Check out the selection of poetry books and graphic novels below, or visit the Learning Commons today to find more titles. If you are having trouble finding a book or logging into eBooks, we are here to help.
The Hill We Climb by
On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe.
Augusta Savage by
Presents a biography in poems about the life of Augusta Savage, a Harlem Renaissance sculptor. Savage mentored many other burgeoning black artists during the 1930s, became the first black gallery owner, and fought for equal rights for black artists when she was denied a fellowship oversees.
Run by
Memoir describes Civil Rights activist and former congressman John Lewis' experiences dealing with the negative consequences of being involved in the 1960s protests, such as the ensuing violence that continued to take place against blacks, the push-back from fearmongers, and the rebellion among allies who thought change didn't come quickly enough and didn't reach far enough.
Hot Comb by
Presents a collection of comic strips centered around the experiences of African American women. With recreated advertisements for products to relax naturally curly hair and stories of black women finding their own racial identity and sense of self, these short stories present revelations about race and class in short vignettes.
I Am Alfonso Jones by
The ghost of fifteen-year-old Alfonso Jones travels in a New York subway car full of the living and the dead, watching his family and friends fight for justice after he is killed by an off-duty police officer while buying a suit in a Midtown department store.
Ain't Burned All the Bright by
Contains an interplay of verses and images that discuss the experiences of being black in the United States amidst a variety of contemporary issues, such as the killing of George Floyd, COVID-19, screen addiction, environmental destruction, police brutality, and discusses ways to find solace and inspiration in the world.
Stamped from the Beginning by
A graphic novel-style adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's "Stamped from the Beginning," in which he claims the United States has been founded on racism from its very beginning as a country. Argues that the only way to understand and improve the world is to identify and eliminate the racist forces still shaping it.
March: Book Two by
After the sit-ins in Nashville, John Lewis and his fellow Freedom Riders face beatings, imprisonment, arson, and murder. However, their efforts attract allies such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. Lewis and King speak at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, while danger brews in Birmingham, Alabama.
And We Rise by
Contains a collection of poetry by Erica Martin about both well-documented and lesser-known people and events of the Civil Rights Movement. Poems discuss the beginning of segregation, the laws defending it, and various events that happened on specific dates in history. Includes black-and-white photographs, a timeline, and additional resources.
This Is Your Time by
Addressed as a letter to "young peacemakers," civil rights activist Ruby Bridges describes her experiences as the first black child to integrate into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans when she was six years old. Striking black-and-white photographs and brief paragraphs relate her encounters through the years with inspiring young school children, reflect on current racial struggles, and call on young people to bring healing and peace to the nation.
The Silence of Our Friends by
A New York Times-bestselling graphic novel based on the true story of two families—one white and one black—who find common ground as the civil rights struggle heats up in Texas.
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Girl on Fire by
Fourteen-year-old genius Lolo Wright, already in tenth grade with her sixteen-year-old brother, James, discovers she has mind powers when her brother is unjustly roughed up by the police for a crime he didn't commit. Lolo stops the bad cops from hurting her brother, but draws the attention of the local gangster, Skin, who leverages his loyal goons and money to blackmail Lolo into working for him.
Fights by
Author Joel Christian Gill pens a graphic novel memoir about the brutality of his younger life as the child of a single mother whose restlessness forced him to become a survivor of bullying at new schools, abuse at home, and violence on the streets.
