This month the Children’s Book Corner blog post is dedicated to shining a light on outstanding children’s books by people of color and offering resources for sharing their books.

Read, discuss, and celebrate noteworthy diverse books by creators of color with the children you love and teach. Encourage and facilitate meaningful conversations. Be inclusive; be respectful; sow a seed, fill a need. Model compassion, and create a safe space for all voices to be heard. Shine a light; be a beacon of hope and a catalyst for change. Empower our youth to dream, believe, achieve, and do better.

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.”—Everett Edward Hale

Authors and Illustrators of Color Who Create Notable Books for Children*

• Kwame Alexander
• Vanessa Brantley-Newton
• Ashley Bryan
• Tami Charles
• Lesa Cline-Ransome
• Christopher Paul Curtis
• Sharon M. Draper
• Nikki Grimes
• Angela Johnson
• Varian Johnson
• E. B. Lewis
• Patricia C. McKissack
• Kadir Nelson
• Jerry Pinkney
• James E. Ransome
• Jason Reynolds
• Christian Robinson
• Charles R. Smith, Jr.
• Mildred D. Taylor
• Angie Thomas
• Renee Watson
• Rita Williams-Garcia

*This is by no means a complete listing. Add your favorites in the Comments section.

American Library Association Awards

• Coretta Scott King Awards

Poetry Collections

• Amazing Faces compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet
• Dictionary For a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
• I Am Loved by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Ashley Bryan
• I Remember: Poems and Pictures of Heritage compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins
• Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
• Let There Be Light : Poems and Prayers For Repairing the World compiled and illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben
• This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort selected by Georgia Heard, illustrations by Eighteen Renowned Picture Book Artists

Recommended Resources 

• Being the Change: Lessons and Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension by Sara K. Ahmed
• The Brown Bookshelf
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
• #KidLit4BlackLives
• New York Public Library blog post: “They Did It for the Culture: Children’s Books of Black Cultural Icons Who Made a Difference for Their Community”
• Publisher’s Weekly article: “A Children’s and YA Anti-Racist Reading List”
• Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators: “Anti-Racist Resources” and “Recommended Reading”
• School Library Journal: “Antiracism Books and Titles by Black Creators”
• School Library Journal Fuse #8 Blog: “Antiracist Resources and Reads: Lists for All Ages”
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
• The Oprah Magazine: “Jacqueline Woodson Shares Essential Books for Discussing Racism with Kids”
• This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work by Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by Aurélia Durand
• We Need Diverse Books

Below is a list of children’s books by authors and illustrators of color featured on this blog and in my professional resources for educators.

Children’s Book Corner blog:

• Big Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
• Hosea Plays On by Kathleen M. Blasi, illustrated by Shane W. Evans Find an Educator’s Guide here.
• Just Like a Mama by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
• New Kid by Jerry Craft

Select Read-Aloud Plans found in Children’s Book Corner: A Read-Aloud Resource with Tips, Techniques, and Plans for Teachers, Librarians, and Parents series and The Read-Aloud Scaffold: Best Books to Enhance Content Area Curriculum, Grades Pre-K-3:

• Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra L. Pinkney, photographs by Myles C. Pinkney (Book 1, Level Pre-K–K)
• Ben’s Trumpet by Rachel Isadora (Book 1, Level Pre-K–K)
• Giving Thanks by Pat Mora, illustrated by Jon Parra (The Read-Aloud Scaffold: Best Books to Enhance Content Area Curriculum, Grades Pre-K-3)
• Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Bryan Collier (Book 2, Grades 1-2)
• Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story by Angela Shelf Medearis and illustrated by Daniel Minter (Book 3, Grades 3-4)
• Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue (Book 4, Grades 5-6)
• Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (Book 4, Grades 5-6)
• “All Shapes, Sizes, Shades, and Beliefs” in The Read-Aloud Scaffold: Best Books to Enhance Content Area Curriculum, Grades Pre-K-3

Social-Emotional Learning Themes

Courage, empathy, cooperation, courtesy, compassion, diligence, tenacity, perseverance, persistence, creativity, inspiration, encouragement, acceptance, perspective, self-reliance, respect, effort, understanding, connection, self-assurance, dedication, resourcefulness, self-awareness, diligence, fortitude, integrity, justice, trustworthiness, loyalty , empowerment, generosity of spirit, humility, forgiveness, helpfulness, honesty, responsibility, inclusion

Over to You…

Join the conversation. Offer your thoughts on the featured question related to this month’s post. You are also always welcome to post a general comment.

What recently published children’s book by an author or illustrator of color do you recommend? Share the title, author and illustrator of the book in the comments section, and briefly tell why it makes your list.