New
Black History Month resources EVERY classroom needs!
By: Nahomy Ortiz-Garcia, Social Media Specialist
Every February, Black History Month invites us to reflect on and honor the Black voices, stories, and lived experiences that shape our world. One of the most meaningful ways to celebrate both this month and all year long is through literature that uplifts Black history, culture, and creativity.
That’s why Sora is proud to highlight curated book collections alongside classroom-ready resources from TeachingBooks that uplift Black authors, center Black lives, and spark meaningful conversations in classrooms.
From kindergarten through high school, reading plays a vital role in honoring legacies, inspiring curiosity, and elevating voices that have too often been marginalized.
Teaching Ideas
TeachingBooks offers ready-to-use Teaching Ideas designed to build discussions in the classroom. These engaging resources include…
- Conversation Starters
- Activities
- Extension Ideas
- Easy to share lesson plans
- AND MORE!
Black History Month resources for all year
Explore, celebrate, and honor Black history with TeachingBooks resources created for use throughout the school year. These collections support culturally responsive teaching and highlight the diverse Black experiences across genres, grade levels, and formats.
Virtual Book Tours with Black creators
TeachingBooks is uplifting Black voices through recent Virtual Book Tours featuring African American authors and illustrators. These tours give students the chance to hear directly from creators and learn about new titles! Each Virtual Book Tour includes:
- Original author or illustrator interviews
- Lesson plans and classroom activities
- Student-friendly creative prompts
- Additional enrichment resources
Featured Virtual Book Tours include:
- Will’s Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson
- Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer by Quartez Harris
- The Polar Bear and the Ballerina by Eric Velasquez
- AND MORE!
Complete video book readings
Bring stories to life with complete video book readings by and about African American creators. These videos are perfect for class viewing, independent learning, or family engagement at home.
Each title includes book guides, activities, and lessons to support deeper learning.
Featured video readings include:
- Let’s Fly!: Barrington Irving’s Record-Breaking Flight Around the World
- Wash Day Love
- That Swingin’ Sound!: The Musical Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- AND MORE!
Seamless access with Sora Discovery
With Sora Discovery, educators can move seamlessly from TeachingBooks to their digital collections. Schools with access to both TeachingBooks and Sora can offer students single-click access from book resources to the full digital titles available in their Sora library.
This makes exploration easy and keeps students reading!
Promote reading with book trailers
Video book trailers are a way to spark interest and excitement. TeachingBooks offers trailers for new titles by African American authors that can be shared in classrooms, libraries, and online spaces. Use these trailers to create shelf talkers, interactive displays, or bookmarks that encourage students to pick up their next read.
Featured titles include:
- Greatness
- Soundtrack
- Will’s Race for Home
- Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer
- AND MORE!
Discover award-winners, curated collections, & more!
- Educators can explore award-winning titles, including recipients of the Coretta Scott King Book Award and the BCALA Children and Youth Literary Awards, which honor books by Black authors that reflect the diversity of Black experiences.
- Check out the titles and resources on this curated list Black Is… 2026
- Explore the African American Collection on TeachingBooks, featuring thousands of texts and companion resources. Filters make it easy to narrow by grade level, genre, or instructional need.
Plus, find books in Sora!
Many of the resources highlighted today are for books that are available for your school’s collection in Sora! Check out curated lists here: