There’s a distinct chill in the air as we hurtle towards the winter months, making it the perfect time to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Yet with dire times across the globe and the shocking rise of the far-right, it is more important than ever to celebrate Black History Month and uplift voices of Black authors from around the world. From beautifully illustrated graphic novels and enamouring works of poetry, to heartbreaking prose and inquisitive non-fiction, here are all the books from this year we think should be on your radar.

Marvel’s Premier Collection packs iconic stories into a sleek new format–ideal for Marvel fans, gamers, and comic readers both old and new, as well as anyone looking for the perfect entry point into the Marvel Universe anytime, anywhere.

National Book Award-winner Ta-Nehisi Coates and artist Brian Stelfreeze revolutionize the Black Panther mythos, as T’Challa faces an uprising in Wakanda that challenges his rule. This groundbreaking story redefines the king’s relationship with his people, blending high-tech futurism with deep cultural roots, transforming Wakanda into a dynamic reflection of modern struggles for justice and identity. As esteemed author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates brings his considerable talents to Marvel, will he usher in a new age of glory for Wakanda and its king, T’Challa, A.K.A. the Black Panther? Or will he enter the proud kingdom into its final days? The high-tech African nation has been ravaged by outside forces, its queen has fallen and the people have turned against their king. As dissidents seek violent change, two of T’Challa’s own Dora Milaje forge their own brave path. And while outside forces pour fuel on the fire, the Black Panther recruits his own crew to aid in the struggle. Meanwhile, on the spiritual plane, a journey of transformation begins. This is a story of a king who must find a new way to lead. Of a queen whose tale is not yet fully told. Of angels fighting for change and devils fomenting chaos. Of allies and enemies, friends and foes, love and hate. This is the story of Wakanda.

A new map exploring New York’s significant African-American historical landmarks.

Dominique Jean-Louis identifies and reveals New York City’s most significant Black historical landmarks in Blue Crow Media’s latest map. Featuring fifty locations, descriptions, original photography, and an introduction to the history and impact of Black people in New York City, from the colonial era to Black Lives Matter. Black History New York Map provides unique insight into an essential component of historical and contemporary New York. Blue Crow Media have published a series of New York maps exploring the city’s architecture, design, trees and more.

A story of healing and repair based on Dr Caleo’s work in Sierra Leone with Doctors Without Borders during the time of Ebola.

Between 2014 and 2016, an outbreak of Ebola virus disease occurred in West Africa. Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia experienced the highest burden, although there was some spill-over in other countries. This was not the first Ebola outbreak, but it was exceptional for its severity and length. At the time, no vaccine or drugs were available to prevent the disease or to cure those affected. The Secret of the Bush is a ‘lived experience’ story, based on Dr Grazia Caleo’s work in Sierra Leone with Doctors Without Borders, at the time of Ebola. This is a story of healing and repair, aimed at removing stigma and enhancing community cohesion, and acknowledges the strength and compassion of children and the elderly.

A stunning chronicle of Suriname from Astrid Roemer, whose On a Woman’s Madness was a finalist for the 2023 National Book Award.

In 1966 Suriname, the Vanta family, an intricate blend of Creole, Maroon, French, Indian, Indigenous, British, and Jewish heritage, is led by Grandma Bee, a proud, cigar-smoking matriarch facing her final days. As she reflects on her scattered family and the loss of her favourite granddaughter, Heli, exiled to the Netherlands for an affair with her white teacher, Bee grapples with one question: What truly binds a family? Off-White offers a moving exploration of Bee’s legacy amid themes of male violence, colonialism, and the dismantling of racial identity, marking the return of a celebrated Surinamese author after two decades.

The riveting biography of Donald Goines that explores the raw world of the street-smart literary icon and his remarkable legacy in the 50 years since his tragic death.

Born in post-Depression era Detroit to a stable, Catholic, two-parent household, and heir to the family business, Donald Goines was instead drawn to the streets and to the dangerous lure of The Life. No writer would end up capturing it quite like Goines. He knew the hustle intimately: bootlegging, pimping, drugs, prostitutes, gambling, and prison. Inspired by the revolutionary author, Iceberg Slim, Donald drew on his own experiences to drop an astonishing sixteen bestselling novels in three short years, including Whoreson, Dopefiend, Daddy Cool, and Never Die Alone. Ironically, the criminal world that infused Goines’s brilliant, uncompromised, and redemptive outlet would be the same one to finally snuff him out. In this in-depth and updated biography, culled from personal letters, treatments from unwritten books, photographs, and interviews with family members, Eddie B. Allen, Jr. commemorates not only Goines’s compelling life–from his stint in the Air Force as a teen to his criminal career to cult author status–but Goines’s lasting legacy as well. One that resounds with new generations, many of whom are discovering for the first time that he was a true original.

