Written by: Lupita Nyong’o Illustrated by: Vashti Harrison I hugged myself while reading Sulwe, Lupita Nyong’o’s beautifully crafted children’s story about colorism and self love. It is just as necessary today as it would have been decades ago. It’s sad and dangerous that colorism (a derivative of racism) is so ingrained in the fabric of…
Written by: Brandon Montclare Illustrated by: Natacha Bustos If you have a child who is interested in: (1) All things Marvel, (2) Comic books, and/or (3) Black geeky girls kicking butt, then this comic book is for them. Now, I love Marvel movies and TV shows, but comic books were never my thing. But one…
Written and Illustrated by Gaia Cornwall Jabari, his little sister, and their father are at a community pool when he announces that he wants to jump off of the diving board. Having taken and passed swimming lessons, Jabari feels like he is ready to conquer this challenge. As they get closer to the board, though,…
Written and Illustrated by Floyd Cooper Max leaves his grandfather’s house one night after a visit. While hugging his grandpa goodbye, he notices the huge yellow moon against the dark sky. Grandpa tells Max that the moon will always be there, shining for him everywhere he goes. On the ride home, Max gazes out of…
Written by Tonya Duncan Ellis In this story, we meet Sofie Washington, a 10-year-old who lives in Texas with her Mom, Dad, and little brother. She signs up for her school’s spelling bee and must compete against the class know-it-all. The book takes us along for the ride as Sofie diligently prepares for the bee….
Written by Matthew Cherry Illustrated by Vashti Harrison Hair Love is a charming story about a little girl and her father who struggle to style her gorgeous afro for a special day. Zuri wakes up early and starts getting ready. The story does not reveal what’s so special about it until the very end. However,…
Written by Kara West Written by Kara West Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez This story about a plucky little superhero-in-training really surprised me. Mia is an elementary school student with superpowers. The only people in her regular life who know her secret are her parents and best friend. In her spare time, she attends an exclusive…
Written by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee Illustrated by Kadir Nelson I used to read this book to my nephew when he was a toddler. This book is a perfect bedtime story. It’s not too short where your child will want you to read another one (Warning: They still may want you to read…
