Hey You! An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black by Dapo Adeola

This book addresses — honestly, yet hopefully — the experiences Black children face growing up with systemic racism, as well as providing hope for the future and delivering a message of empowerment to a new generation of dreamers. It's a message that is both urgent and timeless, and offers a rich and rewarding reading experience for every child. To mirror the rich variety of the Black diaspora, this book showcases artwork from Dapo Adeola and eighteen more incredible Black illustrators in one remarkable and cohesive reading experience.

Ebook available from Overdrive

Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow; illustrated by Patrick Dougher

This lyrical and poignant treasure honors the glory, triumph, and pride of African American history and future. Each word on the page encourages young children to hold close their joy, the words of their ancestors and elders, and their power to change the world.

Dear Black Child by Rahma Rodaah; illustrated by Lydia Mba Blazquez

An inspiring love letter to Black children around the world, this book is a celebration of their beauty, joy, and resilience.

Black Gold by Laura Obuobi; illustrated by London Ladd

When the Universe decides to create a child, she draws from the earth — rich, dark, and full of everything that gives life — including eyes like black star sapphires and full lips to speak the truth. With help from the Sun and the Moon, they create a child of the Universe: beautiful, powerful, and boundless with the brilliance of Black Gold. 

Black: The Many Wonders of My World by Nancy Johnson James; illustrated by Constance Moore

Black is a wonderful color. Black is special. It is true. It’s the sky when the morning is new. In this loving and lovely ode to the color black, a girl describes the many wonders of her world — from the black of starry nights to her own black eyes, clear and bright.

Ebook available from Overdrive

The Year We Learned To Fly by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by Rafael Lopez

On a dreary, stuck-inside kind of day, a brother and sister heed their grandmother’s advice: “Use those beautiful and brilliant minds of yours. Lift your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and believe in a thing. Somebody somewhere at some point was just as bored you are now.” And before they know it, their imaginations lift them up and out of their boredom. Then, on a day full of quarrels, it’s time for a trip outside their minds again, and they are able to leave their anger behind. This precious skill, their grandmother tells them, harkens back to the days long before they were born, when their ancestors showed the world the strength and resilience of their beautiful and brilliant minds.

Ebook available from Overdrive; Spanish edition also available

The World Belonged To Us by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by Leo Espinosa

It's getting hot outside — hot enough to turn on the hydrants and run through the water — and that means it's finally summer in the city! Released from school and reveling in their freedom, the kids on one Brooklyn block take advantage of everything summertime has to offer: Freedom from morning til night allows them to go out to meet their friends and make the streets their playground--jumping double Dutch, playing tag and hide-and-seek, building forts, chasing ice cream trucks, and best of all, believing anything is possible. That is, til their moms call them home for dinner. But not to worry, they know there is always tomorrow to do it all over again, because the block belongs to them and they rule their world.

Ebook available from Overdrive

Daddy Speaks of Love by Leah Henderson; illustrated by E. B. Lewis

What does a daddy do? From day one, this daddy speaks love to his little one. And along with that love, his words and actions speak many other things, too: like truth, joy, comfort, and pride. Like many dads, he answers a million questions and tries to make sure that days are full of fun adventures, giggles, and hugs. Dads are good at scaring away imaginary monsters, and honest about how to confront the real ones too. They set an example for the future, speaking out for equality and justice, while sharing lessons from the past. But most of all, daddies encourage their young ones to fight for a better world, with the comfort of knowing their dads are right beside them.

Ebook available from Overdrive 

Mama's Home by Shay Youngblood; illustrated by Lo Harris

Home can be a blue house with white trim you share with your mama. But it can be bigger than that, with lots of Big Mamas to take care of you when your mom works — different houses for every day of the week. Like Nurse Louella, who'll take you bike riding in the airport parking lot every Monday. Or Miss Henry and her lady friend, who teach you how to catch fish on Friday afternoons. Or Tuesdays with Miss Zikora, eating delicious fufu with your fingers. No matter where you are, as long as you are with your Big Mamas, you are home.

Keyana Loves Her Family by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

Keyana’s always full of big ideas. Her latest and greatest plan is to host a perfect family movie night. From aunts to uncles to her five favorite cousins, everyone is invited! She knows the best way to impress her guests is with a fabulous soiree, and there’s a lot on her to-do list. But when the night doesn’t go as planned, she’ll have to rely on a little help from the people she loves most.

Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste; illustrated by Tonya Engel

When fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin boarded a segregated bus on March 2, 1955, she had no idea she was about to make history. At school she was learning about abolitionists like Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, which helped inspire her decision to refuse to give up her seat to a white woman, which led to her arrest, which began a crucial chain of events: Rosa Park's sit-in nine months later, the organization of the Montgomery bus boycott by activists like Professor Jo Ann Robinson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Supreme Court decision that Alabama's bus segregation was unconstitutional were major triumphs for the Civil Rights Movement. Because of Claudette's brave stand against injustice, history was transformed. Now it's time for young readers to learn about this living legend, her pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, and the power of one person reaching out to another in the fight for change.

