Grandpa Stops a War : A Paul Robeson Story by Susan Robeson

Grandpa Stops a War: A Paul Robeson Story by Susan Robeson (author), Rod Brown (illustrator)

The true story of Paul Robeson's visit to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War is a tale of courage and activism told by his granddaughter, Susan Robeson. Grandpa Paul was a world-famous actor and singer with a deep and rumbling voice, a man of peace and principle who worried about the safety of children and families living in countries at war. He wanted to use his voice to promote social justice all over the world. Though people warned Grandpa Paul that it was too dangerous, he traveled with his friend Captain Fernando to the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War to sing to the soldiers. And then something amazing happened... With gorgeous illustrations from fine artist Rod Brown, Grandpa Stops a War celebrates Paul Robeson's global activism and towering achievements, and shows readers the power of music in times of discord and war. Ages 5-9

Buy it here

#grandpastopsawar #paulrobeson #susanrobeson #spanishcivilwar #freedomfighter #justice #courage #activism #socialjustice #youngreaders #culture #history #peace #loveofreading #storiesofacolorfulworld #letsgetkidsreading

Fresh Princess by Denene Milner

Fresh Princess by Denene Milner, Gladys Jose (illustrator)

Based on The Fresh Prince created by Will Smith, Destiny is the Fresh Princess. Meet Destiny—a cool, energetic, and strong-willed young girl who approaches every day with her own signature style! That is, until she moves to a brand-new neighborhood, where nothing looks quite the same as it did at her old house. Even with new challenges and new friends to make, Destiny always has a plan. With a few reminders from her loving family and after remembering what being the Fresh Princess is all about, she may just take the leap and jump right in! Written by celebrated author, blogger, and editor Denene Millner and illustrated by Gladys Jose, Fresh Princess is the perfect book to encourage kids to proudly stand out and be themselves! Ages 4-8.

Buy it here

#freshprincess #denenemilner #energetic #strong-willed #stylish #family #imagesmatter #representationmatters #youngreaders #childrensbooks #loveofreading #joyofreading #storiesofacolorfulworld #supportblackwomenauthors #supportwomenillustrators #letsgetkidsreading

I Am Enough by Grace Byers

I Am Enough by Grace Byers, Keturah A. Bobo (illustrator)



I Am Enough is the picture book everyone needs, and it's now a New York Times bestseller and the picture book winner in the Goodreads Choice Awards!

This is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another—from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer artist Keturah A. Bobo. This is the perfect gift for mothers and daughters, baby showers, and graduation. We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it. Ages 4-8

Buy it here

#Iamenough #gracebyers #keturahabobo #weareenough #purpose #selflove #imagesmatter #representationmatters #youngreaders #childrensbooks #loveofreading #storiesofacolorfulworld #supportblackwomenauthors #supportblackwomenillustrators #letsgetkidsreading

Sasha Savvy Loves to Code by Sasha Ariel Alston

Sasha Savvy Loves to Code by Sasha Ariel Alston; Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Sasha Savvy Loves to Code is an early reader chapter book (ages 7-10). The main character, Sasha Savvy, is a super smart 10-year old African-American girl, who lives in Washington, DC. Sasha must choose which class to take for summer camp. Her mom discovers that the camp is offering a new class for girls on how to code. Sasha thinks this will be boring and doesn't believe that she is good at computer stuff. Despite this, she decides to give it a chance and convinces her best friends Gabby Reyes and Ashley Webster, to attend the coding camp with her. Sasha's mom, a Software Developer, gives her a unique formula to help her remember how to code but will it be enough to get her through a challenging first day of camp with bugs everywhere, computing errors, that is. Ages 7-10

Buy it here

#sashasavvylovestocode #sashaarielalston  #STEM #coding #womencoders #softwaredevelopers #girlswhocode #blackwomenauthors #reading #loveofreading #readinglife

#supportblackwomenauthors       

                                  

Young, Gifted and Black, by Jamia Wilson

Young, Gifted and Black, by Jamia Wilson, Andrea Pippins (Illustrator)

Meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement—a collection of stories about change-makers to encourage, inspire and empower the next generation of change-makers. Jamia Wilson has carefully curated this range of black icons and the book is stylishly brought together by Andrea Pippins’ colorful and celebratory illustrations. Written in the spirit of Nina Simone’s song “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” this vibrant book is a perfect introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes.

