Hello, Crochet Friends!, by Jonah and Jennifer Larson and photographed by Erin Harris

 

BUY HERE (or, even better, request at your local library!)

Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas, by Gwendolyn Hooks

 

BUY HERE (or, even better, request at your local library)

Rocket Says Look Up and Rocket Says Clean Up, by Nathan Bryon and illustrated by Dapa Adeola

 

BUY HERE (Look) and BUY HERE (Clean) (or, even better, request at your local library)

The Day You Begin, by Jacqueline Woodson

The Day You Begin focuses on children who feel different, for reasons such as the way they look, how much money their family has,  or the language they speak. It truly captures the feeling of aloneness and otherness, as well as the courage it takes to announce your otherness to the world and go forth and find commonality with others.  This isn't the type of book I'd typically recommend - it doesn't have a linear plot - but my son and I were both entranced by the emotions so perfectly captured in this book that, for once, it didn't matter.  

BUY HERE (or, even better, request at your local library)

Don't Touch My Hair, by Sharee Miller

Aria loves her hair but is fed up with everyone attempting to touch it.  She devises elaborate avoidance techniques, hides in the bushes, and even runs away to the tallest castle, but people (or fantastical creatures) STILL try and touch her hair. She finally gets fed up and yells "DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR!" and elaborates that people need to ask permission and respect her wishes.

It's simple but effective. To be honest, I somewhat reluctantly picked up Don't Touch My Hair by author-illustrator Sharee Miller, thinking my son probably wouldn't be interested and there wouldn't be much of a story involved. We've read a lot of books (seriously, so so many) that celebrate Black hair, but don't go beyond that and tell any sort of story to grab a child's interest. This and Bippity Bop Barbershop are the only two that my son has actually enjoyed and requested again.   

BUY HERE (or, even better, request at your local library)

Clubhouse Mysteries Series, by Sharon Draper

We're currently five books into the six book Clubhouse Mystery series written by Sharon Draper and my son is obsessed.  I wasn't sure how he'd take to these books - especially given their age (they're about 15 years old) - but he's taken with how "real life" they are.  The series follows four Black boys with distinct personalities and families as they form a club and go on various adventures - from attending a space camp together to finding a young fawn and raising him until he's old enough to go to a local wildlife center.  His favorite character is currently Ziggy, a charismatic and outgoing boy who is always putting together wacky outfits and eating odd food combinations, who he finds absolutely hilarious.  I think his obsession with the realism is that so many of the books we read have some form of magic or preposterous situation, while my son can actually envision himself in the situations in these books.  

Some of the books touch on slavery, in particular Lost in the Tunnel of Time (in which they boys stumble upon an old tunnel from the Underground Railroad).  And I did find myself changing some of the words in Shadows of Caesar's Creek, in which the children learn about the Shawnee tribe, as some of the language was outdated.  However, these books have been invaluable and I'm positive that my son will revisit them several times over the next few years.

BUY HERE (or, even better, request at your local library)

The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, by Lamar Giles

I read The Last Last-Day-of-Summer out loud to my son in the days leading up to his first day of 1st grade.  We both loved it.  Some of the jokes and references were over his head, but he was generally able to follow the plot and was beginning to continue reading at the end of each chapter.  

The two main characters are Otto and Sheed Alston, Black cousins famous for their otherworldly adventures in their unusual town.  They are extremely close and both live with their grandmother (why this is or where their parents are goes unmentioned) and their main competitors are two Black sisters - one a wizard at robotics and the other nicknamed "Wiki" for the vast amount of knowledge she carries around in her head.  There's a nice aside at one point where Otto recalls his grandmother's reminder never to touch anyone without their permission - even if their body is frozen in time - and asks Wiki if he can touch her arm to unfreeze her.  

The book is a long and engaging read full of adventure, traps, "manuevers" to escape tricky situations, complex relationships, and richly drawn characters.  We're already eagerly waiting for the next book, and though we borrowed this from the library it may be one of the few we purchase to keep on the bookshelf for years to come.  

BUY HERE (or, even better, request at your local library)

The Bat Boy & His Violin, by Gavin Curtis

Reginald, a young black boy who excels at the violin, lives with a father who prefers baseball, and in fact manages the Dukes - a team in the Negro National League.  His father signs him up to be bat boy, a task Reginald is largely uninterested in.  However, it turns out that the players love Reginald's music and it even seems to inspire them to play better!

