Black History Month: Book Recommendations

Freedom is a powerful and fast-paced historical novel that grips readers from the very first page. Catherine Johnson tells the story of Nathaniel, a courageous young Jamaican boy enslaved on a plantation, whose determination and resilience shine through even in the darkest of circumstances.

When Nathaniel is chosen by his masters to accompany them on a voyage to England, he is led to believe that this journey will be his path to freedom. Tasked with caring for the masters’ prized pineapples, he embraces the opportunity with hope. However, upon arriving in England, Nat quickly discovers that freedom will not be granted and that he is still considered property. Nat makes a quick decision to escape and begin his fight for justice, identity and reunion with his beloved mother and baby sister, Martha.

Catherine Johnson’s storytelling is vivid and compassionate, never shying away from the brutal realities of slavery while also highlighting the strength and humanity of those who endured it. This book encourages its readers to reflect on history, empathy and the importance of freedom.

I adored this book! When Stars Are Scattered is the first graphic novel I’ve ever read cover to cover – if I’m honest, it’s not really a genre that has appealed to me previously – but the story was so compelling that I couldn’t put it down. It tells the true story of Omar and his younger brother Hassan, growing up in a refugee camp in Kenya, and it does so with such honesty and tenderness and that I found myself completely absorbed in the tale and it didn’t even register that I was reading a different format than I was used to.

The illustrations are expressive and help to bring the story to life, capturing both the hardship and the hope woven through Omar and Hassan’s journey. I didn’t expect this level of emotional depth from a graphic novel and it has certainly taught me to be more open-minded towards different forms of stories. The way that the story balances resilience with vulnerability is so cleverly done and it offers a powerful and authentic lens into the refugee experience without being preachy or overly sentimental. Instead, it’s deeply human. The story of some of the girls in the camp that went to school with Omar is especially poignant. There are moments of both joy and despair and I cried several times – for me a sure sign of a book worth reading.

Although it’s pitched at older children, I think this book is essential reading for adults too. For children, it can spark important conversations about empathy, injustice, and perseverance. For adults, it’s a gentle but urgent reminder of the realities so many families face and the strength it takes to keep going.

When Stars Are Scattered is one of those novels that stays with you long after you’ve turned the final page. I’d recommend it to anyone working in education or simply anyone who wants to understand the world a little better. It’s a story of love, sacrifice and hope and it deserves to be widely read.