She found the literary voices that would inspire the world… The extraordinary story of the woman who ignited the Harlem Renaissance.

In 1919, a high school teacher from Washington, D.C arrives in Harlem excited to realise her lifelong dream. Jessie Redmon Fauset has been named the literary editor of The Crisis. The first Black woman to hold this position at a preeminent Negro magazine, Jessie is poised to achieve literary greatness. But she holds a secret that jeopardises it all. The founder of The Crisis, is not only Jessie’s boss, he’s her lover. And neither his wife, nor their fourteen-year-age difference can keep the two apart. Amidst rumours of their tumultuous affair, Jessie is determined to prove herself. Under Jessie’s leadership, every African-American writer in the country wants their work published in The Crisis. She has shaped a generation of literary legends, but as she strives to preserve her legacy, she’ll discover the high cost of her unparalleled success.

The definitive account of film icon John Singleton’s life and times.

John Singleton remains the youngest Oscar nominee for Best Director. He was just 24 years old. He was also the first Black person nominated for Best Director. Even with these early accolades, he went on to have a thirty year career packed with classics. From Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson and Tupac to the Fast and Furious franchise all the way out to Snowfall, which continues to educate and entertain after his death. Featuring groundbreaking interviews and sharp reporting, Singleton will take readers behind the scenes of the filmmaker’s works and will also tackle his controversies with original reporting and analysis. From the chaotic Simi Valley set of Poetic Justice to his clashes with producer Scott Rudin while filming Shaft – it’s all fair game.

Ebony Stewart’s fifth book dissects black womxnhood for its blood, beauty, sacrifice and strength.

WASH brutally dissects Black womxnhood for all its blood, beauty, sacrifice and strength. Ebony Stewart’s praise and pleas for the lives of black womxn create a devotional space for healing. Stewart’s third collection is uncompromising and emotionally raw. Through trauma and recovery, Black girlhood comes of age in WASH, journeying through moments of self-discovery, mental illness, love and heartbreak. Stewart reckons traditional definitions of womxnhood, exploring its complications, its communities, and its queerness. With a distinct, lyrical poetic voice, this book tells a story of queer, black womxnhood that perseveres. A collection that will bring you to tears and brighten your day, it cannot be missed!

Discover the roadmap to attaining financial independence, growing your wealth, and climbing the corporate ladder – all while living your best life!

In a world of instant gratification where the American Dream is quickly fading and the push toward entrepreneurship as a means of stability grows ever greater, let it be known that there is still a way to live abundantly on the 9 to 5 grind. Tailored for trailblazing Black women and women of colour, The Financial Abundance Blueprint blends personal anecdotes, actionable advice, and a touch of humour. From dispelling myths around building wealth to revealing corporate’s unwritten rules, this transformative guide will teach you the basics of creating your personal brand, starting a business or side hustle and more. Whether you’re a Gen-Zer taking the first steps into adulthood or a millennial working your way through life, this book is the perfect roadmap on the journey to achieving financial freedom!

A Black woman’s coming-of-age story, chronicling a life-changing friendship, the interplay between music fandom and identity, and the slipperiness of sanity.

Meet Khaki Oliver, a woman perennially trying to disappear: into a codependent friendship; an ill-advised boyfriend; the punk scene; or simply, the ether. These days, it’s a meaningless job and an empty apartment. Then, after a decade of estrangement, she receives a letter from her former best friend – Fiona’s throwing a party for her newly adopted daughter and wants Khaki to join the celebration. One song at a time, from 1980s hardcore to 2010s emo, the shared and separate contours of each woman’s mind come into focus. Will listening to the same old songs on repeat doom Khaki to a lonely life of arrested development? Or will hindsight help her regain her sense of self and pave a healthy path for the future? Set in the suburbs of Los Angeles and New York City, I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both is a Black woman’s coming-of-age story, chronicling a life-changing friendship, the interplay between music fandom and identity, and the slipperiness of sanity.

The story of a foundational moment in the American civil rights movement.

In 1832, in Canterbury, Connecticut, a ‘charming and picturesque’ little school for young girls opens to accommodate around twenty residents. Educating girls is a bit ridiculous and useless, they think in the area, but harmless enough. Until the day when the ‘charming school’, led by Prudence Crandall, announces that it will now welcome Black girls… Thirty years before the abolition of slavery, some fifteen young people in the Crandall school are greeted by a wave of hostility of insane proportion. White America is afraid of some of its children. The story of this school and its legal legacy for civil rights cannot be understated. Crandall v. State (of Connecticut) was the first full-throated civil rights case in U.S. history. The arguments by attorneys in the Crandall case played a role in two of the most fateful Supreme Court decisions, Dred Scott v. Sandford, and the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. It catapulted Ms. Crandall into a Civil Rights pioneer.

