Author: Oge Mora
Awards: N/A
Synopsis: A mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong--ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they'd been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown...until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.
Grade: P-3
Genre: Fiction
Citation: GoodReads, Amazon
Author:Jane Smiley
Awards: N/A
Synopsis: After a fun-filled day at the beach with her family, it's time for Lucy to go to bed. She drifts off to sleep as her mom reads a story, but wakes up later while everyone is asleep to a dark and scary room. Lucy gets up and goes looking for her teddy bear and soon has a whole collection of stuffed toys in bed with her. The story is fun and with "Yawn" in it 20 times, the reader can't help but start yawning too! The illustrations are playful and capture the fun at the beach and the quiet of a house in the middle of the night. Fun bedtime story for little ones and parents alike!
Grade:Pre-K - 1
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads, Booksource
Author:Varian Johnson
Awards:2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book
Synopsis:Candice finds an old letter in a box in the attic with clues to a treasure. With the help of the quiet boy who lives across the street, Candice discovers much about her family's past, as well issues such as bigotry, divorce, friendship, and LGBTQ. Along with that go lots of light-hearted adventures!
Grade:3-7
Genre:Mystery and Suspense
Citation:Goodreads, Scholastic Book Wizard
Author:Derrick Barnes
Awards:N/A
Synopsis:Armed with royal nickname, a young African American boy heads off to the first day of Kindergarten. He is confident, friendly, and excited. With lots of positive messages, this inspiring picture book would be great to use as an introduction to school! The colorful illustrations really help the story along.
Grade:Pre-K - K
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads
Author:Oge Mora
Awards: A 2019 Caldecott Honor Book
Winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award
Synopsis: Omu, which means queen in Igbo, is making a stew that smells so good the neighbors all come to see if they can have a taste. Graciously she gives some to everyone who asks until she left with none for herself. But her community comes to the rescue by bringing things from their kitchens to complete a meal. The story is similar to the familiar Stone Soup. The cut-paper collage pictures are endearing. Thanksgiving or lessons on sharing, community, orkindness would be great to go along with this book.
Grade:Pre-K - 3
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads, Booksource
Author:Gaia Cornwall
Awards: N/A
Synopsis: Today is the day! Jabari has finished swimming lessons and has decided he is ready to jump from the diving board. It's a long climb up the ladder and a long walk to the end. Maybe he should figure out what kind of jump to do first. And maybe some exercises and stretching would be a good idea. Is he just stalling? Will he jump? Find out in this beautifully illustrated book that teaches about self-confidence and persevering.
Grade:Pre-K - 2
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads
Author:Lesa Cline-Ransome
Awards: Coretta Scott King
Synopsis:Langston is an 11 year-old African American boy from Alabama who, after the death of the mother, joins the Great Migration with his father. Once settled in post-war Chicago, Langston is bullied at school and left alone while his father works. Langston soon discovers that the public library accepts blacks unlike those in Alabama. There he discovers the poetry of Langston Hughes who his mother named him after. The poems help him cope with feelings of grief, and being different and bullied.
Grade:3-7
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads
Author:Debbie Allen
Synopsis:A young African American named Sassy, for her hands-on-her hips sassy attitude, dreams of becoming a ballerina. When a famous director visits her dance class she tries to impress with her moves but worries that her large feet, long legs, and big mouth will fail her. Based loosely on the life of Debbie Allen, the book shows how girls can overcome doubt and self-image to accomplish their dreams.
Grade:Pre-K - 3
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads
Author:Derrick Barnes
Awards: Newbery Honor, Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor
Synopsis: A beautifully illustrated picture book about a young boy's newfound confidence after getting a new haircut. It reflects on how African American boys are treated like royalty in the barber's chair and how that feeling extends out the door. With the right "crown" they can be invincible! Written as a rhythmic poem that captures the attention of Pre-K children.
Grade:Pre-K - 3
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads
Author: Andrea Beaty
Awards: N/A
Synopsis: Ada is a curious African American toddler who never gets tired of asking "why". She refuses to accept the fact that can’t be a scientist just because she is a young, black girl. Her family supports her on her quest to find the truth about a smell that has invaded their house. The illustrations depict a modern, middle-class traditional family. This would be a great book for those interested in science and African American characters.
Grades: K-2
Genre: Fiction
Citation: Scholastic Book Wizard, Goodreads
Author:Lisa Moore Ramee
Synopsis:All 12 year-old Shayla wants is to survive 7th grade! She is a major rule-follower, but things start to change as she questions who her "real" friends are, what social-justice means, and what it means to be a black teenager in America. Great book to incorporate the Black Lives Matter movement into the classroom along with just survivng middle school!
Grade:4-8
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Goodreads
Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Awards: N/A
Synopsis: Peter loves his dog Willie and wants be able to whistle so his dog will come to him. After much practicing, Peter does it and Willie comes running! Wonderful illustrations and a good lesson in perseverance.
Grades: Pre-K to 2nd
Genre: Fiction
Citation: Scholastic Book Wizard
Author:Deborah Hopkinson
Awards:N/A
Synopsis:Clara is a young slave girl who is sold to a new plantation away from her family. She becomes an apprentice to a seamstress in the Big House where she is able to collect scraps for her secret project - a quilt that will become a map of escape through the Underground Railroad. A powerful story to introduce slavery and the Underground
Railroad and one of the little know ways that were used to direct slaves North to freedom.
Grades:3-5
Genre:Historical Fiction
Citation:Scholastic Book Wizard, Goodreads
 - Deborah Hopkinson, James Ransome)
Author: Marilyn Hilton
Awards:N/A
Synopsis:Mimi is a half-black and half-Japanese girl who recently moved to a conservative all white town in Vermont. She dreams of one day being an astronaut and doesn’t let the nay-sayers beat her down. Mimi must face discrimination and prejudice as she learns that even one person speaking up can change things. It is written from Mimi's point of view through poems as she progresses through her first year in Vermont.
Grade: 6-8
Genre:Historical Fiction
Citation:Goodreads, Scholastic Book Wizard
Author: Yona Zeldis McDonough
Awards:N/A
Synopsis:A great read to enhance study of the Underground Railroad! Tells about the many different tools used by freedom-seeking slaves, such as quilts as maps, songs, and secret signs, and some of the people, black and white, who helped them on their way. There are 80 illustrations and a 16-page photo insert that bring the information to life. A wonderful resource to have for the history buff!
Grade: 3-7
Genre:Non-Fiction, History
Citation:Goodreads
Author:Ezra Jack Keats
Awards:N/A
Synopsis:Peter's birthday is coming up
and he wants to send an invitation to his
friend Amy. A strong wind blows it out of
Peter's hand as he is on his way to the
mailbox post it. The classic Keats
illustrations tell of his adventures to get it
back and complete his task. Good way to
bring the topic of friendship into the
classroom.
Grades:K-2
Genre:Fiction
Citation:Scholastic Book Wizard
