50+ New Books by Black Authors in February 2026 (Plus My Top 5 Picks)

Listen… February is feeding us.

If you’ve been needing a sign to refresh your TBR, reclaim your reading life, and keep your shelf Blackity Black Black, this is it. I pulled together a big drop of new releases by Black authors coming out this month.

Below you’ll get:

• My Top 5 picks (the ones I’m screaming about)
• A full list of the month’s releases (so you can plan your holds like a responsible bad gyal)
  

Let’s get into it.

My Top 5 Picks for February 2026

1. Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris

This one feels like it’s going to be equal parts raw and tender. The kind of story where life forces a reset, and you don’t get to rebuild cute and real.

Why you should read it:

• If you love a “starting over” story that’s not sugar-coated
• If want characters who feel human, messy, and worth rooting for
• If you want that quiet, deep emotional pull that stays with you after you close the book
  

2. Kin by Tayari Jones

If Tayari Jones writes it, I’m reading it. She writes the kind of interpersonal tension that looks small on the surface… until you realize it’s tied to family, class, love, loyalty, and the things we never say out loud.

Why you should read it:

• If you like layered relationships and complicated choices
• If you want a book club pick that will have people talking spicy in the group chat
  If you like literary fiction that reads smoothly but cuts deep
  

3. Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson

Sadeqa Johnson is one of those writers who knows how to give you a story and substance. This title already sounds like it’s going to explore the people (and children) history tried to forget, and the ones who refuse to let that happen.

Why you should read it:

• If you love historical fiction with emotional weight
• If you want legacy, truth, survival, and community on the page
• If you like books that make you feel something and think something
  

4. Where the False Gods Dwell by Denny S. Bryce

This title alone? Whew. It’s giving atmosphere, it’s giving secrets, it’s giving “someone is lying and I’m gonna find out who.” If you like your historical fiction lush with tension, this one is calling.

Why you should read it:

• If you  like historical fiction with bite
• If you want a story where the setting is basically a character
• If you like complicated women who move with intention
  

5. No More Worlds to Conquer by Brian Gilmore

For my readers who love books as lineage. This feels like one of those nonfiction reads that reminds you: Black writing is not just art, it’s archive, resistance, and community memory.

Why you should read it:

• If you love cultural criticism / literary history/essays that sharpen your lens
  
• If you’re a writer, educator, poet, or deep reader
• If you want a book that expands your understanding of Black literary tradition

Full List: Black-Author Releases Dropping This Month

Adult Books

2. The Johnson Four by Christina Hammonds Reed –  Blending historical fiction, family saga, music-industry drama, and supernatural elements, it follows a 1960s Black teen pop group whose rise to fame is shadowed by a haunting ghost and the costs of ambition. 
3. Skate It Till You Make by Rufaro Faith Mazarura – A contemporary sports romance novel set around the Winter Games. Blending fake-dating hijinks with serious themes about women’s sports, family expectations, and creative ambition, it follows a hockey player and a photographer whose one-night rooftop confessional turns into something much bigger.

3. On Morrison by Namwali Serpell – This book is a work of literary criticism by Zambian-American novelist and scholar Namwali Serpell. It’s a book-length exploration of Toni Morrison’s writing, blending close readings, archival discoveries, and personal reflections to show how Morrison reshaped the modern novel. 

4. The Exes by Leodora Darlington.  This debut is a psychological thriller set in contemporary London, it blends domestic suspense with darkly comic observations about dating, revenge, and the stories people tell about their past relationships.

5. The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram by Ethelene Whitmire – This is a nonfiction biography that follows queer, Black American scholar Reed Peggram, tracing his search for intellectual freedom and love in Europe before and during World War II, and his extraordinary survival under Nazi captivity.

6. The Shape of Dreams by April Reynolds – Set in mid-1980s East Harlem. Blending murder mystery with social realism, it explores grief, systemic injustice, and the resilience of a Black and Latinx community during the crack era.

7. I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For by Bsrat Mezghebe – Debut novel by Eritrean American writer Bsrat Mezghebe. Set in 1991 against the backdrop of Eritrea’s imminent independence, it follows three generations of Eritrean women in the Washington, D.C. area as they confront buried histories, community expectations, and the emotional fallout of a long war.
8. Bloodfire, Baby: A Novel by Eirinie Carson – A maternal gothic tale of new motherhood and the torment of a centuries-old haunting

9. Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi – It’s a first-person retelling in which Cleopatra VII narrates her own life, reclaiming her story from centuries of Roman propaganda and later mythmaking. Early reactions describe it as an intense, emotionally rich blend of meticulous history and a touch of magical realism. 

10. Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor Shearer – Set in 1796 Nova Scotia, it follows two young women whose struggle to survive in a brutal winter landscape is intertwined with a risky, life-altering love.

