Who: Sojourner Truth (a freed slave who used her strength to become an abolitionist and women's rights activist). Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Loved but Never Reviewed, 24 Young Adult Books Featuring Black Protagonists | literacious, Celebrating Black History Month | literacious, 24 Young Adult Books Featuring Black Protagonists - Literacious, Blogging From A to Z Challenge - Black Characters - Literacious, Celebrating Black History Month – Literacious. Who: Bass Reeves (a former slave who became the first African-American deputy U.S. marshal). Learn how your comment data is processed. 30 Chapter Books Featuring Black Protagonists. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Of course, you don’t have to be in elementary or middle school to enjoy these books! Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. Favorites about race, protest, and non-white protagonists. An illustrated account of the 1963 March on Washington can help put the moment into historical context and explain the power of protest movements throughout time. Here are 12 of the most popular suggestions we received, including books with black protagonists, plots centered on racism and activism, and beloved gems by black authors. Who: George Washington Carver (a professor, botanist and inventor who devised many ways to use peanuts — well beyond just for their butter). California residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. I’d take a look at The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (now a movie on Disney+), The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, or Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo! ... Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (Vashti Harrison) Vashti Harrison. Who: Ella Fitzgerald (the famous jazz singer, sometimes called "the first lady of song"). They can explore nonfiction books about famous female inventors who have contributed to … Ages 0-3 Image Never miss a bite! Incorrect Book The list contains an incorrect book (please specify the title of the book). She launched a campaign, using the hashtag #1000BlackGirlBooks, to collect 1,000 books featuring black female protagonists and donate them to a school in the parish of Jamaica where her mother was raised. As a little boy rides the bus across town with his grandma every Sunday after church, he asks her a series of questions about their city and circumstances. Although I love Charlotte’s Web, I wanted a book my students could relate to. In the interest of keeping an open dialogue about racism, she heard from pediatricians and childhood psychologists about the importance of making sure your home library has books with black people at the center of their stories. Want awesome DIY tips in your inbox three times a week? If I’ve offended anyone, this is not my intent! As unrest over the killing of black Americans and police brutality continued across the country, Jessica Grose, the lead editor of NYT Parenting, asked experts how to talk about the protests with kids. Who: Molly Williams (America's first female firefighter). Who: Henry Brown (a young slave who mailed himself to freedom). Little girls can read about heroines from the past and present who have emerged as role models for all children. Reporting on what you care about. As a kid, growing up, there weren't many black characters in the books I coveted so much. Who: Ruby Bridges (the first African-American child to integrate a New Orleans school). Board book. Also, if you have other books that I missed (because 30 just isn’t enough) please let me know! Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winning actress, tells the story of a girl with “skin the color of midnight,” darker than everyone else in her family, who takes a journey into the night sky. I’m a 3rd grade teacher looking for a chapter book to teach comprehension skills from. When the mother of the central family goes out for the evening, the kids are left to bicker among themselves — until Dad swoops in with a round of goofy games. Who: Josephine Baker (a dancer, singer, and actress who was also devoted to fighting racism in the United States). Receive an email every time a blog post goes live. My daughter loves Mia Mayhem is a super hero. March 11, 2017 / 7 Comments. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Happy reading! One of the most frequently recommended books among our readers, “Ada Twist, Scientist” focuses on an especially curious second-grade scientist and the experiments she embarks on. The desire to read more books about girls like herself inspired 11-year-old Marley Dias to take action. I started this just as a middle grade list, but didn’t want to ignore the littles who are just starting out in the chapter books world, so I featured books for kids from about 1st/2nd grade to 8th grade. Freedom Bird by Jerdine Nolen. There are so many wonderful picture books that feature strong, Black females as the main protagonist. Who: Alvin Ailey (a choreographer whose work helped popularize modern dance, and whose company still exists today). Who: Edna Lewis (a chef who participated in the "farm to table" movement many years before it became the trend it is today). The classic picture book tells the story of a sentient teddy bear wandering through a department store in search of a missing button, and the little girl who eventually gets to bring him home. Parents and children will recognize the struggle of pleading with a baby (“Go back to bed, not on your HEAD!”, the narrator implores), as told by award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, the producer Tonya Lewis Lee. This board book focuses on three tiny playmates — Little Guy, Little Pumpkin and Little Bird — and the adults who take care of them. A small scoop of kid lit with all the toppings. To start, children’s book authors and Times staffers gave us their favorites. We hold major institutions accountable and expose wrongdoing. I started this just as a middle grade list, but didn’t want to ignore the littles who are just starting out in the chapter books world, so I featured books for kids from about 1st/2nd grade to 8th grade. 