Read on for 25 middle grade books by Black authors across all genres: mystery, fantasy, historical fiction, graphic novel, contemporary, memoir, and verse. Thank you for reading. He does amazing ‘Brain Yoga’ for kids on his Insta: @jasonreynolds83. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. He questions where he really belongs and how it affects his friendships. donald crews is a favorite in our house (kids are 4 & 2)—freight train, ten black dots, and flying are frequently pulled from the shelves. Donald Crews’ board books are essential though. She’s so mischievous – reminds me of why I loved Pippi Longstocking or Ramona Quimby or Matilda! 19 empowering books with Black characters It’s important that children have access to diverse books, and young readers will love these tales of daring heroes, brave kids and great friendships. An easier read — Khalil’s Way by David Miller. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one African-American family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. It has only three words in it, yet manages to beautifully capture the love between a baby and his older brother. I LOVE that these are linked to Mahogany Books in DC. Our entire family (9 year old son, 7 year old daughter, 3 year old son, mom, and dad) loved it so much we wanted to listen to it again. As many as half the people killed by police are disabled, and a third are Black and disabled. My 5th grade daughter’s teacher is currently reading “The Watsons Go to Birmingham” to them every day in their Zoom conference. Thanks for the list! I teach 5th grade and many a reluctant reader zoomed through all of his books. Yes! Lewis, is Little Cliff and the Cold Place. http://christineaplatt.com/book-author/christine-platt/ The great Virginia Hamilton, who died in 2002, wrote 35 books for children and young adults. He writes in a fantastic rhythm with great stories and messages. But it seems like everything is picture books or for middle readers (ie, fourth grade or so)? Are any of these board books? Does anyone know about a black or indigenous book similar store in Canada? Featuring Black characters at the forefront, these stories have positive role models that inspire and empower. All of Kwame Alexander’s books. Roda Ahmed. The absence of these narratives implicitly reinforces the idea that race is something that doesn’t apply to white people and centers white people as “neutral/normal”. We actually can get better at this. “Ways to Make Sunshine” by Renée Watson. My fifth grade students loved Akissi. I submitted “Freight Train” last night but it must not have gone through. Thanks for including some for older kids! Anything by Christopher Paul Curtis (e.g. Additionally, Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (she has so many other excellent MG/YA books as well!) I remember loving that book when I was a kid, fantastic illustrations. This is my 21 month old’s current favorite. I highly recommend Storyline Online. when you can discuss them confidently then you really begin to learn skills from literature and put in place the courage and bravery the author has taught you. Small Black Children's Book Authors Worth Supporting For The Munchkins: 10 Children’s Books By Burgeoning Black Authors To Add To Your Kiddies’ Libraries Posted on June 16, 2020 - … The desire to read more books about girls like herself inspired 11-year-old Marley Dias to take action. Hope this helps! Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American author of YA books – I’ve been enjoying her books recently! Thanks for including books for kids of all ages! In order to grow our small business, Cup of Jo earns revenue in a few different ways. No white person has to be stuck where they are now or where they were yesterday. https://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html. Don’t forget books by Ezra Jack Keats. Easter Parade to name a few. Anything by Vanessa Brantley Newton– She is an amazing illustrator and writer and just a totally inspiring person altogether. We have The Snowy Day as a board book and that’s a forever favorite. Only one author is Black, and over half of the authors are white. It’s a novel in verse for the 8-12 year old range. For a older kids (I read these out loud to my 5 1/2 year old) the “Dragons in a Bag” series by Zetta Elliot are great. Love the idea behind this list! An excellent resource for keeping up with the latest releases by Black authors in children’s and young adult literature is Black Children’s Books and Authors (BCBA). I read that to my son on many nights when he was younger. This is one of my very favorite books from childhood. Activity & Novelty Books Board Books Boxed Sets Chapter Books Guided Reading Levels Media Tie-In Middle Grade Books Picture Books Spanish Language Test Preparation Browse All Children’s Chapter Books Yes, ditto, thanks for the non-amazon links! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. (We had the Kwela Jamela books, and they are great. I am taking notes and saving books on a wishlist, but would love to capture these resources and refer to them again and again in the future. I bought ‘Don’t touch my hair’ after it was listed here. Love this!! The cover is a picture of a girl who looks like a wolf. I think it’s great that you are taking this post as an opportunity to highlight authors of color! My 14-month-old is obsessed with the Leo books! I was coming to say the same thing!! My little guy is 8 months, I want to be sure that the books I’m reading to him, and he’s chewing on (ha), have POC faces. From topics of self-love to finding encouragement, here are 20 children’s books by Black authors that any child will enjoy. I’ve long loved illustrator and author Jerry Pinkney. His autobiography “Words to My Life’s Song” tells of the racism he encountered throughout this life, his unwavering creativity and how he is always making the world a more beautiful place. Ghost is fantastic. Along the way they face the harsh trials of the journey west, but if they can make it to California, they have a chance at a better life. Know that everyone feels it and appreciates it, even folks who are not black themselves! His goal? One of my all-time favorite kids’ books. Let it Shine. Anything by Christian Robinson – Leo, last stop on market street, rain, carmela full of wishes – so many good ones! His Caldecott winning The Lion & the Mouse is a family favorite, but he has so many other wonderful books , and many, if not most are written by black authors. A diverse range of classics, contemporary must-reads, and memoirs you'll definitely wanna fill your time with! She has one for middle school too. grandma’s purse – vanessa brantley newton The author has several other books as well. For Love of the Game. So! (shelved 73 times as childrens-chapter-books) avg rating 4.18 — 1,428,650 ratings — published 1952 My third grader also loved From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. 