Guest post by the Happy Nappy Bookseller and FREE books!

Once again, December isn't the only time you should support black authors. Every February brings plenty of opportunity. This Black History Month, Doret Canton, the Happy Nappy Bookseller, is hoping you'll support black children's and YA authors with the purchase of at least one book during the month of February. See her guest post below and keep reading: there are give-aways!

In honor of Black History Month, I am asking everyone who reads this to support diversity by buying a children's or young adult book by a Black author. If you visit the literature section in a bookstore, you can easily find stories from around the world. This is a little more difficult for children and teen readers. Though there are more books being released by minority authors for children's and teens, if customers aren't buying them bookstores won't stock them. As a bookseller all I can do is make sure the books are in, display and recommend them, after that it's up to the customer. If the books don't sell, they go back.

Now some books won't even make it to the shelf. Next publishers will be less inclined to sign new minority children's and young adult authors. Buying one book is not going to stop this vicious cycle but it is a beginning. So please go to a bookstore and buy a children's or young adult book by a black author. Also if you like the Black History Month display in the children's section tell the manager or owner. After your purchase, of course. A compliment means nothing to the bookstore, authors or publishers if it doesn't result in a sale.

Don't let this be a one time thing continue to support Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Muslim children's and young adult authors, simply because you like the stories they tell. You want to continue to expose your young readers to different writing styles, nuances, cultures and ideas.

If you need some suggestions, click this link for a list of Black children's authors and titles by age.

Now on to the give-aways! Doret has kindly donated books and ARCs, and the authors Zetta Elliott and Dream Jordan have also donated a copy of their books. Here are the books:

Zahrah The Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu (ages 10 & up)
The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby by Crystal Hubbard (6 up)
Little Divas by Philana Marie Boles (10 up)
Nikki & Deja Birthday Blues by Karen English (ARC) (7 up)
Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers (ARC) (12 up)
Bird by Zetta Elliott** (6 up) (signed by the author and illustrator, Shadra Strickland, who just won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award!)
Hot Girl by Dream Jordan (12 up)

Jumped by Rita Williams Garcia (ARC) (12 up)

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon (10 up)

Rules:

1) Leave a comment about which book you'd like. 2) Promise to read the book and post about it on your blog in a timely fashion. 3) If you're a parent, have your child loan it to at least one friend. 4) One comment per person**. 5) If there are multiple requests for a book, we'll draw names.

** Since Bird is a signed book, Doret would like to do a drawing. Leave one comment with the promises above and you can earn a second entry by leaving another comment with a link to this post on your blog. See the book trailer for Elliott's new book, A Night After Midnight.