Tallahassee, FL -- In celebration of Black History Month, the Florida Department of Education’s Just Read Florida! Office today released a recommended reading list which showcases a broad selection of African-American authors and their literary compositions. Students and families across the state are encouraged to explore these selections during Black History Month and throughout the year to gain a better understanding of the many contributions of African-American culture to our society.

“Reading is the foundation for all learning and serves as a continuing source of discovery throughout our lives,” said Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. “This year’s Black History Month Recommended Reading List contains many inspirational selections that are sure to captivate readers of all ages.”

To view this year’s Black History Month Recommended Reading List, visit http://www.justreadflorida.com/BHM.asp. The reading list provides a wide variety of suggested books for students of all ages and grade levels. The website also offers tools for parents to help nurture a reading friendly environment at home, provides links to county and municipal public libraries and tips for parents on reading with their children.

Families can also use the online tool, "Find a Book," to supplement the reading list with other books tailored to a child's interests. Tens of thousands of fiction and nonfiction books are available through "Find a Book" at http://florida.lexile.com. The Department launched the book search last year as a means to match a child's reading ability with a book's text complexity using Lexile® measures. Lexile measures are the most widely adopted reading metrics used in the country, with more than 30 million Lexile measures reported annually from reading assessments and programs - representing more than half of U.S. students.

Just Read, Florida! makes reading a priority in Florida’s public schools and among the community groups and volunteer organizations that support them. For more information about the Department of Education’s Just Read, Florida! office, visit www.justreadflorida.com.