Broader Bookshelf 2026: Fullfill the prompts with books by Black authors

One of the goals of the Broader Bookshelf 2026 Reading Challenge is to encourage you to read more diversely and inclusively, especially books by and about people from intentionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. Books by Black authors are not only important for Black readers who want to see themselves represented in literature, but for any reader who wants to learn more about the experiences of Black people in different contexts and cultures.

To help you find some books by Black authors, I've compiled a list of titles that fit the Broader Bookshelf 2026 Reading Challenge prompts. These books are not the only ones you could choose, of course, but they include some of my favorites, and I hope you’ll enjoy them too.

Curious about the history of the challenge? Check out this post.

Prompt #1: Read a book suggested by a Richland Library staff member.

Our staff are happy to help connect you with your next great read! Ask for a suggestion at any of our locations, try out our Personalized Recommendation service, browse our Staff Picks, or come visit us and browse our displays.

Prompt #2: Read a book about poverty.

How the Boogeyman Became a Poet: A YA Memoir in Verse of a Black, Gay Teen's Journey to Self-Discovery through Poetry by Tony Keith Jr.

Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe by Jeezy

Prompt #3: Read a book by a Read Freely Fest author.

The Light Always Breaks by Angela Jackson-Brown

Mayhem and the Mortal by Shanora Williams

Prompt #4: Read a book about the American Revolution.

Revolutionary Blacks: Discovering the Frank Brothers, Freeborn Men of Color, Soldiers of Independence by Shirley Green

Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

The Trials of Phillis Wheatley: America's First Black Poet and Her Encounters with the Founding Fathers by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Prompt #5: Read a book of nature writing.

Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape by Lauret Savoy

Prompt #6: Read a book set in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia.

Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me by Glory Edim

Prompt 7: Read a Blind Date with a Book (Displays available in July and December).

Visit your preferred library location during July or December to check out your Blind Date. Staff members select an array of titles, wrap them in paper, and provide a "teaser" about what's inside. Check with a staff member to find selections by Black authors. Find the teaser that sounds best to you and check it out!