Each February we reflect upon the significant role that African Americans have played in the formation of our country. Through the struggles of extraordinarily courageous men and women, the “dream” for human equality has become a reality.  Although the days of slavery and legal segregation are gone, we remember the hardships and obstacles once faced by people of color in the United States and celebrate the culture born out of that experience.

Therefore, in honor of Black History Month, Kidsreads.com has compiled a list of titles that are sure to both enlighten and inspire. In this roundup, readers will march hand in hand with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., paint southern landscapes with Clementine Hunter, sing with Doo-Wop Pop and engage in stirring conversations with Larnel and Mrs. Katz. Through these characters, we discover the meaning of togetherness, the resilience of the human spirit and the overall power of love. Most importantly, we learn never to stop dreaming.

GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND #6: WHO'S YOUR MUMMY? by R.L. Stine
When Abby and her brother Peter go to visit their Uncle Jonathan, creepy things start happening immediately. A village woman warns them to stay away. Jonathan's big old house is crammed full of weird Egyptian artifacts --- including a mummy. Abby sees bats circling Jonathan's roof in broad daylight. Will Abby survive long enough to get an invitation to HorrorLand Theme Park? Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND #7: MY FRIENDS CALL ME MONSTER by R.L. Stine
Michael "Monster" Munroe is having a difficult time with his extremely weird teacher, Mrs. Hardesty. To get back at her, he and his friends pull a little prank on her --- and it backfires like you cannot believe, in yet another horrorfest by the master of gore. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Read reviews of WHO'S YOUR MUMMY? and MY FRIENDS CALL ME MONSTER.
-Click here to play the updated Goosebumps HorrorLand trivia game.
 

January’s roundup of Cool New Books includes THE LAST STRAW, the highly anticipated third installment in Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, which takes the art of being wimpy to a whole new level; SCAT by Carl Hiaasen, a mystery involving the disappearance of a fearsome biology teacher while on a field trip to Black Vine Swamp; HEROES OF THE VALLEY, an epic fantasy thriller from Jonathan Stroud, who follows up his Bartimaeus Trilogy with a tale featuring murder, revenge and a slightly diminutive protagonist; THE EYE OF THE FOREST, the fifth book in P. B. Kerr's Children of the Lamp series featuring djinn twins John and Philippa Gaunt; and two editions of the worldwide bestseller THREE CUPS OF TEA, Greg Mortenson’s remarkable story of humanitarianism, adapted specifically for younger readers.
 

PEACE, LOCOMOTION by Jacqueline Woodson
Lonnie Collins Motion, the kid poet from Jacqueline Woodson’s LOCOMOTION, is back, this time writing letters instead of poems. He and his younger sibling Lili live in separate foster homes, and as the older brother, Lonnie believes it's his job to remember everything and record it for his baby sister. Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez.

11 BIRTHDAYS by Wendy Mass
It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited. After all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. Combining realism, fantasy and family history, Wendy Mass's new novel also cleverly explores the dynamics of preteen friendships and boy-girl relations --- 11 entertaining times. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

HOTEL FOR DOGS by Lois Duncan
Ten-year-old Andi Walker and her older brother, Bruce, love dogs. But as long as they are living with their Aunt Alice --- who is extremely allergic to canines --- they cannot have a pet. So when a stray shows up on Aunt Alice’s doorstep, Andi and Bruce must find a way to care for it. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

GOLDEN & GREY: A GOOD DAY FOR HAUNTING by Louise Arnold
Following the defeat of the Collector, numerous new hauntings were reported across England, as ghosts and humans alike enjoyed the holiday season. It seemed like the joy would never end. Then January arrives, along with the First Day Back to School, a day often filled with excitement and dread for students of Thorbleton Secondary School. But for Tom Golden, it is also the beginning of yet another daring adventure involving the Ghost World. Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle.

THE SECOND SIEGE: Book Two of The Tapestry by Henry H. Neff
Thirteen-year-old Max McDaniels is psyched for his second year at Rowan Academy. Both he and his best friend, David, already have soared past the abilities of even the oldest students, but they still have much to learn. However, their classes are interrupted by another, far greater task --- they must decipher a coded message, find a key and get their hands on the powerful Book of Thoth before the evil demon Astaroth does. Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman.

WE CAN'T ALL BE RATTLESNAKES by Patrick Jennnings
One day in the hot Arizona desert, a gopher snake was spied and then abducted by a fierce and ruthless predator. She was forced to live in a small box, and a dead mouse was thrown at her for food. The gopher snake tried to scare the predator, hissing and rattling her tail, but her captor was not impressed and kept her prisoner despite her threats and pleas. In his new book, Patrick Jennings tells the tale of that wild and proud gopher snake and the boy who tries to tame her. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

SUNNY HOLIDAY by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Sunny Holiday thinks that every month should have a kid-friendly holiday. So she takes it upon herself to make new holidays for the months that need them, getting her friends and family involved. Sunny is headstrong, funny and trying to make the best out of every situation --- whether it involves holidays or family problems. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.