8 Lists of 100 African American Books by School Grades, K-8 by PimaLib_AngelaH June 27, 2018 A collaboration with a teacher from TUSD on how to best serve the African-American students by encouraging them to read more led to the idea of making a reading list of books … Also, there’s a board book of What a wonderful world with beautiful illustrations that I read to my kids for years. Personal fave: Mia Mayhem – Breaks Down Walls. Only the little kids were not white, which was a huge departure back then. Thank you so much for this list. Fun fact, he’s from Minneapolis. :), Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen! https://www.amazon.com/My-Forever-Guardian-Healing-friends/dp/1734814217/ref=nodl_, https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Ashley-Bryan/706174, https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/mophead-how-your-difference-makes-a-difference/, https://www.amazon.com/Cree-Wins-Day-Lora-Bynum/dp/0692872736/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cree+wins+the+day&qid=1591724388&sr=8-1, https://www.mahoganybooks.com/9780593110416, https://www.mahoganybooks.com/9780316453691, https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Mommys-Khimar/Jamilah-Thompkins-Bigelow/9781534400597, https://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/22/police-killings-disabled-black-people-mental-illness, https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/, http://www.ala.org/rt/emiert/cskbookawards/coretta-scott-king-book-awards-all-recipients-1970-present, https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/multicultural-early-chapter-books-for-kids/, http://christineaplatt.com/book-author/christine-platt/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzW_SBxroAj5hclD4q5KwZw, https://www.vashtiharrison.com/little-leaders, John Derian Lives in a Sea Captain’s House, Behind the Scenes: Making a Magazine Cover. Subscribe to syracuse.com. I heartily recommend it. My daughter loves them. They are short chapter books with lots of pictures about a girl that lives with her extended family in Africa. Yes! Katherine Johnson’s autobiography ‘Reaching for the Moon’ is also good. I saw that reader comment on Friday and love how you have quickly remedied the situation come Monday! My daughter eagerly tunes in every day; she doesn’t want to miss a word of it. Many people might already own Tar Beach but she wrote & illustrated SO many books. His latest You Matter is an essential read for children and adults alike. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. She wrote several children’s books but also several poetry collections, and a wonderful memoir called House of Houses, if you’re interested! ❤️. My Brother Charlie, by Holly Robinson Peete is great. Since many black families are dealing with grief this year, I suggest “My Forever Guardian” by Kristina Jones. We have the big board book and it’s one of my sons favorites! by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi – due to release on June 16th: https://www.mahoganybooks.com/9780593110416, For older kids (older-elementary, middle, and high) and/or for families to read together, the brilliant and necessary, STAMPED: Racism, Antiracism, and You, by Jason Reynolds (author of GHOST) and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi: https://www.mahoganybooks.com/9780316453691. Nowadays, most places will allow you to check more than one when it … Magabala books is a wholly Indigenous publisher with EXCELLENT children’s books as well as books for all ages. Thank you! I love Atinuke’s books! There are some great titles here, including several that I read with my four-year-old on a regular basis. Another black-owned bookstore (in the SF Bay Area) is Ashay by the Bay (www.ashaybythebay.com). While my pre-teens boys have no problem reading picture books or books about girls, it’s nice to have characters they feel closer connections to immediately. Yes! https://www.eyeseeme.com/, Highly recommend Mariame Kaba’s Missing Daddy. I wish that you’d taken full responsibility for the racial bias in the first list. Thank you for this list COJ, there are so many good choices here! This list of Black children’s books by Black authors are ones which you may want to get for the kiddos in your life. Nice list. I came here to suggest the March graphic novels by Congressman John Lewis. I really like ‘Baby Goes to the Market’ and ‘B is for Baby’ by Atinuke. She sets off on a quest to discover why the heart-shaped herb that gives the Black Panther incredible powers is dying. We’ve had that book home from the library a few times. I found about Raven Reads https://ravenreads.org/ an indigenous book subscription. She writes beautiful historical fiction. They are fun to read, too. My son’s favorite baby book was Baby Says by John Steptoe. Thanks for the links! Believe the author and illustrator is also white. Anything by Nicola Yoon, Angie Thomas, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Nic Stone, Kwame Alexander. Matthew Paul Turner’s books are delightful & make me cry each time I read them. She loves when CJ closes his eyes and feels the music :). Spotlight on Black Authors and Characters: Books for Ages 0-8; Don’t Judge a Book By Its Color; 57 Children’s Books Featuring Black Protagonists; Books with Black Characters for Kids 8-12; Powerful Picture Books Teaching Children About African American History; Remember Reading Podcast: Monster by Walter Dean Myers It’s not enough to read books about Black women – we need to support Black women and nonbinary artists and authors. Me and Neesie, Hi Jamie, Any book by or illustrated by Kadir Nelson is a treasure to own. Ryan does her best to overcome life’s struggles, even when her dad has to find a new job or her classmates tease her for having a boy’s name. Next, I’ll be looking for Ghost. 90 $11.99 $11.99. The Watson’s Go to Birmingham or Bud Not Buddy)! Each one features Black characters and all are by Black authors. I love Please, Baby, Please. Suitable, and I’d encourage, for tweens/teens to also view. It’s a beautiful tribute to the diversity and beauty of city life through the great stage that we urban dwellers know so well… the bus! And I so appreciate how Marguerite Abouet wrote them to dismantle the “violent, impoverished Africa” trope, and gave a healthy, beautiful, communal, nuanced narrative that has been missing in literature. So amazing. As Olive Kitteridge said, "There's no such thing as a simple life." They range from fun and zany to gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, and some are a mix. Sam and the tigers by Julius Lester (a retelling and reimagining of an old racist book that he turns into a beautiful story about a smart and brave black boy). Popular Authors. THANK YOU for linking to Mahogany Books! I know that Niki Daly is white though). As a call out, some of the books below will feature biracial children. It may be a lot of work, but I would love a list to books like this similar (or within) your shop page, esp. We loved The Magnificent Maya Tibbs series by Crystal Allen. Although the story itself isn’t written by a black author, The Talking Eggs by Robert Souci, is a Creole folktale and illustrated by Caldecott-award winner Black illustrator Jerry Pinkney. What Are Your Most Beloved Children’s Books? Ghost and the other books in the Track series are so good. Thank you for purchasing from independent booksellers and especially supporting minority-owned businesses. Would love to see more young adult options!! They’re popular at our library! Honey, I Love, also by Eloise Greenfield, is one of my favourite books of children’s poetry. Alberta is the only Black girl in her school’s senenth grade. They both have Black girl protagonist (but they are not written by Black authors). Christopher Myers is a profilic writer of sports-themed chapter books. These are the ways we support Cup of Jo, and allow us to run the site and engage with this community we truly love. Probably already known, but Faith Ringgold is always worth remembering. Just Us Women by Jeanette Caines is a very sweet book about a girl and her aunt. I still stand by my sentiment that saying “some of those authors were white” is a missed opportunity. Check out The Brown Bookcase (https://www.thebrownbookcase.com/about)! by Daniel Bernstrom. Also, PET is a newer release by a black non-binary author. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. We also sometimes earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products we link to. I’ve been thinking recently about how the concept of “growth mindset” can apply to white people learning how to be anti-racist. It’s hard enough finding books for Black boys at all, let alone finding chapter books for black boys that have Black characters or are written by Black authors… These books may not have been around when I was growing up, but I am going to start giving them as birthday gifts to the little ones in my life. My son had it memorized very quickly! Victoria Aveyard Cassandra Clare Sarah Dessen John Green Sarah J ... African Americans - Kids Fiction: Books. What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You’ve Ever Read? That is so interesting to hear. He wrote of the 2017-2018 Texas Bluebonnet books, Whoosh!, about Lonnie Johnson, the creator of the Super Soaker (it was my school’s favorite Bluebonnet book that year). if it takes into account the wonderful suggestions in the comments. I would love to see more discussion on CoJ around how White families can discuss Whiteness and White privilege with their children. There was nothing better than being told stories about princesses, magical adventures, mythical creatures, and fun loving animals as we slowly drifted into dream land with our trusty blanket in tow. I don’t have kids of my own but am always looking for gift ideas for friends’ kids. We cover everything from fashion to culture to parenthood, and we strive to be authentic. here’s one from a New Zealand / Pacific writer: Mophead: How Your Difference Makes a Difference by Selina Tusitala Marsh https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/mophead-how-your-difference-makes-a-difference/. Visit www.onlib.org or call (315) 435-1900 to check them out! julian is a mermaid – jessica love Check them out here. Add on our preference for chapter books that are representative of our culture and it’s just plain difficult. thank you so much Ka, I did a little research and I love his work and his life is inspiring. I can’t wait to read them together! Saving this for gift ideas for my niece and nephew! Freight Train by Donald Crews! (Top illustration by Bryan Collier from the book Trombone Shorty.). “The Only Black Girls in Town” by Brandy Colbert. Beautiful prose about the Stolen Generation. I would love some recommendations for children’s books with Asian and/or Latinx authors and characters. I haven’t read it yet but it is high on my list! My 9 year old son and I read Ghost together and I enjoyed it as much as he did and it lead to so many good conversations. What’s more, they tell important stories in straightforward, yet gentle ways that open kids eyes to the world around them. Also, a great resource for books written or illustrated by POC is the ALA’s Coretta Scott King Award list. Christian Robinson is wonderful too! Many of these lists have all been picture books and girl-centric. Find any video of him being interviewed/speaking and it is inspiring. I would also check out anything by Jason Reynolds and Kwame Alexander. Thank you! Please check out books by Yuyi Morales, Duncan Tonatiuh, Matt de la Peña, Alma Flor Ada, Isabel Quintero and Juana Martinez-Neal. A source for books representing racially diverse, LGBTQ+, and other currently underrepresented identities in children’s books is Ourshelves.com. A great book! Please, Baby, Please comes in a board book! Peekaboo Morning and Leo Loves Baby Time are great and come in board book. I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this already in the comments, but our family would HIGHLY recommend the Audio Version of the book of New Kid as well. Its about diversity, love, family and skin tone with playful poems for kids to read. He has an amazing read-along and creative YouTube series right now. Sarah and her family set off on the Oregon Trail. These are affiliate links and all proceeds earned will be donated to the NAACP. Please keep sharing. Jacqueline Woodside has a lot of picture books on topic. Great series. the paperboy – dav pilkey, I have sent this list to my local library! “Shuri: A Black Panther Novel” by Nic Stone. We have been doing it together with my son’s kindergarten class! This is awesome — thank you so much!!! For older readers, the “Children of Blood and Bone” books by Tomi Adeyemi stand out. The book helped my son heal from the loss of so many people and things this year. https://www.mahoganybooks.com/yabundle-1. I was introduced to them in the late 1980s via a children’s literature class. by Trish Cooke is wonderful – and so much fun to read! I think it might be good for a wide range of ages, but might be particularly well suited for pre-teen boys! Saturday by Oge Mora is wonderful! Anything by Brandy Colbert is worth a read – her YA and MG books focus on black stories that aren’t centered around pain and violence. Tiffany Haddish, Karamo Brown, Lupita Nyong'o, and more will all make appearances in Netflix's