Ebook available from Overdrive 

Me and Muhammad Ali by Jabari Asim; illustrated by A.G. Ford

Like most of the kids he knows, Langston is a huge fan of boxing champ Muhammad Ali. After all, Ali is the greatest for so many reasons: his speed, his strength, his confidence, and his poetry. Langston loves that Ali can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, and Ali’s words give him confidence to spin his own poems. When Langston hears the champ is coming to the local high school, he’s ecstatic — this will be a day that will go down in history for him. When the big day arrives, Langston gets a special haircut, and floats like a butterfly to meet his hero — so imagine his disappointment when a guard tries to stop him at the door, saying the event is just for students. Fortunately, Langston has learned a thing or two about fearlessness from the champ and is quick about not taking “no” for an answer. And just like that, a dream comes true for Langston that leaves him feeling wrapped in a warm glow and chanting, "I’m quick and I’m strong. I’m Black and I’m free. I’m brave and I’m bold, like Muhammad Ali."

Nigel and the Moon by Antwan Eady; illustrated by Grace Zhang

When Nigel looks up at the moon, his future is bright. He imagines himself as … an astronaut, a dancer, a superhero, too! Among the stars, he twirls. With pride, his chest swells. And his eyes, they glow. Nigel is the most brilliant body in the sky. But it’s career week at school, and Nigel can’t find the courage to share his dreams. It’s easy to whisper them to the moon, but not to his classmates — especially when he already feels out of place. 

Ebook available from Overdrive

Somewhere in the Bayou by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphry

When four swamp creatures looking to cross a river come upon a log that would allow for precisely that, they can’t believe their luck. But a questionable tail adjacent to that log gives them second thoughts. Opossum believes it’s a sneaky tail and that they must pass it quietly. Squirrel thinks it’s a scary tail that can be cowed by intimidation. Rabbit decides it’s a mean tail that deserves a taste of its own medicine. As the critters exhaust approaches one by one, Mouse, the smallest of the lot, observes their folly and adjusts accordingly. But is it the mouse or the tail that will defy expectations?

Ebook available from Overdrive 

Emile and the Field by Kevin Young; illustrated by Chioma Ebinama

Emile loves the field close to his home — in spring, summer, and fall, when it gives him bees and flowers, blossoms and leaves. But not as much in winter, when he has to share his beautiful, changeable field with other children ... and their sleds. This relatable and lyrical ode to one boy's love for his neighborhood field celebrates how spending time in nature allows children to dream, to imagine, and even to share.

Ebook available from Overdrive

Show the World! by Angela Dalton; illustrated by Daria Peoples

From painting, music, and slam poetry, to engineering, protesting, and photography, a young narrator journeys through her neighborhood, encouraging readers to explore all the many ways they can express themselves. A gorgeously illustrated and powerful celebration of self-expression shows children that there are so many spaces and opportunities to use their voices, and show the world exactly who they are.

Ebook available from Overdrive

Kick Push by Frank Morrison

Epic loves skateboarding, but after moving to a new neighborhood and struggling to find his new skating crew, he ditches his board to try out other sports. But football is painful — soccer, too. Basketball is slamming (but not in a good way). And jump rope? More like whip lash! Dejected and defeated, Epic heads home, where his dad encourages him to stay true to himself. So Epic takes another skate through the neighborhood and finds a new groove and some new friends who like him for who he is.

Ebook available from Overdrive

I'm Not Small by Nina Crews

Time to play outside! It’s easy for a young boy to feel small in a world that is made up of big, big things. But when he takes a closer look, he discovers that he is big, too. His dog is smaller than he is, and his cat is smaller than his dog. And the teeny, tiny ant crawling through the grass? Even smaller!

Music is a Rainbow by Bryan Collier

A young boy remembers quietly watching his father read the paper and sip a cup of coffee. He remembers his sweet momma, who lovingly pressed away the wrinkles on his clothes. Then one day, his father is gone and his momma falls ill. But through his love of music he feels his father’s warm hugs and his mother’s kisses. He learns to relax, shine, and dream as the music fills his soul.

Sam's Super Seats by Keah Brown; illustrated by Sharee Miller

Sam loves herself, learning, and making her family and friends laugh. She also loves comfortable seats, including a graceful couch named after Misty Copeland, and Laney, the sassy backseat of Mom’s car. After a busy morning of rest, Sam and her friends try on cute outfits at the mall and imagine what the new school year might bring. It’s not until Sam feels tired, and the new seat she meets isn’t so super, that she discovers what might be her best idea all day.

Playtime for Rascals by Nikki Grimes; illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

A child's job is to play — Mom knows this and makes sure they're up and ready to get to work! When it comes to play, this kid is an expert. Mom watches as they dance in puddles, swing high, jump into piles of leaves, and make snow angels. They're hard at work, and when Daddy comes home, they play even more!

Looking for more books by Black creators? Don't miss our post from last year.