You On? - Emily Moore
When Barbra’s friend and sixth-grade math tutor T.J. disappears from school, she sets out to find him and bring him back.

Nellie Cameron - Michele Murray
Nellie never thought she was smart until Miss Lacey and her reading clinic came to school.

Me, Mop, and the Moondance Kid - Walter Dean Myers
After brothers T.J. and Moondance are adopted, they stay in touch with their friend Mop.  She’s trying to get herself adopted out of the orphanage by becoming the star of a Little League baseball team.

Hold Fast to Dreams - Andrea Pinkney
Twelve-year-old Deirdre, whose passion for photography has earned her the nickname “Camera Dee,” feels uncomfortable being the only African-American student at her new school.

Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns - Mary Quattlebaum
When his mother gives him a garden plot for his tenth birthday, Jackson Jones hopes to earn enough money to buy a basketball, but all he seems to get is trouble.

Bridges of Summer - Brenda Seabrooke
After she reluctantly leaves New York City to stay on a small South Carolina island, 14-year-old Zarah comes to accept her grandmother’s Gullah traditions and way of life.

Secret of Gumbo Grove - Eleanora Tate
While helping restore the cemetery of the old Baptist church, 11-year-old Raisin solves the mystery surrounding the founding of her home town and gains pride in her family’s past.

Thank You, Martin Luther King, Jr.! - Eleanora Tate
While helping restore the cemetery of the old Baptist church, from school, she sets out to find him and bring him back.

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World - Mildred Walter
The only boy in his family, 10-year-old Justin feels that keeping house is women’s work until he spends time on his favorite grandfather’s ranch.

Shimmershine Queens - Camille Yarbrough
Two 5th graders uplift themselves out of a less than beautiful urban life by encouraging dreams and the desire to achieve them.