11. It’s No Wonder: The Life and Times of Motown’s Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy by Dr. Margena A. Christian – This is a nonfiction biography that tells the life story of Motown songwriter, producer Sylvia Moy, restoring her central role in shaping classic soul and in launching Stevie Wonder’s early career.

12. A Love Worth Forever by BriAnn Danae – Contemporary romance novel blending women’s fiction and romance, it follows two Black professionals in Kansas City navigating grief, reinvention, and the risks of letting someone in after deep hurt.

13. Hearts on the Fly by author Toni Shiloh – It blends sports romance with themes of faith, disability, and second chances, centered on an African American professional hockey player whose life is upended by a career-altering injury. 

14. Paule Marshall: A Writer’s Life by Mary Helen Washington – It offers the first full-length life study of the American novelist Paule Marshall, foregrounding her as a foundational figure in contemporary Black feminist literature.

15. Freedom Lost, Freedom Won: A Personal History of America by Eugene Robinson – Blending family memoir with U.S. history, it traces two centuries of Black life in America through Robinson’s ancestors, using their experiences to examine the country’s recurring cycles of progress and backlash on racial justice

16. Interlude (Baldwin Hills Book 1) by Kenya Jaye – Set against the rhythm of the global music scene, Interlude is a story about rediscovering your voice, choosing your peace, and finding love in the pause between what was and what could.

17. Da Brat & Judy: The Way Love Goes – This is memoir and relationship guide by hip-hop artist Da Brat (Shawntae Harris-DuPart) and entrepreneur Jesseca “Judy” Harris-Dupart. It blends their personal love story with practical advice on building and sustaining an honest, committed partnership. 

18. It’s Never Too Late by Marla Gibbs –  This a memoir by American actor and television icon Marla Gibbs, with contributions by editor and writer Malaika Adero. The book traces Gibbs’s path from a challenging childhood and abusive marriage to becoming a groundbreaking Black woman powerbroker in Hollywood.

19. I’ll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month is a 2026 nonfiction history book by Harvard scholar Jarvis R. Givens. It traces the origins, evolution, and political stakes of Black History Month from its beginnings as Negro History Week in 1926 to its contemporary role in U.S. culture and conflicts over memory. 

20. Belonging to the Air by Avery Irons – Set against the backdrop of the Great Migration, it follows a Black Midwestern family, particularly Honest “Bird” Bennett, as they navigate racism, queerness, and belonging from rural Illinois to Harlem. 

21. Minor Notes, Volume 2 is the second book in an anthology series edited by Joshua Bennett and Jesse McCarthy. It continues their archival project of recovering and re-presenting neglected Black poets from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with a special focus in this volume on young people’s poetry within the Black expressive tradition.

22. Flyboy in the Buttermilk by Greg Tate –  Essays on Contemporary America is a nonfiction collection of cultural criticism. First published in 1992, it is being reissued in a revised edition with a new foreword and introduction.

23. Through Mom’s Eyes by Sheinelle Jones
24. What Do You Need? by Lauren Wesley Wilson.
25. Who’s Watching Shorty? by Reshona Landfair, with a foreword by Drew Dixon.- It recounts Landfair’s experience as the 14-year-old girl at the center of the child sexual abuse video that ultimately led to R. Kelly’s racketeering and sex-trafficking convictions, reframing a high-profile case from the survivor’s perspective. 
26. The People’s Library by Veronica G. Henry – Set in a speculative version of Cleveland, it follows a reluctant curator of a digital archive of human consciousness, blending techno-thriller elements with social commentary about memory, resistance, and the ethics of emerging technology
27. But Where’s Home? by Toni Ann Johnson –  It’s a linked collection about the Black Arrington family living in a mostly white New York suburb from the 1960s through 2022, blending domestic drama with sharp social critique. 
28. Belonging to the Air: A Novel by Avery Iron– Follows one family’s intergenerational experience of the Great Migration. Among the novel’s cast of characters are a blind matriarch, women who heal with herbs, and queer lovers. Irons’s evocative and lyrical prose imagines a world in which these complicated characters try to care for one another in a country that does not care about them. 
29. The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family by Dorothy Roberts – From the author of Killing the Black Body and a writer who “has brilliantly illuminated the Black experience in America for decades” comes a spirited and riveting memoir of growing up in an interracial family in 1960s Chicago and a daughter’s journey to understand her parents’ marriage—and her own identity.
30. She Outgrew the Wound by r.h. Sin – A heartfelt return to form for veteran poet r.h. Sin, She Outgrew the Wound speaks softly to the resiliency of growth, maturity, and life-altering self-love.

YA Books 

1. Clock Striker, Volume 3: The Cogs in the Machine – Written by Frederick L. Jones and illustrated by Issaka Galadima. – This is a young adult shōnen manga-style graphic novel in the Clock Striker universe. it continues the story of Cast, shōnen manga’s first Black female lead hero, as she faces her most dangerous mission yet.

