Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malcolm X | 1992 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 2 | Portrait of Mary | 1994 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 3 | Talkin’ About Bessie | 1998 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 4 | Tai Chi Morning | 2004 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 5 | Barack Obama | 2008 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 6 | Out of the Dark | 2009 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 7 | Words with Wings | 2013 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 8 | Ordinary Hazards | 2019 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
| 9 | Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice | 2020 | Nikki Grimes | Buy |
Nikki Grimes’s non-fiction work includes biographies, memoir, and educational titles published between 1992 and 2020. Her biographical subjects range from Malcolm X and Bessie Coleman to Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, written for young readers and illustrated with care.
Ordinary Hazards, her 2019 verse memoir, stands out as her most personal non-fiction work. It recounts her childhood in foster care and the role that reading and writing played in helping her get through difficult years. The book received wide praise for its honesty and was a National Book Award finalist. Her other non-fiction titles bring historical and contemporary figures to life for younger audiences.