A deeply compelling and rigorously reported history of Black political movements as told through the lens of the Black-owned bookstore.

Drawn from the author’s in-depth research and reporting, Black-Owned is a story of activism, espionage, violence, and perseverance. Char Adams details Black bookstores’ battles with racist vigilantes, local law enforcement, and federal agents as they fuelled Black political movements throughout American history. This history begins with David Ruggles, the abolitionist who founded the country’s first Black-owned bookshop in New York in 1834, as well as the Black bibliophiles who carried the cause after the bookshop’s violent demise. In the twentieth century, a Black bookstore boom led to the rise of many hubs for Civil Rights and Black Power activism. Malcolm X and W.E.B. DuBois would deliver speeches at the doorstep of National Memorial African Bookstore in Harlem, a place soon dubbed ‘Speakers Corner.’ Soon many bookstores in the 1960s became targets of the FBI and local law enforcement alike. Amid these struggles, bookshops were also places of celebration; Eartha Kitt and Langston Hughes held autograph parties at their local Black owned bookstore, and Maya Angelou even became the face of National Black Bookstore Week. Now, a new generation of Black activists are joining the radical bookstore tradition, with rapper Noname opening her Radical Hood Library in Los Angeles, and several stores hit national headlines when they were overwhelmed with demand in the wake of the brutal death of George Floyd and the ensuing Black Lives Matter movement. Today finds Black-owned bookshops in a position of strength – and as Adams will make clear, in an era of increasing division, their presence is needed now more than ever. Populated by vibrant characters, and written with cinematic flair, Black-Owned will be an enlightening story of community, resistance, and joy.

The first major and only available collection from a seminal Black voice in NYC poetry, featuring his final poems along with the self-portraits and drawings he made at the same time.

John Farris (1940-2016) was the ultimate gadfly of the New York poetry scene, a universally known and revered genius. Author of the small press novel The Ass’s Tale and poetry collection It’s Not About Time, these Last Poems are his first widely available works. A collection of drawings along with facsimile and transcribed poems from the end of his life, these documents were unearthed by Archway Editions founders Nicodemus Nicoludis and Chris Molnar, along with the artist Andrew Castrucci, who founded the Bullet Space Urban Arts Collective. It’s some of his best work, short and elegiac but with the unexpected wit and sharpness and kaleidoscopic frame of reference typical of Farris.

The only YA book to tell the story of Aimé Cesaire, the rise of Negritude, and the crusade for Black African and Caribbean independence from colonial rule.

Aimé Cesaire was a poet and, later, a politician from the Caribbean island of Martinique, who spoke out against the sufferings and humiliations endured by the peoples of the former French colonies. In Aimé Cesaire: No to Humiliation, we are with Cesaire in 1930s Paris. The young Martinican poet and his friends Leopold Sedar Senghor and Leon Gontran Damas are launching the Negritude movement. Together, they celebrate their Black African roots, protesting French colonial rule and policies of assimilation. They invite West Indians, Senegalese, Guyanese, and others to reject the suffocating French colonial presence and to take pride in their accents, their cultures and their shared histories. Aimé’s great book-length poem, Notebook on the Return to the Native Land, and other works, are a global inspiration. His speeches enliven the crowds back home in Martinique, and he rises in the political arena, defending Martinican identity. As a writer, as the Mayor of Fort-de-France and deputy of the French National Congress, Aimé Cesaire continues to write and to fight against colonial power and for the dignity of Black peoples everywhere.

Heart-pounding superhero, sci-fi, and fantasy action from the best Nigerian comics talent!

The YouNeek YouNiverse is a vibrant, interconnected world of African-inspired superhero, sci-fi, and fantasy stories, unfolding across multiple time periods. These epic tales are brought to life through award-winning graphic novel series such as Iyanu: Child of Wonder (soon to be an animated series on Cartoon Network/MAX), Malika: Warrior Queen (winner of the GLYPH Award for “Story of the Year”), E.X.O. The Legend of Wale Williams (named one of NPR’s “Best Books of 2021”), and WindMaker (recipient of the NOMMO Award for “Best Graphic Novel”), among others. For the first time, experience a taste of each of these groundbreaking series in a monumental, value-priced compilation!