Diversifying our bookshelves is something that's always been so important to me. I think exposing our children to other children who don't look like them but who share the same values and experiences is such a great way to open up those difficult and necessary conversations around racism. And, for younger children, there's no better way to open up those conversations than through storytelling. Here are some of my family's favorite books featuring Black characters.
Counting On Katherine
I had to start with some nonfiction and this one is amazing. It's the story of Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician who saved Apollo 13. The author manages to touch on a lot of subjects here, including racially segregated schools, and does it in a way that's really accessible to a younger audience.
Miss Tizzy
Miss Tizzy is the neighborhood favorite of all the kids on the block in this sweet, classic story.
Jabari Jumps
An adorable story about a little boy who's almost ready to jump off the diving board at the public pool, encouraged by his father the whole way.
The Night Is Yours
Amani plays hide-and-seek in the moonlight with the neighborhood kids.
Princess Hair
A celebration of Afros, braids, blowouts, twists, and all the ways Princesses wear their hair under their crowns!
The Undefeated
This book recently won a Caldecott and it's very clear why. The prose goes deep, the images are strong, and it highlights many important Black Americans throughout history.
Last Stop on Market Street
CJ and his grandmother ride the bus across the city and she answers a lot of important, but innocent-seeming questions along the way.
Saturday
The weekend has very special meaning to this mother/daughter duo, but when things start to go wrong on their special day together, the whole day threatens to unravel. My kids love this story about what's really important and a mom carving out one-on-one time with her daughter in their busy life.
Tar Beach
Eight-year-old Cassie flies over her apartment building in this mash-up of fiction, non-fiction, and memoir set in Harlem.
One Hot Summer Day
Nina Crews is one of my favorite children's authors because of the way she combines photography and illustrations and I think her method is particularly effective for anyone looking to diversify their children's bookshelves. I love that in this book you get to see actual photographs of the Black characters as opposed to just illustrations, and that the setting is so real.
Are any of your favorites missing from my list? Tell me on Facebook or Instagram or drop me a line at juliel@macaronikid.com!
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