This book was a natural fit for my sports (and music) obsessed son.  It does require that your child have a basic understanding of discrimination - the book is set in 1948, when baseball teams are becoming integrated but at the same time the Dukes aren't able to find a hotel to sleep in the night before their big game (with one clerk stating "We don't exactly cotton to coloreds sleepin' in our beds").  If your child loves Jackie Robinson as much as mine, this will deepen their understanding of his bravery and historical significance.

An added bonus is that this book is both written and illustrated by black men!

BUY HERE (or request at your local library!)

The Day Santa Got Sick, by Deanne Samuels

Finally!  A Christmas book that features a black Santa.  I stumbled across this on Amazon and instantly ordered it.  And even better, the two other main characters are also black -- Mrs. Claus ("Coretta" in this book) and Ella Elf.  My son and I were both thrilled when this book arrived and read it immediately.

The story itself is fine.  Santa gets sick and has to find someone else to deliver the presents, but there are drawbacks to all the volunteers (a Snowman would melt in the hot countries, for example).  The main twist hinges on the fact that elves aren't an option because they can't read the list -- they never learn because they are so focused on making toys.  However, Ella Elf can read (it's not clear why), and she successfully teams up with Mrs. Claus to deliver the presents and saves Christmas.  I guess the message is that learning to read is important?  But given that this is a book for younger kids who presumably cannot read yet, it seems off.  Another odd twist is that there are words in other languages sprinkled throughout without explanation ("How would you place all the regalos around the Christmas tree?"), presumably because Santa speaks all languages.  However, aside from translations in the beginning it's never addressed and confused my son (and honestly, me).

All that aside, the book is pleasant enough and given the bold illustrations featuring a black cast at the North Pole I recommend it without hesitation!

BUY HERE (or request at your local library!)

The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll, by Patricia C. McKissack

Another lukewarm endorsement of a Christmas book.  This one featuring a black family living during the Great Depression, written by a black author and illustrated by the amazing Jerry Pinkney, a black illustrator.

Laura wishes for a Baby Betty Doll more than anything, and miraculously receives on one Christmas morning.  She refuses to share the doll with her sisters, but finally realizes that she'll have more fun if they all play with the doll together - eventually throwing a tea party and proclaiming it the best Christmas ever.  My son found this story a bit of a downer for Christmas -- it's so hard to find books featuring black kids that it stands out when they are the ones that feature a family in hard times.  Though this if a function of the scarcity of books featuring black families rather than a criticism of the story itself.  In addition, a very minor point, but Santa is referred to as "Santy Claus" throughout which I find incredibly grating, though perhaps appropriate for the period of time the book is set in?

BUY HERE (or request from your local library!)

I Got the Christmas Spirit, by Connie Schofield-Morrison

A somewhat reluctant endorsement for this book.  For two reasons - first, the book features a white Santa (see photo below).  And second, there isn't much of a story - a young black girl wakes up on a day leading up to Christmas and goes about festive activities: holiday shopping, caroling, ice skating, visiting Santa (all beautifully illustrated).  However, the text focuses on the spirit of the holiday.  "I sparkled in the spirit of the lights.  Bling Bling!  I felt the sprit deep down in my soul... "  We read it once and it's going back to the library because my son concluded that he didn't enjoy the story.  However, if your child (and you) is more tolerant of picture books that aren't plot-driven or if you're just desperate for a beautiful holiday book that features a black girl then definitely check this out.

BUY HERE (or request at your local library!)

Sisters & Champions, by Howard Bryant

My son and I are both obsessed with the Williams sisters (and tennis), which is why I was so excited when I came across this children's book discussing their childhood and rise to fame!  The fact that it is written by Howard Bryant (a black author) and illustrated by Floyd Cooper (a black illustrator) is an added bonus.

The book does touch on the fact that Venus and Serena were raised in a rough neighborhood and have faced racism, but the focus is on their hard work, incredible talent, and close relationship.  The story doesn't have too much of a narrative arc, so I'd primarily recommend this book for tennis fans and those interested in exposing their children to important black historical figures.

BUY HERE (or request at your local library!)

The Ring Bearer, by Floyd Cooper

I've hesitated to recommend this book since I've seen it so widely recommended already - but my son and I were reading it yet again today and so, why not?  It's a great book that can be read over and over without parent or child getting tired of it (and a must for children whose mom or dad is getting married).  Though this book was published in 2017, it already feels like a classic.

In this book entirely populated by black characters, Jackson's mom is getting married to Sophie's dad.  Jackson is worried about lots of things, but primarily about tripping while carrying the rings down the aisle.  However, when flower girl Sophie trips in front of him, Jackson forgets his fears and rushes to assist his little sister-to-be.  Everyone cheers, and a new family is formed!