2. They Call Her Regret by Channelle Desamours – A mix of curse folklore, whodunit, and coming-of-age drama, it follows a Black teen whose Halloween birthday party at a haunted lake ends in tragedy and a deadly bargain with a witch.

3. Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen –  Framed as the first book in a new series, it blends epic “dragon rider” fantasy with West African–inspired mythology, following teens bound to dragon gods in a kingdom on the brink of ruin.
4. Written on Ice by Smardline S – This is a dark academia story. She’s the figure skater. He’s the hockey player. And the only thing more dangerous than falling for each other is the truth buried beneath the ice.
5. Love From the Cosmos by Mowa Badmos 

Children and Middle Grade Books 

1. Wild Ride by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Uzo Njokuis. This book continues the adventures of the curious and big-hearted Dyamonde Daniel. 

2. Amari and the Metalwork Menace by B. B. Alston –  This is a middle-grade fantasy novel, the fourth book in the Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers. It continues Amari’s story as she balances normal school life with the dangerous world of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. 

3. Opal Watson: Private Eye by Brittany J. Thurman – This is a middle-grade mystery novel in a series about a visually impaired Black girl detective in Chicago. Based on the popular Opal Watson: Private Eye audio drama from Pinna, it blends cozy neighborhood sleuthing with themes of disability, gentrification, and community activism.
4. Seven Million Steps: The True Story of Dick Gregory’s Run for the Hunger  is a children’s picture-book biography by Derrick Barnes and Christian Gregory, illustrated by Frank Morrison. It tells the true story of comedian and activist Dick Gregory’s 1976 cross-country “Food Run” to protest hunger and poverty in the United States.
5. Leave the Trees, Please is a lyrical environmental picture book written by Benjamin Zephaniah and illustrated by Melissa Castrillón, published in 2025 in the UK and 2026 in the US. It follows one family’s lifelong relationship with a single tree and becomes a gentle but urgent call to protect nature.

6. The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander – This book follows a young Black girl who discovers her voice while fighting to save her school library from budget cuts. 

7. Time for a Change is a middle-grade science-fiction novel by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and S. A. Cosby. It is the second book in their Rhythm of Time trilogy, continuing the adventures of best friends Rahim Reynolds and Kasia Collins as they travel through time and alternate realities.

8. Maya’s World written and illustrated by Andrea Pippins
9. As You Are: A Hope for Black Sons by Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle, illustrated by David Wilkerson –  Aimed at roughly ages 4–8, it’s a lyrical affirmation of Black boys’ worth, dignity, and resilience in a world that can be both loving and unjust.
10. Mayowa and the Sea of Words by Chibundu Onuzo – A middle-grade fantasy novel, the first book in a planned trilogy centered on a girl who can “book-jump” and harness the emotional power of stories to affect the real world.
11. Relic Hamilton: Genie Hunter by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Hyun Song We – A middle-grade fantasy adventure novel that launches the Relic Hamilton trilogy, blending contemporary London life with high-stakes, genie-focused fantasy and a distinctive mix of prose and poetry.
12. Kid X by Tracey Baptiste – From a New York Times bestselling author, this thrilling sequel to Boy 2.0 returns readers to the world of their favorite superhero, as Coal continues to grow into his new powers—and discovers a mysterious individual who may be just like him. 
13. Nani and the Lion Nani by Alicia D. Williams and illustrated by Anna Cunha – Blends folktale flavour, musical rhythm, and vibrant art to explore courage, creativity, and standing up to fear.
14. Where They Gather by Teresa Rodrigues and illustrated by Jamiel Law. – Aimed at ages 4–8, it traces generations of a Black family whose lives are anchored around a pecan tree first planted by a newly freed couple after emancipation. The book blends lyrical free verse with rich, earth-toned illustrations to explore memory, trauma, joy, and resilience.
15. I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy by Mychal Threets and Illustrated by Lorraine Nam – Dubbed “the Internet’s librarian” and now host of the relaunched Reading Rainbow, Mychal Threets invites all to take a look and find themselves at the library! Perfect for little readers who are regular visitors and those who might be stepping into the stacks for the first time.
16. Celebrate We Gullah Geechee by poet Yvette R. Murray, illustrated by Tonya Engel – A Kids’ Look at the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Aimed at early elementary readers, it introduces the history and living culture of the Gullah Geechee people along the U.S. southeastern coast through sensory-rich, rhythmic text.
17. Remember Her Name!: Debbie Allen’s Rise by Tami Charles (Author), Meredith Lucius (Illustrator) – New York Times best-selling author Tami Charles tells Debbie Allen’s inspiring story of perseverance and growing up during the Civil Rights Movement and Jim Crow South.

TBGR Question of the Month 👀

What are you picking up first, and be honest… are you a “place the hold immediately” reader or a “add it to the TBR and pretend it’s a plan” reader?

Drop your February must-reads in the comments.