Black joy & identity books

Ages 3–8

Kathryn E. Lewis

Carrots don't talk! by Kathryn E. Lewis — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

Ages 3–8

Nikki Giovanni

Hip hop speaks to children : a celebration of poetry with a beat by Nikki Giovanni — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

Ages 3–8

Jane Buchanan

Jane Buchanan's rhythmic prose and Charlotte Riley-Webb's vibrant and striking illustrations bring to life a story of community, connection, hope, and unexpected beauty.

Ages 3–8

Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson gives us a tender and moving story about two siblings who don’t know what to expect when they’re sent to live with an unfamiliar aunt, but soon discover that there’s plenty of love to go around when they need it ...

Ages 3–8

Taye Diggs

Relates the experiences of a dark-skinned, curly-haired child who wishes he could look more like the lighter-skinned children in his community until his mother helps him realize how wonderful he is inside and out.

Ages 3–8

Martin Luther King Jr.

An illustrated edition of Martin Luther King's famous "I have a dream" speech. Presents illustrations and the text of the speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, in which he described his visionary dream of equality and brotherhood for humankind.

Ages 3–8

Brad Meltzer

This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big.

Ages 3–8

Claudia J. Nahson

"Coinciding with 'The snow day's' 50th anniversary, this book features illustrations of Mr. Keats along with essays by Claudia J. Nahson and Maurice Berger discussing Keats' Jewish background, his advocacy of civil rights, his art and his influence"--Dust jacket flap.

Ages 3–8

Lauren Child

Feeling jealous when a new sibling arrives, little Elmore Green becomes frustrated when the "small person" knocks over his things and licks his jelly-bean collection until a special night when their relationship changes.

Ages 3–8

Robin Reid

Thank You, Dr. King! (Little Bill) by Robin Reid — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

Ages 3–8

Aaron Becker

In his first picture book following the conclusion of his best-selling Journey trilogy, Aaron Becker achieves a tremendous feat, connecting the private, personal loss of one child to a cycle spanning millennia — and delivering a ...

Ages 3–8

Jerry Pinkney

Through moving prose and beautiful watercolors, a Coretta Scott King Award and Caldecott Medal–winning author-illustrator duo collaborate to tell the poignant tale of a spirited young girl who comes face to face with segregation in her ...

Ages 3–8

Jason Reynolds

A Caldecott Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher ...

Ages 3–8

Leslie D. Guccione

Twelve-year-old Freedom, the son of a freed slave living in Delaware in the early 1850s, takes over his father's work in the Underground Railroad when his father disappears.

Ages 3–8

Brad Meltzer

Each picture book in this series is a biography of a significant historical figure, told in a simple, conversational, vivacious way, and always focusing on a character trait that made the person heroic.

Ages 3–8

Michelle Martin

Brown Gold by Michelle Martin — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

Ages 3–8

Kelly Starling Lyons

Tosh has spent many days in the kitchen with his grandmother, Honey, watching her bake cookies and listening to tales of their slave ancestors, so when Honey's memory starts to fail, Tosh is able to help with the cookies and more.

Ages 0–3

Markette Sheppard

Each page reveals a different sparkle found in a child’s simple but extraordinary world. The light revealed on the final page makes a fitting finale for this sweet, bright tale.

Ages 3–8

Sandra Turner-Barnes

Presented with eye-catching illustrations and written in enjoyable, metered rhyme, the story tells how Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus led to the successful mass boycott of the transit system, when roughly 40,000 ...

Ages 3–8

Toni Trent Parker

Painted eggs and chocolate bunnies by Toni Trent Parker — a thoughtfully chosen inclusive book for young readers.

Ages 3–8

Nikki Grimes

In this moving account of loss, a boy takes a walk in the woods and makes a discovery that changes his understanding of his father. week after the funeral I stare in the morning mirror Angry that my father’s eyes Stare back at me. Confused and distraught after the death of his father, a boy opens an envelope he left behind and is surprised to find a map of the woods beyond their house, with one spot marked in bright red. But why? The woods had been something they shared together, why would his father want him to go alone? Slowly, his mind settles as he sets off through the spaces he once explored with his dad, passing familiar beech and black oak trees, flitting Carolina wrens, and a garter snake they named Sal. When he reaches the spot marked on the map, he finds pages upon pages of drawings of woodland creatures, made by his father when he was his age. What he sees shows him a side of his dad he never knew, and something even deeper for them to share together. His dad knew what he really needed was a walk in the woods. New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes and the Caldecott Award winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney spent the early days of the pandemic emailing back and forth and talking about collaborating on a book, with Jerry sharing all of the pictures he took of the woods around his house.

Ages 3–8

Matthew G. Grant

A biography of the famous conductor on the Underground Railroad who worked to free her people before, during, and after the Civil War.

Ages 3–8

Kwame Alexander

This is the story of American slavery, a story that needs to be told and understood by all of us. A testament to the resilience of the African American community, this book honors what has been and envisions what is to be.

Ages 3–8

Gary Golio

Before he became one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Jimi Hendrix was a boy who loved to paint and listen to records, and who asked himself an unusual question: could someone paint pictures with sound?