Meet figureheads, leaders and pioneers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and athletes like Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams. All children deserve to see themselves represented positively in the books they read. Highlighting the talent and contributions of black leaders and change-makers from around the world, readers of all backgrounds will be empowered to discover what they too can achieve. Strong, courageous, talented and diverse, these extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream… whatever it may be.  Ages 9-12

Buy it here.

#younggiftedandblack #jamiawilson
#leadership #strength #courage #achievement #americanhistory #ourstory #imagesmatter #blackwomenauthors #inspiring #dreambig

#reading #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors

In Your Hands, by Carole Boston Weatherford

In Your Hands, by Carole Boston Weatherford, Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)

Caldecott Honor-winner Carole Boston Weatherford (Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, Freedom in Congo Square) writes from the perspective of a new mother reflecting on her hopes and dreams for her newborn son. This moving preschool-level book—with pastel watercolors by Brian Pinkney—is one that will be cherished by children and adults alike

A black mother expresses the many hopes and dreams she has for her child in this powerful picture book masterpiece that’s perfect for gift-giving.  Ages 4-8

When you are a newborn,

I hold your hand and study your face.

I cradle you as you drift to sleep.

But I know that I will not always

hold your hand;

not the older you get.

Then, I will hold you in my heart

And hope that God holds you in his hands. 

Buy it here

#inyourhands #carolebostonweatherford #motherhood #love
#hopes #dreams #blackwomenauthors #reading #loveofreading #readinglife #awardwinner #supportblackwomenauthors

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, Laura Freeman (Illustrator)

Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award–nominated movie, author Margot Lee Shetterly and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award winner Laura Freeman bring the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to picture book readers!

Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good.

They participated in some of NASA's greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America's first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, known as "colored computers," and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career. Ages 4-8

Buy it here




#hiddenfigures #margotleeshetterly #dorothyvaughan #maryjackson
#katherinejohnson #mathemeticians #NASA #spacerace  #leadership
#herstory#blackwomenauthors #womentinmath #STEM #inspiration #awardwinner #readinglife #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors

Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed, Stasia Burrington (illustrator)

Mae Among the Stars, by Roda Ahmed,‎ Stasia Burrington


A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the perfect book for young readers who have big dreams and even bigger hearts!

When Little Mae was a child, she dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering.

She wanted to be an astronaut.

Her mom told her, "If you believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible.”

Little Mae’s curiosity, intelligence, and determination, matched with her parents' encouraging words, paved the way for her incredible success at NASA as the first African American woman to travel in space.

This book will inspire other young girls to reach for the stars, to aspire for the impossible, and to persist with childlike imagination.  Ages 4-8

Buy it here

#maeamongthestars #rodaahmed #maejemison #astronauts #reachforthestart #followyourdreams #workhard #persevere #herstory #blackwomenauthors #readers #loveofreading #reader4life #supportblackwomenauthors

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 24: X, A Novel by IIlyasah Shabazz,and Kekla Magoon

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors:

X, A Novel by IIlyasah Shabazz,and Kekla Magoon

A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book
Co-written by Malcolm X’s daughter, this riveting and revealing novel follows the formative years of the man whose words and actions shook the world.

Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever.

X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today. Ages 14–18.

Buy it here

#malcolmx #ilyasayshabazz #keklamagoon #awardwinner #ourstory #americanhistory #leadership #blackwomenauthors #womenshistorymonth #imagesmatter #readers #readinglife #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 23: Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls:

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors:

Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls:

Young John Coltrane was all ears. And there was a lot to hear growing up in the South in the 1930s: preachers praying, music on the radio, the bustling of the household. These vivid noises shaped John's own sound as a musician. Carole Boston Weatherford and Sean Qualls have composed an amazingly rich hymn to the childhood of jazz legend John Coltrane.

Before John Was a Jazz Giant is a 2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Ages 5–9

Buy it here

#beforejohnwasajazzgiant #carolebostonweatherford #awardwinner #culture #music #jazz #johncoltrane #blackwomenauthors #womenshistorymonth #imagesmatter #ourstory #americanhistory #reading #readinglife #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors 

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 22: The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors:

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

In the 1930s, Lewis’s dad, Lewis Micheaux Sr., had an itch he needed to scratch a book itch. How to scratch it? He started a bookstore in Harlem and named it the National Memorial African Bookstore. 

