What a great variety of books May brings! Stories about art, artists, anti-racism, affirmations, African activists, and antebellum America are just a few of the children’s and young adult selections available for pre-order. If you don’t see what interests you, keep looking! There truly is something for everyone, like tales from the Caribbean, romance, family fun, fantasy, and even ghost stories. Some of the fiction and nonfiction topics are heavy but so very important. This list may not feature all the new titles for May 2021. The titles are listed according to their release date. Sometimes, however, publishers may move a release date up or back. If you know of any that are not listed or the release date has changed, leave us a comment below.
Also, look for book ideas for May’s national observances, such as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, National Foster Care Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and a book list in honor of the esteemed poet and children’s author, Eloise Greenfield.
1 Family Reunion
Chad And Dad Richardson | Ashleigh Corrin | Barefoot Books | May 1 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
2 Sculptor Woodrow Nash: How I Search for My Ancestors
Woodrow Nash | Shelley Fraser Mickle | Pelican Publishing | May 3 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
3 Robert Smalls (From the Tales of the Talented Tenth Series , Vol. 3)
Joel Christian Gill | Chicago Review Press – Fulcrum | May 3 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
4 Glow (Bdbk)
Ruth Forman | Geneva Bowers | Little Simon | May 4 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
5 I Affirm Me: The ABCs of Inspiration for Black Kids
Nyasha Williams | Sóf’ya Glushkó | Running Press Kids | May 4 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
6 When My Cousins Come to Town
Angela Shanté | Keisha Morris | West Margin Press | May 4 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
7 VIP: Mahalia Jackson: Freedom’s Voice
Denise Lewis Patrick | Jennifer Bricking | HarperCollins | May 4 | ChBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
8 Last Gate of the Emperor (Tristan Strong)
Kwame Mbalia | Prince Joel Makonnen | Scholastic | May 4 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
9 Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy
Emmanuel Acho | Roaring Brook Press | May 4 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
10 Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry
Joya Goffney | HarperTeen | May 4 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
11 Hurricane Summer
Asha Bromfield | Wednesday Books | May 4 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
12 Meet Cute Diary
Emery Lee | HarperCollins | May 4 | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
13 Planting Peace: The Story of Wangari Maathai
Gwendolyn Hooks | Margaux Carpentier | Crocodile Books | May 6 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
14 Alaina and the Great Play
Eloise Greenfield | Colin Bootman | Alazar Press | May 10 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
15 A Day for Rememberin’: Inspired by the True Events of the First Memorial Day
Leah Henderson | Floyd Cooper | Abrams BYR | May 11 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
16 Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You
Sonja Cherry-Paul | Jason Reynolds | Ibram X. Kendi | Rachelle Baker | Little Brown BYR | May 11 | ChpBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
17 Where the Rhythm Takes You
Sarah Dass | Balzer + Bray | May 11 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
18 The Burning (Young Readers Edition): Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921
Hilary Beard (Adapter) | Tim Madigan | Henry Holt and Co. BYR | May 11 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
19 Shady Baby
Gabrielle Union-Wad | Dwyane Wade Jr. | Tara Nicole Whitaker | HarperCollins | May 18 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
20 Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner
Angela Dalton | Jestenia Southerland | HarperCollins | May 18 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
21 Ophie’s Ghosts
Justina Ireland | Balzer + Bray | May 18 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
22 Off the Record
Camryn Garrett | Alfred A. Knopf BYR | May 18 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
23 Ty’s Travels: Beach Day! (My First I Can Read)
Kelly Starling Lyons | Nina Mata | HarperCollins | May 25 | ChpBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
24 A Sitting in St. James
Rita Williams-Garcia | Quill Tree Books | May 25 | YA | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
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