new kids show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices. When I was 12 I read ‘Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry’. I really liked the previous post about black businesses. Become an exceptional fencer. Not My Idea by Anastasia Higginbotham is one such book, and I understand that Race Cars is another, but there are not many books on this topic. My kids have been watching regularly during quarantine and particularly love hearing Oprah read the Hula Hoopin Queen. Three of the four currently released titles features a woman of color (Madame C.J. Came here to comment the same! On the topic of black children in classic picture books, I loved Corduroy growing up! Kelsey has finished writing her second book and is looking for a publisher. He has been making books for decades. Visit bcbooksandauthors.com to see newly published books and read author interviews. My 12-year-old just eats them up. Thank you for all of these suggestions. You have already started the work and have expanded your content and contributors to cover all people. There are also many great videos of her talking about her work and inspiration. Princess Shuri is already an accomplished scientist – even if she is only 13. Then as for chapter fun chapter books: anyone a fan of the Little Shaq series by Shaquille O’Neal? He is a very, very special person and his books are so, so beautiful (his fine art, too which is in museums and galleries)—and—consider this—despite publishing amazing books for years and having the heart of a true artist, he’s never won a Caldecott. Really great list here and I greatly appreciate the way you linked to independent bookstores rather than amazon! The Jaden Toussaint series by Marti Dumas is fabulous, particularly for kids who love music. 1 - 20 of 1014 results Grid View Grid. I love sharing her books with young children. Children’s books with female characters, and five books to teach kids kindness. I think that’s telling and is, in its own way, a form of injustice and privilege. The reason I got so much out of this book is because I had an amazing teacher who was happy to discuss all the themes I was reading about. Thank you. Newbery winner! We've decided to accept the challenge and read children’s books written by Black authors for Black History Month. Thank you for featuring books written by black authors- and thanks for naming how you didn’t do that last time. “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson is so beautiful, Yes! From their About page: “The Brown Bookcase is an independent bookstore founded by 9 year old, Rylei, in order to display diversity in children and teen books. You are obviously working hard to be responsive to current events, and it’s appreciated. my daughter loves please baby please and it’s a board book! Don’t miss Kelly Starling Lyons… She’s an amazing author. Kevin Lewis writes fun picture books for young kids who like vehicles! Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, a 1991 Caldecott winner. It is such a great book as is the rest of that series – Patina, Lu and Sunny. We just watched Trombone Shorty on Storyline Online, what a great book! She won every major children’s literature award and the American Library Assn gives an annual award in her memory. We have been reading the Rebel Girls new chapter book series. “A Snowy Day” and “Whistle for Willie” are the two that stand out in my mind the most, but there are more. View Gallery 20 Photos 1 of 20 ‘Hair Love’ by Matthew A. Cherry. I read this book over and over and over again as a kid, and have such vivid, visceral memories as a 9-year-old empathizing and trying to contemplate what growing up Black in the Jim Crow South might’ve been like and feeling like the main character Cassie was one of my friends. I have noticed your shift to inclusivity over the past couple of years. Thank you for stepping up before it was popular. When Janie takes a necklace from the burned-down ruins of Creek Church, she unknowingly disturbs its restless spirits and stirs up the town’s troubled past. Did you read along with the text? Her stories are based in West Africa and awesome. See more ideas about books, childrens books, picture book. When Edie moves to town, the two girls form a friendship over their shared cultural identity, despite their very different personalities. The animated short for Hair Love is wonderful! We love the book “Last stop on Market Street” by a Latinx author and Black illustrator. It’s a wonderful book about a Black child with autism. But the stories should be able to be understood and there are beautiful illustrations to highlight the narrative. Chugga Chugga Choo-Choo was one of my son’s very favorite books when he was around age 3. Anything written or illustrated by Christian Robinson!! Also check out the books adapted from Bob Marley songs by his daughter Cedella! You could order them from Blue Cypress Books or Octavia Books in New Orleans–she’s a local author there and they keep them stocked. Highly recommend. We feature only items we genuinely love and want to share, and this is an arrangement between the retailer and Cup of Jo (readers never pay more for products). I looked at his website (https://dontate.com/) and he is also a founding member of a blog called The Brown Bookshelf, which is dedicated to promoting youth literature created by black authors (per his website). Thank you for creating this list. It’s a beautiful book! June 12, 2020 4:52pm / Reply. Aspiring pastry chef Zoe has big plans for her future. One of my daughters is really into space and NASA ;). Shop their recommendations on children's books … I am a librarian and I am constantly recommending Ghost to students. Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea (!) Spam or Self-Promotional The list is spam or self-promotional. More more more said the baby is a sweet simple one my kids loved. 4.9 out of 5 stars 3,566. From historical and cultural traditions to STEM subjects and finances, Black authors address every subject in this list of children’s books we’ve curated. It’s is for sale on Amazon.com. Here's a great article about the challenge from BookRiot. I got chills reading The Undefeated with my kids! This one is for older elementary, but I cannot highly enough recommend Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. Inappropriate The list (including its title or description) facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow Goodreads member or author. Sharon M. Draper has two novels that would make good read aloud for a 6-7 year old: Out of My Mind and Blended. Kaba is a leading organizer and educator for racial justice, The author is white, however. Grace Byers – I Believe I Can and I am Enough. Leo Learns to Swim is another. Diane Alber. We love any children’s book illustrated by Kadir Nelson! Their book, My Place is an essential read. Seems to be flying under the radar but is totally charming. sweet board book by Jabari Asim. Thank you for reading! DC writer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_(comics). Just want to add Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon (more for high schoolers), Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, and Crossover by Kwame Alexander. She chose New Kid as her Christmas gift to her cousins this past year because she wanted to share the love! It’s important for children to see themselves reflected in the books they read and in the authors that write those books. Don Tate is an author and illustrator, and a lovely person in general. One of my favorite books growing up as a child was Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, by John Steptoe. She launched a campaign, using the hashtag #1000BlackGirlBooks, to collect 1,000 books featuring black female protagonists and donate them to a school in … by Oge Mora, anything illustrated by Christian Robinson, and Bedtime for Sweet Creatures by Nikki Grimes. For middle and large humans, Mae Jemison’s memoir ‘Find Where The Wind Goes’ is a good read. I went to college with the author, Ti, and would love to see her get a wave of books sold, plus the reviews are great! https://www.vashtiharrison.com/little-leaders, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575904/akissi-tales-of-mischief-by-marguerite-abouet-and-mathieu-sapin/. Lovely book about consent which my kids have asked for again and again. My son is a big fan of Kwame Alexander’s books (Crossover, Rebound, Booked). He posts lots of read alouds, social/emotional talks, and art demonstrations :). Children Book authors and avid readers contributed their favorite children’s Books to a list of the, “Top 150 Recommended African-American Children’s Books.” AALBC.com: Selling Black Books Since 1997 ★ Black Books are for Everyone AALBC.com: Selling Black Books Since 1997 ★ My Daddy and I, The whole thing is incredible! I’ve had to do some pretty deep digging to come up with really good chapter books with black main characters. For independent reading, here are two early reader series to check out: Polly Diamond and Mia Mayhem. by Matthew Paul Turner and David Catrow | Feb 28, 2017. A very different book than Mae Jamison’s. I must say reading the book is half the story ( pun!!!) Try Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke. The author will be doing read-alouds on Instagram Live of her book Mae Among the Stars. And Fremantle Press also has an Indigenous charter. Anything by Ashley Bryan—at almost 100 (!) My mommy’s khimar – wonderful story about a little girl and the scarves her mother wears https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Mommys-Khimar/Jamilah-Thompkins-Bigelow/9781534400597. Also, I know the author is white, but I just love Jabari Jumps….by Gaia Cornwall. They are not books about black children or race or ethnicity, they are great stories about a boy growing up on a game preserve in Africa. :-). We had checked it out from the library but my daughter asked me to buy the book this week because she plans to re-read it “lots, mom.” So much to like about this book as Zoe navigates friendships, pursues a passion for baking, and learns about/works to correct inequality in the criminal justice system. Other YA authors: Sherri L Smith, Ibi Zoboi, Steph Keuhn are just a few other authors to check out. I do love A Snowy Day regardless…, oh my gosh I completely forgot about A Snowy Day! The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander is a picture book that celebrates Black excellence and won the 2020 Caldecott Medal as well as a Newbery Honor. And that’s powerful. Anti-Racist Baby, a board book (!) Love this! Looking at original post from 2016, I am incorrect that all but one author on the original list is white. New chapter books for kids by Black authors Updated Jul 15, 2020; Posted Jul 15, 2020 Explore newly released children's chapter books by Black authors, available at … I love that you linked us to a family owned bookstore for these selections. A very distinct choice that does not go unnoticed- when others are still linking to their Amazon affiliates. Hosted by … As always, thank you. I just finished ‘Brown Girl Dreaming’ last night. Our 12-year-old son just finished Miles Morales Spider-Man, which my husband and I also read. I also love Islandborn by Junot Diaz and Leo Espinosa! My 5.5 yo watched it and couldn’t stop hugging me after that. If you’d like some Australian content. Great for middle readers (4th-8th grade). Reading one of her books each day on Facebook! He makes amazing art—puppets of beach refuse, stained glass windows out of beach glass, cut paper illustrations using his mother’s sewing scissors. He has some, but there’s still alot more white faces than others. We love Donald Crews books too. Mac Barnett. ? That’s where we’ve been trying to purchase from also. Thank you!! My daughter LOVES Ghost and the other two books on the bottom row of recommendations: Brown Girl Dreaming and New Kid. My 8 year old son loves The Clubhouse Mystery series. “Black Brother, Black Brother” by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Librarian here – Mia Mayhem is a great early reader chapter book series by Kara West and Leeza Hernandez. We read it with our second grader and it prompted such good dialogue. These books are must-reads to add to your 2019 list of books … ‘I was having trouble finding books to read with characters that look like me and that I could relate to. Spotlight on Black Authors and Characters: Books for Ages 0-8 Picture books can be impressive and effective tools to help teach young children about both history and modern-day life. Here’s the list—it goes back 50 years! Stephen Colbert had him on a few months ago. Same here! Thank you so much for not linking to Amazon and for choosing Mahogany Books. Soup Day by Melissa Iwai was a favorite of my daughter’s :). Feast for 10 is one of my kids favorites and now as a 4 yo, he helps me read the numbers. She wrote “How Old is Grandma?”