January: Books for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrates the life and civil rights work of Dr. King. In 1994, the holiday was officially recognized as a National Day of Service where volunteers across the country work together to make a difference in their communities. The titles below include children’s books about Dr. King, fiction and nonfiction books about ordinary people who stand up for what’s right, and stories about helping others and giving back.
I Am Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks, James Haskins
Illustrator:
Wil Clay
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
THROUGH MY EYES BOOK INFO
Through My Eyes
Ruby Bridges
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
MARTIN’S BIG WORDS: THE LIFE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BOOK INFO
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Doreen Rappaport
Illustrator:
Bryan Collier
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
Alan Schroeder
Illustrator:
Jerry Pinkney
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
ROSA BOOK INFO
Rosa
Nikki Giovanni
Illustrator:
Bryan Collier
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING BOOK INFO
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King
Jean Marzollo
Illustrator:
Brian Pinkney
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Nonfiction, Biography
PLANTING THE TREES OF KENYA: THE STORY OF WANGARA MAATHAI BOOK INFO
Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangara Maathai
Claire Nivola
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
DEAR MR. ROSENWALD BOOK INFO
Dear Mr. Rosenwald
Carole Boston Weatherford
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Historical Fiction, Fiction
FREEDOM ON THE MENU: THE GREENSBORO SIT-INS BOOK INFO
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
Carole Boston Weatherford
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Historical Fiction, Fiction
SIT-IN: HOW FOUR FRIENDS STOOD UP BY SITTING DOWN BOOK INFO
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down
Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrator:
Brian Pinkney
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
CHILD OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BOOK INFO
Child of the Civil Rights Movement
Paula Young Shelton
Illustrator:
Raul Colón
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Nonfiction
MARCH ON! THE DAY MY BROTHER MARTIN CHANGED THE WORLD BOOK INFO
March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
Christine King Farris
Illustrator:
London Ladd
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
THE STORY OF RUBY BRIDGES BOOK INFO
The Story of Ruby Bridges
Robert Coles
Illustrator:
George Ford
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
MISS RUMPHIUS BOOK INFO
Miss Rumphius
Barbara Cooney
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Fiction, Historical Fiction
CITY GREEN BOOK INFO
City Green
DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Fiction
THE GARDENER BOOK INFO
The Gardener
Sarah Stewart
Illustrator:
David Small
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Historical Fiction, Fiction
WE MARCH BOOK INFO
We March
Shane Evans
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Nonfiction
WORDS SET ME FREE: THE STORY OF YOUNG FREDERICK DOUGLASS BOOK INFO
Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrator:
James Ransome
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
RACHEL CARSON AND HER BOOK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD BOOK INFO
Rachel Carson and Her Book that Changed the World
Laurie Lawlor
Illustrator:
Laura Beingessner
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
CHICKEN SUNDAY BOOK INFO
Chicken Sunday
Patricia Polacco
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Fiction, Historical Fiction
SIDE BY SIDE: THE STORY OF DOLORES HUERTA AND CÉSAR CHÁVEZ/LADO A LADO: LA HISTORIA DE DOLORES HUERTA Y CESAR CHÁVEZ BOOK INFO
Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and César Chávez/Lado a Lado: La Historia de Dolores Huerta y Cesar Chávez
Monica Brown
Illustrator:
Joe Cepeda
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
GENERATION FIX: YOUNG IDEAS FOR A BETTER WORLD BOOK INFO
Generation Fix: Young Ideas for a Better World
Elizabeth Rusch
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Nonfiction, Biography
SEEDS OF FREEDOM: THE PEACEFUL INTEGRATION OF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA BOOK INFO
Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama
Hester Bass
Illustrator:
E.B. Lewis
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Nonfiction
BECAUSE THEY MARCHED BOOK INFO
Because They Marched
Russell Freedman
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Nonfiction
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT: A LIFE OF DISCOVERY BOOK INFO
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery
Russell Freedman
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Nonfiction, Biography
LUNA AND ME: THE TRUE STORY OF A GIRL WHO LIVED IN A TREE TO SAVE A FOREST BOOK INFO
Luna and Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest
Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Nonfiction, Biography
CORETTA SCOTT KING: I KEPT ON MARCHING BOOK INFO
Coretta Scott King: I Kept on Marching
Kathleen Krull
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
BE A KING: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S DREAM AND YOU BOOK INFO
Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator:
James Ransome
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Nonfiction
A PLACE TO LAND: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND THE SPEECH THAT INSPIRED A NATION BOOK INFO
A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation
Barry Wittenstein
Illustrator:
Jerry Pinkney
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
NIBI EMOSAAWDANG / THE WATER WALKER BOOK INFO
Nibi Emosaawdang / The Water Walker
Joanne Robertson
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Nonfiction
THANKS TO FRANCES PERKINS: FIGHTER FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS BOOK INFO
Thanks to Frances Perkins: Fighter for Workers’ Rights
Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrator:
Kristy Caldwell
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
WILLIAM STILL AND HIS FREEDOM STORIES BOOK INFO
William Still and His Freedom Stories
Don Tate
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
FINISH THE FIGHT BOOK INFO
Finish the Fight
Veronica Chambers
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Nonfiction
SHE PERSISTED: CLAUDETTE COLVIN BOOK INFO
She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
TWENTY-TWO CENTS: MUHAMMAD YUNUS AND THE VILLAGE BANK BOOK INFO
Twenty-Two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank
Paula Yoo
Illustrator:
Jamel Akib
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
SISTER CORITA’S WORDS AND SHAPES BOOK INFO
Sister Corita’s Words and Shapes
Jeanette Winter
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography
AIN’T GONNA LET NOBODY TURN ME ‘ROUND BOOK INFO
Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round
Kathlyn J. Kirkwood
Illustrator:
Steffi Walthall
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Biography, Nonfiction
JUSTICE RISING: 12 AMAZING BLACK WOMEN IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BOOK INFO
Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement
Katheryn Russell-Brown
Illustrator:
Kim Holt
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Biography
EVICTED!: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE BOOK INFO
Evicted!: The Struggle for the Right to Vote
Alice Faye Duncan
Illustrator:
Charly Palmer
Age Level:
9-12
Genre:
Nonfiction
