After a webinar about using children’s literature in the curriculum, I received a request from the participants to recommend some books with images of African-American children and their families. Below is a short list I compiled based on recommendations from the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, the American Library Association website, Best Children’s Books: Diverse Books for Children, and from my collection.
Some of the books have African-American children as the main characters. Others are excellent stories with Black children and families. Some books focus on the issue of bullying as a part of addressing racism. I recommend you also include books about African-American heroes and heroines, although they are not on this list. Please ask African-American teachers for other books they recommend. All of the books on this list are ones I hope you will include in your early education classroom and share with other teachers and families.
- Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
- Big Mama’s by Donald Crews
- Happy in Our Skin by Fran Manushkin
- I Am Enough by Grace Byers
- Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena
- Love Your Hair by Phoenyx Austin
- Night on Neighborhood Street by Eloise Greenfield
- One Love (Bob Marley Song) by Cardella Marley
- Pretty Brown Face by Andrea and Brian Pinkney
- Skin Like Mine by LaTashia M. Perry
- Sulve by Lapita Nuong’o
- The Colors of Us by Karen Katz
- We’re Different, We’re the Same by Bobbi Kate
- Who Ever You Are by Mem Fox
- Wild Wild Sunflower Child Anna by Nancy Carlstrom
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION is my blog to stay in touch with people who attended my speeches, in person or virtually, and the webinars sponsored by early childhood organizations. Over the years, I have written 15 books for early childhood educators and made many speeches. The most popular of my books about children’s literature and the curriculum is the S-t-o-r-y S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s series published by Gryphon House and available from Amazon and other booksellers. Please subscribe on my website to my blog or email me at [email protected]. Let’s stay in touch.