. (written by Clifton L. Taulbert). Credit: Little, Brown Little Leaders, by Vashti Harrison This gorgeous book tells the stories of 40 black women who have … My nephews loved Beautful Blackbird and Also check out his youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzW_SBxroAj5hclD4q5KwZw. As we actively work to diversify our children’s libraries and literary experiences, please think about adding books about children of color with disabilities as well. Nathaniel Talking by Eloise Greenfield. Racial segregation repulsed me but the amazing writing style drew me in. We’d love to hear…. I would love to see some of the fashion posts you do with a focus on black designers:) Or some of the posts you do about where to buy affordable art with a focus on black artists. Love this! Welcome! For kids a little older, When I Get Older: the Story Behind “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan is a beautiful and timely story about K’naan’s own life as a refugee from Somalia – first to New York, then to Toronto. Both are big hits with my two year old. Whose Toes are Those? The Last, Last Day of Summer by L. R Giles is a fun chapter book. We love Anna Hibiscus’s adventures, too, and Atinuke’s picture books! Agree it’s a wonderful book and always worth revisiting; just wanted to point out The Snowy Day was already featured on the COJ post from a few years ago that’s linked here! Wonderful author, she’s 91 now and Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Looking back that book opened my view on the world and society and I think it is ESSENTIAL reading for ALL young teenagers and adults. <3. Love! Faith Ringgold is an incredible artist and author. Here are 15 we like…, Any others to add to the list? Christine Platt! Both are African American women. Her chapter on The Angry Black … Great list! I don’t think Ezra Jack Keats is Black (despite featuring Black children in his books). 1-16 of over 8,000 results for "childrens books by black authors" Best Seller in Children's Christian Social Issues Fiction. He burst onto the kiddy lit scene back in the 1960s with his fabulous books about little kids doing ordinary stuff. Andrea Pinkney wrote a book about Ezra Jack Keats called a Poem for Peter. 17 Books Every Black Child Should Read It's World Book Day! This is a mix of current and older titles. Thirteen-year-old King struggles to process the death of his older brother while holding onto the fear that his father will reject him for being gay. However, I think that saying “some of those authors were white” about the original post is shirking responsibility on your end. “Please Baby Please” is a treasured family favorite. https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/multicultural-early-chapter-books-for-kids/. I would add Belle, the last mule at Gee’s Bend and The Green Book by Calvin Ramsey…I read these to my 3rd and 4th graders every year. Donte decides to take matters into his own hands after being continuously bullied at school. I’d bet many of your readers here have checked his books out from the library and/or would recognize them even if they didn’t realize he was the author. Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold is absolutely magical. Julian is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love. I think it’s important to support books whose authors represent the communities portrayed in their books! Being honest and forthright about our past mistakes is a painful but important part of unlearning racism. For babies and toddlers: So Much! Thank you for the list, and thank you for not linking to Amazon, but to Mahogany. oooh, I was coming to ask the same thing – thank you for the suggestion! This page has a lot of great early chapter book recs! I loved it so much I stole a copy from my school library that I still have today. Incorrect Book The list contains an … A book written by Ashley Sirah Chea and illustrated by Vanessa Newton. 42 Amazing Books Written By Black Authors. http://www.ala.org/rt/emiert/cskbookawards/coretta-scott-king-book-awards-all-recipients-1970-present. So, I wanted to start a bookstore for kids to be able to find books they are able to identify with.'”. But when she receives a letter from her biological father in prison, she becomes determined to prove his innocence. Also ordering “Lullaby” which I will definitely make me cry. As he gets used to his new duties, he discovers that Lord Foxglove has evil intentions for the entire town. A book that deals with the toxicity of racism and white supremacy is Dig by A.S. King — it’s more of a teen book than a younger children’s book, but very good for the points you bring up. An oldie but goodie and my absolute favorite Jacqueline Woodson picture book: The Other Side (illustrations by E.B. I am leading a Summer Reading Book Club on ‘New Kid’ and told students NOT to order the audio book because it’s a graphic novel. Bruce Pascoe is the author of Dark Emu and Sally Morgan is the author of My Place. Second! I heard great positive things about it. Pat Mora is an amazing Chicana writer, and all her books have Latinx characters. Some of our family’s faves are “Freight Train,” “Shortcut” & “Night at the Fair.”. I’m sorry for my mistake. Jason Reynolds is always a fantastic writer but he really excels with that series. Inspirational for young women. She has done many varied and interesting things in her life, and sprinkles good life lessons and advice throughout. -one of our all-time family favorites! Please baby please was one of my boys’ favorites. Naming how you didn’t get it quite right last time around shows that growth mindset. For a middle grade reader, I’d recommend From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. P.S. I buy this for every late elementary kid in my world, and I recommend for adults too! 8 Triumphant African American Chapter Books. Michael Jordan and me, The two also collaborated on a few more Children’s books; such as, Anything that Kadir Nelson had his hands in is guaranteed to be amazing…some of his works are We Are the Ship, The Undefeated, Heart and Soul, Henry’s Freedom Box. Lewis). I am not talking about this post or any from the past week. The writing level is appropriate for upper elementary, but our entire family ended up listening to it as a read-aloud book because we were all interested. His books are great, but this post is about books my Black authors, which Keats is not. By Cara Luddy, Communications Assistant at Central Library. The Last, Last Day of Summer by L. R Giles is a fun chapter book. Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed – inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison, this is my #1 go-to book gift for little humans! The characters are 10-12, but the stories are fine for younger kids. ron’s big mission – rose blue Does anyone have suggestions for books about black children by POC that are early chapter books? Thank you. It’s my go-to birthday gift for little people :). When Rory’s mom has trouble making ends meet, he takes on a job at the creepy Foxglove Manor. It is a book I wish I could have had for my children when they were little! When God Made You. As a kid, growing up, there weren't many black characters in the books I coveted so much. Just found this awesome app called “We Read Too” that has a huge list of books featuring BOPOC characters divided into age ranges from picture book to YA. Here is a great resource: https://thebrownbookshelf.com/. received the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author Award! Agreed Rose. Bestselling authors, Vashti Harrison and Renee Watson, say books about black resilience, joy and self-love are of the utmost importance. A lovely delight. It also comes with a downloadable activity book for kids to begin using their voices by writing to their local officials (phenomenalgirl.com). Yes, Ashley Bryan is wonderful! If you are looking for books for older kids, check out Harriette Robinet. Really well narrated and entertaining. His artwork is distinctive, simple and beautiful. I saw the animated short for “Hair Love.” So beautiful and sad at the same time. Be cautious and do your research when searching #Ownvoices authors – I’ve come across so many reading lists who include books featuring Black characters by white authors and claim they are written by Black authors. And yes, Ezra Jack Keats was white. We publish several sponsored posts each month, which are always labeled at the top. I love this so much. Another great Black owned book store is Eye See Me out of St. Louis: Hardcover $6.90 $ 6. Black Children's Books: Our Favorite Stories For African American Youngsters Bedtime reading is one of our favorite childhood memories. https://www.mahoganybooks.com/children/, They also curate bundles, such as this one for young readers: They are board books and so fun to sing together! All rights reserved (About Us). Adding a book to the list by a friend’s grandmother. Something a 6-7 year old could relate to but not a picture book? Someone may have already posted this, but if you missed it, watch the KidsLit4BlackLives Rally from last Thursday, put on by the Brown Bookshelf (https://thebrownbookshelf.com/). https://www.missingdaddy.net/. Look up illustrator Shane Evans’ books. He is a gifted artist, writer, and illustrator who calls a small island in Maine his home. That would be so wonderful! The Akimbo books by Alexander McCall Smith are wonderful. I read With the Fire on High and Poet X earlier this year and currently have Clap When You Land on hold at my library :), All of Ashley Bryan’s books are phenomenal. 7 Travel-Themed Children’s Books By Black Authors Your Family Needs February 3, 2020 Destinations , Lifestyle , Lifestyle , Product Reviews , Reviews , Travel Tips When I started my blogging journey nearly four years ago my goal was to inspire parents to travel the world with their kids while providing tips to make it easier and affordable . Mahogany books (mahoganybooks.com) is a black-owned bookstore which has a great selection, and have an online store. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. These authors are offering read-alouds of their books and books by their favorite authors. I second Pat Mora! I think my daughter is going to love that book. It’s about a black 8 year old girl who finds out she’s not a super klutz, she’s a super hero! Another bookstore I will be ordering from is Semicolon, Chicago’s only black woman-owned bookstore. Another oldie but goodie favorite, also illustrated by the wonderful E.B. These books can help start those conversations. The author will be reading a book a day on Instagram Live. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/22/police-killings-disabled-black-people-mental-illness. Her books include Zeely, The House of Dies Drear, MC Higgins the Great, The Planet of Junior Brown, and The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. Yes to Storyline Online! He attended Cooper Union (the only Black student at the time) and was accepted only because Cooper Union had a blind admissions process (you basically submitted a tray of your artwork). Just laughed out loud at the description of “please baby please.” As a mother of a spirited 19 month old with an affinity for climbing I probably udder those words 100 times per day. I hope Atinuke writes more!! https://www.amazon.com/My-Forever-Guardian-Healing-friends/dp/1734814217/ref=nodl_, Love this list! Stephen is biracial, but he’s beginning to realize that people will always see him as Black. Max and the Tag Along Moon is one of our favorites! Yes Jason Reynolds! I highly recommend it. While it’s wonderful and necessary to have diverse and affirming representations of BIPOC kids and communities (which we need more of, especially given the diversity problem in children’s literature), it’s also critical that families (and specifically white families) have access to stories that explicitly name and deal with Whiteness and White privilege, that provide parents with tools and resources to start talking with children about these topics from a young age. https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Ashley-Bryan/706174. I’d also recommend The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas for middle school and up. We have Baby Goes to Market and B is for Baby. Get breaking news coverage as events unfold. I’m sorry, I made a mistake in my post! I just ordered four books for my kids (ages 0-4). Slightly breaks and re-heals my heart each time as a working parent. Oge Mora One Mora is a talented author and illustrator with three books under her belt (a … here are a few of our ***heart-thumping favorite*** picture books (age 0-7) featuring main characters who are Black: the chicken chasing queen of lamar county – janice harrington [chapter book, ages 10 and up] Has everything listed here and a lot more. I would suggest Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea, by Meena Harris. Tar Beach made a big impression on me when I was a kid, especially in my school of mostly non-black students. I read the third book in the March series first and loved it. My 12 year old daughter Kelsey Thomas has written a epic fantasy called “Call of the Wolves”. Please check out Cree Wins the Day (linking on Amazon, sorry: https://www.amazon.com/Cree-Wins-Day-Lora-Bynum/dp/0692872736/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cree+wins+the+day&qid=1591724388&sr=8-1). – author Meena Harris, Kamala’s niece, just released it last week. Today, we wanted to feature great children’s books written by Black authors. If you have a 10-12 year old (especially one that loves track!) I am so excited to look up the other books in your article and in the comments. I loved this book as a kid. We also loved the Anna Hibiscus series (early chapter books) by Atinuke about a delightful, elementary school aged girl in contemporary Africa (& a bit in Canada). Some folks were looking for baby books and Gabrielle Union wrote Welcome to the Party which looks very sweet. I wanted to thank cupofjo for their continued inclusion of BPOC on the blog. “Leaving Lymon” by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Has anyone signed up for it? Please check out the