And as far as Lewis Micheaux Jr. could tell, his father’s bookstore was one of a kind. People from all over came to visit the store, even famous people Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, to name a few. In his father’s bookstore people bought and read books, and they also learned from each other. People swapped and traded ideas and talked about how things could change. They came together here all because of his father’s book itch. Read the story of how Lewis Micheaux Sr. and his bookstore fostered new ideas and helped people stand up for what they believed in. Ages 7–10.

Buy it here

#thebookitch #vaundamicheauxnelson #culture #blackbookstores #harlem #ourstory #americanhistory #blackwomenauthors #womenshistorymonth #imagesmatter #readers #readinglife #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors #supportblackbookstores 

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 21: Baby Blessings: A Prayer For the Day You Are Born by Deloris Jordan, illustrated by James E. Ransome

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors:

Baby Blessings: A Prayer For the Day You Are Born by Deloris Jordan, illustrated by James E. Ransome

This touching story from bestselling author Doloris Jordan celebrates the blessings new parents wish for their babies all through their lives. With a strong emphasis on the bonds families share, the inspirational text is accompanied by exquisite art from renowned illustrator James E. Ransome. From infancy to adulthood, there is always a place for Baby Blessings. Ages 4–8.

Buy it here

#babyblessings #delorisjordan #celebration #love #family #prayers #blackwomenauthors #womenshistorymonth #imagesmatter #reading #readinglife #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 2: Happy Hair by Mechal Renee Roe

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors.

Happy Hair by  Mechal Renee Roe

African American girls and their beautiful hair are celebrated in this bright, joyful read-together picture book that will have girls everywhere repeating the book's chorus: "I love being me!"

African American girls will love seeing strong, happy reflections of themselves in this vibrant, rhythmic picture book celebrating the diversity of beautiful black hair. From a cute crop to pom-pom puffs, adorable illustrations of girls with gorgeous braids, blowouts, and bantus grace each page, side by side with a call-and-response affirmation that will make girls cheer. It's a great read-aloud to promote self-esteem for girls of all ages, building and growing the foundation of self-love (and hair love!) and letting every girl know "You are made beautiful!"

Full 'fro, cute bow! I love being me! Smart girl, cool curls! I love being me! Ages 4-7

Buy it here.

#happyhair #mechalreneeroe  #womenshistorymonth #womenauthors  #blackauthors#blackwomenauthors #hair #kinks #coils   #curls #imagesmatter #selflove #youarebeautiful #blackgirlmagic

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 19: My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson-Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors:

My Brother Charlie  by Holly Robinson-Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete

"Charlie has autism. His brain works in a special way. It's harder for him to make friends. Or show his true feelings. Or stay safe." But as his big sister tells us, for everything that Charlie can't do well, there are plenty more things that he's good at. He knows the names of all the American presidents. He knows stuff about airplanes. And he can even play the piano better than anyone he knows.

Actress and national autism spokesperson Holly Robinson Peete collaborates with her daughter on this book based on Holly's 10-year-old son, who has autism.  Ages 7-10.

Buy it here.

#mybrothercharlie #hollyrobinsonpeete #ryanelizabethpeete #autism #diverselearners, #family #community #images matter #blackcharacters
#blackwomenauthors #womenshistorymont #readers #readinglife #loveofreading

Honoring Women's History Month pt. 18: Princess Hair by Sharee Miller

In honor of women's history month, a celebration of children's books by black women authors:

Princess Hair by Sharee Miller

"A welcome new picture book about princesses, Princess Hair is about a variety of styles, textures, and attitudes to be found under the crown. Fun for any reader and particularly well-suited for little princesses of color who will see themselves in the pages." - Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor

Princesses with curls wear pearls.
Princesses with head wraps take long naps.
And princesses with teeny-weeny Afros wear teeny-weeny bows.

Celebrate different hair shapes, textures, and styles in this self-affirming picture book! From dreadlocks to blowouts to braids, Princess Hair shines a spotlight on the beauty and diversity of black hair, showing young readers that every kind of hair is princess hair.

Debut author-illustrator Sharee Miller encourages confidence and pride in this playful, colorful picture book that teaches readers to love every bit of themselves.  Ages 5-6

Buy it here

#princesshair #shareemiller #blackhair #healthyselfimage #coils 

#curls #kinks #headwraps #puffs  #blackwomenauthors 

#womenshistorymonth #imagesmatter #blackcharacters 

#readers #readinglife #reading #loveofreading #supportblackwomenauthors