My Name is Phillis Wheatley

Reach for this book when your child is beginning to ask deep questions about social justice, the value of their own creative voice, or how people found strength in the face of historical oppression. It is an ideal choice for middle schoolers who are moving beyond simple hero narratives and are ready to explore the complex, often painful realities of history through a lens of human dignity and intellectual brilliance. Afua Cooper provides a fictionalized but historically grounded account of Phillis Wheatley, the first published African American poet. The story follows her journey from being kidnapped in West Africa to her life in colonial Boston, where she masterfully used the tools of her captors to claim her own humanity. It is a sophisticated exploration of resilience and identity that validates a child's sense of fairness while celebrating the transformative power of literature.