Hamilton Instagram star Ainara Alleyne, 13, recommends 4 must-read kids’ books for Black History Month

Hello everyone, My name is Ainara Alleyne, I’m 13 years old and, for the past three years, I have been running an Instagram account called Ainara’s Bookshelf. On this page, I have been recommending books, doing read-alouds and interviewing authors, all with the goal of growing a love of reading in kids, and spreading diversity and representation in the media through books.

I believe that by experiencing other cultures and perspectives through books, we cannot only acknowledge our differences, but understand and embrace them. Kids should be allowed to read books, comics and graphic novels that they want to read for fun, not just for school or as a chore. If you are having trouble finding a book or getting into reading, just look for a book about something you love. If you like athletics, start with the “Track” series by Jason Reynolds. If you like basketball, try “The Crossover” by Kwame Alexander; if you like fashion, try “Be Real, Macy Weaver” by Lakita Wilson. There are books out there for everyone.

Here are five books I think kids should read this Black History Month.

Swim Team, by Johnnie Christmas (HarperCollins)

“Swim Team” by Johnnie Christmas is a graphic novel about a young girl named Bree who has just moved to a new middle school. She’s very excited until she finds out that she has to take Swim 101. Bree is terrified of pools and doesn’t know how to swim. She goes on a journey to face her fears and anxieties, and grows relationships, learns more about teamwork and the importance of friendship. I chose to share this book because it shows how our history still impacts us today. Bree and her dad can’t swim, which she later finds out is because of the history between the Black community, segregation and pools. I feel that we often misperceive slavery, segregation and civil rights as something that happened a long time ago. Stories like these remind us that we are still impacted by it today. This book is a really quick read with fantastic illustrations that I would recommend for ages eight and up.

March, by John Lewis (Penguin Random House)

The next book I’m recommending is another graphic novel, “March,” written by John Lewis, co-written by Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell. This is a first-hand biography of the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. During Black History Month, I feel that we often learn about the same people, mainly Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Those stories are so important and have made huge impacts on Black history, but I believe it’s also important to learn about all the other strong Black people who were fighting for change. John Lewis is one of them. I really love “March” because it’s not just a long, wordy novel about someone’s life. It’s a strong graphic novel with beautiful illustrations. I would recommend it for ages 10 and up.

Trailblazers: The Black Pioneers Who Have Shaped Canada, by Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore, illustrated by Merryl-Royce Ndema-Moussa (Indigo Press)

“Trailblazers” is a collection of stories from Black people in Canada who have made a big impact. All the stories are told in poem form and have adorable illustrations that go with them. There are so many changemakers in the U.S. that we learn about, but we also have to remember all of the strong trailblazers we’ve had here in Canada. From Viola Desmond and Albert Jackson to so many more.

The Door of No Return, by Kwame Alexander (Little, Brown Young Readers)

“The Door of No Return” is a book that made me cry, and it will probably make you cry too. It shares the story of an 11-year-old boy named Kofi who lives in the Asante kingdom (what is now Ghana). He is just living his life. He goes to school, has a mean older cousin, a crush and loves the water, but his whole world turns around when he is forcefully taken on a terrifying journey through the door of no return. This book was heavy for me, but I think that it is such an important story to share. It really made me think about Black lives before slavery and how much slavery changed those happy lives. This is a 10/10 book that I would recommend for ages 10 and up.

Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood, edited by Kwame Mbalia (Delacorte Press)

Lastly we have “Black Boy Joy.” This book is a collection of joyful stories written by 17 Black male authors and edited by Kwame Mbalia. This book makes me so happy; even just the smile of the boy on the cover brings me joy. I believe we shouldn’t only be reading stories about pain during Black History Month but also about joy, and this book is perfect for that. The lineup of authors is fantastic. I mean from B.B. Alston, author of “Amari and The Nightbrothers” (one of my favourite books), to Jerry Craft, Newbery award-winning author of “New Kid” and “Class Act,”, and even the legendary Jason Reynolds. Stories about young Black boys riding their skateboards, finding their voice and being joyful. I recommend this one for ages nine and up!

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