BUY HERE (or request at your local library!)

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, by Vashti Harrison

I'm always super ambitious about Black History Month, but never feel like I'm doing a good enough job.  This year, thanks to Little Leaders, our son is obsessed with reading about "amazing black people."  We stumbled onto a really fun and easy approach about a week ago when we bought this book, each day (or, more honestly, most days) we let our son page through the book and pick one person he wants to learn more about.  Then we read that page to him, along with a lot of discussion, and then supplement!  For example, when we read the Nina Simone entry we listened to her music during dinner.  The day we read about Dominque Dawes we watched her gymnastics routines on YouTube.  Some are more difficult to add to, but that hasn't decreased our son's interest so far.  His favorite entry was that of Mary Bowser (pictured below), in part because we have recently started to discuss slavery with him (and read him Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad for the first time), but more importantly because she was a SPY, which is like one step away from being a superhero.  

BUY HERE

(And if you're looking for other books about black history, 

our favorite remains Ron's Big Mission, which I wrote 

about previously here.

Please, Baby, Please, by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

Please, Baby, Please is our family's favorite book.  We read it daily when my son was younger, and even though he's now 4 we frequently return to this book with fondness.  It follows a willful toddler as she generally creates chaos for her parents and they repeatedly beg her to stop - "please, baby, baby, baby."

We also love it because of Kadir Nelson's gorgeous illustrations.  It's our dream to own one of his prints and we always have one of his New Yorker covers on our refrigerator.  His illustrations bring to life the vivacious, curious, and mischievous girl at the center of this story, as well as her loving and exhausted parents.

You without doubt need to own this book.

BUY HERE

The Story of Martin Luther King Jr., by Johnny Ray Moore

I looked hard to find a book about Martin Luther King Jr. appropriate for a young child.  At first, I didn't think this was it - at age 3 this book was a bit beyond my son given the topic matter.  But when we pulled it out to read this year for MLK Day, my now 4 year old son was engrossed and it lead to a lengthy discussion.  It's good for younger children in that it doesn't touch on how he died, but is clear about some of the wrongs Mr. King was seeking to right (segregated schools, restaurants, water fountains) and shows him experiencing discrimination as a young child.  My only complaint is that it doesn't touch any of the actions that Mr. King took to to achieve his goals, aside from referencing his 'I Have A Dream' speech - though we typically supplement and discuss his marches and meetings with politicians.  This is a board book and is therefore very short, but given that we ended up having a discussion about nearly every page is a great length for somewhat older children.

BUY HERE

Bippity Bop Barbershop, by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

Every time my husband takes my son to the barbershop, they reenact this book - my husband does a silly knock on my son's door ("Bippity-be-bop-bop"), they get dressed together, and then stop for coffee and pastries on the way (though I've been informed the new cupcake shop has been more of an attraction lately).  Coincidentally, my son has the same haircut the boy and his father get in this story.  My son was initially terrified of the barbershop, and much preparation and many, many readings of this story went into his first trip.

However, this isn't merely an occasion book.  We read it constantly.  It's an appealing story about a boy overcoming his fears with his dad's assistance (similar to Jabari Jumps) and, though this may seem like an odd compliment - a great length.  It was one of the first big-boy books we read with our son and he was so drawn into the story that he didn't notice that it was substantially longer than the books we typically read.

BUY HERE

I Love My Hair! was created by the same author and illustrator team.

Jackie's Gift, by Sharon Robinson

This book is based on a true story, where Jackie Robinson and his family move into a predominantly white neighborhood and befriend a young neighbor - upon discovering that he doesn't have a Christmas tree at home, the Robinsons surprise him with a Christmas tree as a gift, only to discover that his family is Jewish.  Highly recommended, with the caveat that this does discuss a neighborhood petition against the Robinsons moving in, and compares this to Jewish persecution.  I'm normally a big advocate of open discussions about race with children, but in this case I didn't feel like getting into it in the middle of a holiday story - as my son doesn't read yet I skipped over the two pages where this is discussed and he didn't notice so it wasn't a big deal, but perhaps something to think about if your child is a reader.

BUY HERE

Grandma's Tiny House, by JaNay Brown-Wood

We grabbed Grandma's Tiny House recently at the library and it became an instant hit.  At 4, my son is a bit on the older side for this counting book - but both of us enjoy the pleasing rhymes and he in particular loves that a child comes up with the solution to move the too-large party outside.  I also think he secretly wants to attend Grandma's party - eating sweet potato pie and playing games in the backyard with piles of cousins.

BUY HERE