“What are the best Children’s books about History?” We looked at 319 of the top Kids History books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 17 titles, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Kids History” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 300+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!

Top 17 Children’s History Books

17 .) A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman written by David A. Adler

Lists It Appears On:

• Self Sufficient Kids
• The Measured Mom

Biography of the black woman who escaped from slavery to become famous as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

16 .) A Sweet Smell of Roses written by Angela Johnson

Lists It Appears On:

• Self Sufficient Kids
• The Measured Mom

A stirring yet jubilant glimpse of the youth involvement that played an invaluable role in the Civil Rights movement.There’s a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice. Inspired by the countless young people who took a stand against the forces of injustice, two Coretta Scott King Honorees, Angela Johnson and Eric Velasquez, offer a stirring yet jubilant glimpse of the youth involvement that played an invaluable role in the Civil Rights movement.…

15 .) Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe written by Deborah Blumenthan

Lists It Appears On:

• Book Riot
• We Are Teachers

As soon as Ann Cole Lowe could walk, her momma and grandma taught her to sew. When her mom died, Ann continued sewing dresses. It wasn’t easy, especially when she went to design school and had to learn alone, segregated from the rest of the class. But the work she did set her spirit soaring, as evidenced in the clothes she made. Rarely credited, Ann Cole Lowe became society’s best kept secret.” This beautiful picture book shines the spotlight on a figure who proved that with hard work and passion, any obstacles can be overcome.”–…

14 .) Follow the Drinking Gourd written by Jeanette Winter

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• The Measured Mom

By following the directions in a song, “The Drinking Gourd,” taught them by an old sailor named Peg Leg Joe, runaway slaves journey north along the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada.

13 .) Heart and Soul: The Story of American and African Americans written by Kadir Nelson

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• Self Sufficient Kids

An simple introduction to African-American history, from Revolutionary-era slavery up to the election of President Obama.

12 .) Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race written by Margot Lee Shetterly

Lists It Appears On:

• Book Riot
• Self Sufficient Kids

Explores the previously uncelebrated but pivotal contributions of NASA’s African American women mathematicians to America’s space program, describing how Jim Crow laws segregated them despite their groundbreaking successes.

11 .) Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History written by Vashti Harrison

Lists It Appears On:

• Book Riot
• Self Sufficient Kids

Based on her popular Instagram posts, debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison shares the stories of 40 bold African American women who shaped history.

10 .) Number the Stars written by Lois Lowry

Lists It Appears On:

• Goodreads
• Imagination Soup

In 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis.

9 .) Rosa Parks written by Brad Meltzer

Lists It Appears On:

• Book Depository
• The Measured Mom

Recounts Rosa Parks’ daring effort to stand up for herself and other African Americans by helping to end segregation on public transportation.

8 .) Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library written by Carole Boston Weatherford

Lists It Appears On:

• Book Riot
• We Are Teachers

Traces legal clerk Arturo Schomburg’s efforts to curate a collection of African books, letters, music, and art.

7 .) Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down written by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Lists It Appears On:

• Self Sufficient Kids
• The Measured Mom

Recounts the historic events of 1960, when four black college students attempted to integrate a lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.

6 .) Teammates written by Peter Golenbock

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• The Measured Mom

Describes the racial prejudice experienced by Jackie Robinson when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first black player in Major League baseball and depicts the acceptance and support he received from his white teammate Pee Wee Reese.

5 .) The Case for Loving written by Selina Alko

Lists It Appears On:

• Self Sufficient Kids
• The Measured Mom

The story of interracial couple Mildred and Richard Perry, who got married in Washington, D.C., and were arrested after they returned to Virginia, and took their legal case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

4 .) The Little House Collection (Little House, #1-9) written by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Lists It Appears On:

• Goodreads
• Table Life Blog

3 .) The Story of Ruby Bridges written by Robert Coles

Lists It Appears On:

• Goodreads
• Self Sufficient Kids
• The Measured Mom

For months six-year-old Ruby Bridges must confront the hostility of white parents when she becomes the first African American girl to integrate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960.

2 .) The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 written by Christopher Paul Curtis

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• Goodreads
• Imagination Soup

The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.

1 .) Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad written by Ellen Levine

Lists It Appears On:

• Family Education
• Goodreads
• Read Brightly
• The Measured Mom

A fictionalized account of how in 1849 a Virginia slave, Henry “Box” Brown, escapes to freedom by shipping himself in a wooden crate from Richmond to Philadelphia.

The 300+ Additional Best Kids Books About History

11 Best Children’s Books About History Sources/Lists