4.9 out of 5 stars 3,651. Who: Booker T. Washington (educator, university founder, and advisor to President Theodore Roosevelt). Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! Who: Bill Traylor (a self-taught folk artist who didn't start to draw until he was in his eighties). I also included some books featuring biracial characters and characters from the Caribbean – specifically trying to promote as many different types of books as possible. Who: Bessie Coleman (the first African American to have a pilot's license — she went all the way to France to earn her license after every American school refused to teach her). Who: Jackie Robinson (the first black player in Major League Baseball). Who: Horace Pippin (an artist who overcame a war injury to his arm and went on to have his paintings displayed in museums all over the country). Who: Wilma Rudolph (a runner who had polio as a child and went on to win three Olympic gold medals in one year). Recommended Children’s Books Featuring BIPOC Protagonists Reading allows us to travel to different landscapes and times to learn about the environment, history and culture, all without ever having to leave our homes—especially relevant now while we’re quarantining … Readers Recommend a Diverse Children’s Bookshelf, Covers: Simon and Schuster; Penguin Random House; HarperCollins, children’s book authors and Times staffers gave us their favorites, “Please, Baby, Please” by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis, “More, More, More, Said the Baby” by Vera B. Williams, “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña, “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson. Who: Wangari Maathai (an environmentalist who began her path to winning the Nobel Peace Prize by simply planting a few seedlings). This rhyming board book counts down through bedtime rituals, until “one big girl” is ready for sleep. Who: Dizzy Gillespie (a trumpeter, bandleader, and composer who popularized the bebop style of jazz). Sign up for the BuzzFeed DIY newsletter. Who: Gordon Parks (a photographer who captured racism with his camera and eventually became the first black director in Hollywood). The Best Black Children’s Books 1. Black Is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy. 26 Children's Books That Celebrate Black Heroes. 29 offers from $5.90 #47. Who: Michael Jordan (pretty much the most famous basketball player of all time — this story focuses on his childhood and is written by his mother and sister). Inappropriate The list (including its title or description) facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow Goodreads member or author. Who: Effa Manley (a sports executive and the first woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame). “Where are all the girls?” asks the title character as she embarks on an illustrated journey to become the first female president of the United States — starting with participating in her elementary school’s mock election. Who: Florence Mills (a singer — with a voice like a bird — who was popular during the Harlem Renaissance, appeared in shows on Broadway, and became an advocate for black performers). The beauty and fullness of black as a color, in addition to the lineage of the people whose skin color it is predominately used to describe, are depicted in this radiant picture book. So glad to have found it. Thank you! “There will be times when you walk into a room, and there is no one quite like you,” Woodson writes in this lyrical book for early readers. Lullaby (for a Black Mother) by Langston Hughes, Illustrated by Sean Qualls Taken from the poem by Langston Hughes and beautifully illustrated by Qualls, this book is all about the love between an African American mother and her baby. Spam or Self-Promotional The list is spam or self-promotional. A mysterious bird shows two children enslaved on a planation a way to gain their liberty. by Mallory McInnis. Hardcover. Who: Rosa Parks (the civil rights activist who made her famous stand [or sit] when she refused to leave her seat on the bus). Who: Janet Collins (the first African-American prima ballerina). From scientists and singers, to activists and artists: these books will teach children about black heroes. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Here are 12 of the most popular suggestions we received, including books with black protagonists, plots centered on racism and activism, and beloved gems by black authors. Obsessed with travel? We also heard from nearly a hundred readers with more recommendations of books that their kids have loved over the years. This is a great selection! One Love (Music Books for Children, African American Baby Books, Bob Marley Book for Kids) Cedella Marley. Who: Melba Liston (a child prodigy trombonist who played with everyone from Count Basie to Billie Holiday). 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,796. Younger readers (particularly those who might need a little encouragement come bath time) will relish this rhyming board book about washing tiny toes and quacking rubber ducks. From scientists and singers, to activists and artists: these books will teach children about black heroes. Details * Some of these books deal with being different, because of the character’s skin color, while others are realistic fiction about everyday life and still others are historical fiction or fantasy.