Talking about race in America can be difficult, even painful. But we know that this week's events have prompted conversations and self-reflection. So, we hope this reading list for all ages will shed light on the questions we've heard in recent days: How could someone do that? How do I talk to my kids about this? Why can't we all just get along? Please note that all of these items are available to FRG cardholders in print and/or digital formats.
Adult
- American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins: Print | Libby/OverDrive
- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie: Print | Libby/OverDrive
- Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah: Print | Libby/OverDrive
- Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
- How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: Print | Libby/OverDrive
- The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri: Print | Hoopla | Libby/OverDrive
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
- White Like Her, My Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing by Gail Lukasik: Print | Hoopla
Youth (all youth formats, fiction and nonfiction)
- The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat
- All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
- Be Who You Are by Todd Parr
- Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan
- Black Stars of the Civil Rights Movement by Jim Haskins
- Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
- The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson ; illustrated by Rafael Lopez
- Free at Last by Angela Bull
- Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
- Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
- Hoopla collection – “Talking To Your Kids About Race”
- I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr
- Kid Activists by Robin Stevenson
- Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
- Martin Luther King, Jr by Micheal Uschan
- Marvelous Maravilloso: Me and My Beautiful Family by Cara Lara
- My Brother Martin by Christine King Farris
- The Pink Hat by Andrew Joyner
- A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkey
- Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
- Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
- Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev
- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o ; illustrated by Vashti Harrison
- Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges
- The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
- We March by Shane W. Evans
- Where Are You From? by Yamile Sared Mendez
- Who Was Rosa Parks? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
- The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Evinso
Young Adult
- All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
- Anger is a Gift by Mark Ushiro
- Color Me Dark by Patricia McKissack
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone
- Esperanza Rising by Pam Muno Ryan
- Frankly in Love by David Yoon
- A Friendship for Today by Pat McKissack
- Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
- March Graphic novels by Rep. John Lewis
- On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
- Pride by Ibi Aanu Zoboi
- Swing by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Who Put This Song On by Morgan Parker