A Kids Book About (insert a whole bunch of compelling topics) series (https://akidsbookabout.com/), founded by Portland author Jelani Memory, who wrote the first one, A Kids Book About Racism for his kids only, and then the whole company sprouted from there. Vashti Harrison’s Little Leaders books on exceptional men and women in Black history are so good. “Sarah Journeys West” by Nikki Shannon Smith. Many, though not all, of the authors share the identities of the characters. All but one author on your original list was white! There are so many more, enjoy! We all loved it. Today we celebrate the books that will broaden your child's imagination and open new worlds of discovery and self-love. Years ago, we wrote a post about books featuring characters of color, but a reader pointed out that some of those authors were white. I just bought the first 3 books for my 8 year old from Ashay by the Bay bookstore <3. Walker, Dr. Wangari Maathai, and Junko Tabei) and they are beautifully written and designed. Bonus – it gets kids acquainted with our (maybe) future VP. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia as well as her other books are good for middle readers. He came and did an author visit at my elementary school library in January 2019 and the kiddos LOVED him. Add these eight new children’s books by black authors and illustrators to your kids' shelves this month—and read them all year long. My kids are white, and they definitely need to learn about their own whiteness and about the challenges that people of color face, but I also want them to be able to read books with children of color as the protagonists, given that still the vast majority of children’s books are illustrated with white kids. Rita Williams Garcia is a magician! My daughter and I love Eva Chen’s books. http://nanasbookshelf.com/where-to-buy/. Was just coming here to say illustrator Christina Robinson is AMAZING!! Her Jada Jones series is a great early chapter book series. Thank you Omu by the same author is lovely as well. he’s still making picture books and was the 1st Black person to publish a book as an author and an illustrator. Really well done and an interesting, unexpected plot twist. Here’s another one about learning disabilities, Nelson Beats the Odds by Ronnie Sidney II. May I suggest The Soil is Good by Tori Johnson-Jones? Explore newly released children's chapter books by Black authors, available at Onondaga County Public Libraries. what a character! We bought a bunch of new books by Black authors and our favorites are ,” Mufaro’s beautiful daughters,” (its won a caldecott award and was by the 1st Black children’s illustrator) and a new one, “A good kind of trouble” for my 13 year old and she loves it!! They’re sort of magical realism for kids – a magic portal in Prospect Park leads to a magic world :). This was a missed opportunity for you to model that process. Ghost by Jason Reynolds is a great book, my 11-year-old son loved to read, who is not a big reader and I also could not stop reading it. “From the Desk of Zoe Washington” by Janae Marks. “King and the Dragonflies” by Kacen Callender. An accessible and inspiring story about the impact dedicated individuals – and even children – can have shaping our communities. https://crystalallenbooks.com/books.php. It’s a sweet, intergenerational story–-great for young kids to read with their grandparents! In this series of posts I’m going to list our Top Five Favorite Chapter Books for Black Boys. Christopher Myers is a profilic writer of sports-themed chapter books. I also enjoyed his autobiography for children which is inspiring. I haven’t field tested it with a teenager, but I feel that it would have been a useful read for me in my college years. We love ONE DAY IN THE EUCALYPTUS, EUCALYPTUS TREE and GATOR, GATOR, GATOR! And I love that they link to an independent bookstore. Given out each year to novels and picture books at the same conference that awards the Newbery and Caldecott, the Coretta Scott King Award goes to Black writers and illustrators. We second The Watsons Go To Birmingham! They are so fun to read and have beautiful illustrations. I love that some of these books have a clear lesson related to race, and some are simply books. Jul 19, 2018 - Explore Shaneka B's board "Children books by African American Authors", followed by 115 people on Pinterest. A Cup of Jo is a daily lifestyle site for women. But an interesting twist is this: there are many, many more chapter books targeted for black girls than for black boys. My phone is going to give out any minute so this one I am adding in haste (but possibly is on the list)… The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Jason Reynolds. I love Grandma’s Tiny House by JaNay Brown-Wood, Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Brown Baby Lullaby by Tameka Fryer Brown, both Saturday and Thank You, Omu! Link to the rally: https://youtu.be/fElXu_MdRrs, Donald Crews is a wonderful Black illustrator and author. I second this recommendation. A companion book to “Finding Langston.” Cline-Ransome adds depth to Lymon’s character and details his family’s struggles and experiences during America’s Great Migration. They feature great books and Trombone Shorty was read by Angela Bassett which was very entertaining. Sorry, I should have added that you could probably read the Rebel Girls series to a child around the age of 7-8 (some words will be difficult for them to read on their own). Dark Emu is well regarded and available in kids, middle, and adult reader formats. I just found out about this incredible resource, which features booklists categorized by different social justice issues: https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/. Parents with kids who love vehicles can appreciate a genuinely entertaining vehicle book… ;). The following books by black authors (in alphabetic order by title) were published in 2018 and fall under a wide range of genres. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). So happy to read this! Great for kids ages 8-12. We get quarterly book boxes, one of my daughter’s favorite books from the box is Baby Goes to Market by Atinuke. LOVE LOVE LOVE Anna hibiscus series in our house. Also, he is FANTASTIC. We had that book when my now-nine-year-old twins were babies and seeing this comment, I got hit with a wave of nostalgia! 14 Genius Tips for Living in a Small Space, This Cozy Minnesota Home Will Make You Want a Candelabra. It is truly beautiful and thought-provoking. The graphic novel style drew in my non-readers. Thank you for linking to Mahogany Books instead of Amazon so that people can support a black owned small business! The following books are available at Onondaga County Public Libraries.
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