10 Books about Black Girlhood to Read this Black History Month
By now you’ve probably heard that Judy Blume’s Forever is getting a TV adaptation by Mara Akil on Netflix! Yeah for Judy, who is always great. The main character in this adaptation is Black and while I think there should definitely be more shows about Black girlhood, RIP Disney’s Saturdays , there are so many books written by Black women authors about Black girlhood that are in print right now that deserve a chance to be seen on the big and small screen. I’ve compiled a list of some of these that you may have missed and because we celebrate Black History everyday and support Black businesses everyday, the links will all go to Bookshop.org where your purchases can support Brave and Kind in Decatur, GA, a Black woman owned bookstore.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Even in 2025 in America the concept of being Afro-Latina is still confusing for some people. Hell, Puerto Ricans being Americans too is a bridge too far for people, but this book in verse is a love letter to the island and the girls living in it and in Nuevayol!
.Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…
In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.
Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.
And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
Grown by Tiffany D Jackson
Black girls are oversexualized in America and it goes back to how Black girls weren’t allowed to have childhoods. When we were enslaved we were put to work as soon as we were able and during Jim Crow we were often pulled from school to go and do domestic work which kept that legacy of stolen girlhood going. And it wasn’t just seeing Black girls as prime for work, but also primed for adult women’s sexuality. That perception of Black girl’s infects not just the people who want to exploit them for work, but everyone from parents to men to the community. This book is about that exploitation.
When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields?
Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.
The Voice in My Head by Dana Davis
You know what we don’t have enough of? Road trip movies and books featuring Black kids. I know it’s done, but the Green Book doesn’t count. What we want is more like that one episode of Lovecraft Country when Aujenue Ellis slips into a time travel portal.
This book never got much fanfare but it has to do with sickness and religion and family. It’s perfect for a TV adaption.
Indigo Phillips has always lived in the shadow of her identical twin, Violet--the perfectly dressed, gentle, popular sister. But when Violet becomes terminally ill and plans to die on her own terms via medically assisted death, Indigo spirals into desperation in her efforts to cope. That's when she begins to hear a mysterious voice--a voice claiming to be God. The Voice insists that if she takes Violet to a remote rock formation in the Arizona desert, her sister will live.
Incredibly, Violet agrees to go--if their chaotic family tags along for the ride. With all nine members stuffed into a wonky old bus, including their controlling older sister and distant mother, Indigo must find a way to face insecurities she's spent a lifetime masking and step up to lead the trip. As she deals with outrageous mishaps and odd strangers along the way, Indigo will figure out how to come to terms with her sister, her family...and the voice in her head.
Find all 10 of my suggestions here!
And a bonus!
All of the books listed are contemporary fiction, some with a little romantic bent, but firmly in our current reality. If you’d like something more romantic and definitely fantasy based you can pick up my book For All Time
A Parade Magazine Best Young Adult Book of 2021
“A romance for the ages…one perfect little novel.” —Stacey Lee, award-winning author of The Downstairs Girl
The Sun Is Also a Star meets Outlander in this “unforgettable and artfully crafted romance” (Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’) about two teens who relive their tragic love story over and over until they uncover what they must do to change their fate.
Tamar is a musician, a warrior, a survivor. Fayard? He’s a pioneer, a hustler, a hopeless romantic.
Together, Tamar and Fayard have lived a thousand lives, seen the world build itself up from nothing only to tear itself down again in civil war. They’ve even watched humanity take to the stars. But in each life one thing remains the same: their love and their fight to be together. One love story after another. Their only concern is they never get to see how their story ends. Until now.
When they finally discover what it will take to break the cycle, will they be able to make the sacrifice?
I’d love to see an adaptation of Clap When You Land (and all of these, really, that one is just one of my faves) and I’m gonna grab your book this weekend!