"Brown Like Me" Books
Books for Kids Featuring Black Characters
A young boy tells of what he would do and experience if he were president of the United States. This is a great book for kids wanting to learn about the basic responsibilities of the Commander in Chief and his or her role in government.
This is a fun story about a boy and his sneakers. He and his red kicks experienced a lot together and everyone knows that "there's NOTHING like an OLD pair of kicks" ...
This book is based on a true story of a 14-year-old boy living in Malawi, Africa. Riddled by drought, William's family began eating only one meal per day in hopes of prolonging the dwindling food supply. Curious about how mechanical things work, William utilized the library to learn about windmills.
The library is Lottie's favorite place. She makes a new friend whose favorite place is also the library. He enjoys dinosaur books as much as she likes books about space.
During the time of the Great Migration, a young boy from Mississippi dreams of trains. While working in the cotton fields, he listens for the hope-filled sound of Casey Jones' train whistle.
"Freedom hope, and Joy Devine! Juneteenth means it's Freedom Time!" This book features Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth as she tells a group of children the story of Juneteenth and how it came to be.
In this particular book of the series, Holly celebrates Juneteenth. "June 19th marks a HOLLY-day when freedom is celebrated." With rhyming text, author Kendall-Drucker explains the history of Juneteenth and how slaves in Texas learned that they were free on June 19, 1865 - years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
As a parent, I have a special affinity for books about twins - because I have two sets. Yep, two sets of twin boys! So, naturally, I was thrilled to discover another book all about twins, Twin Power, by doctors (and parents of a set of twins), Benjamin & Kiyanda Young!
Little Bill and his friends are thrilled when he discovers what he believes to be a diamond. All the kids talk about how they would spend their money if they were rich.
While this book is beautifully illustrated, it's message is equally as beautiful! "There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you."
This is a great story to read about how different people celebrate New Year's Day! Shanté's grandmother forgets their traditional black-eyed peas. So, Shanté sets out to find some.
What a wonderful story! I love how the author uses the seven principles of Kwanzaa in this story of constantly quarreling brothers who are given the task of making gold out of seven spools of thread.
From the Cultural Holidays book series, this book provides the details of the Kwanzaa holiday celebration.
Based on the original poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore, this African-American version has characters living on a small dairy farm in North Carolina near the turn of the century.
This is a beautifully illustrated compilation of five Nativity poems by Langston Hughes. The five poems included are "Carol of the Brown King," "Shepherd's Song at Christmas," "On a Christmas Night," "On a Pallet of Straw," and "The Christmas Story."
This is a rookie reader book about a girl named Bessey and how she bakes holiday cookies to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.
This is a wonderfully unique version of the beloved holiday story, The Night Before Christmas. It takes place in an African village where everyone is excited about the arrival of Santa and his reindeer.
Christmas is Grace's favorite time of year. But, when she has to spend it with "strangers," she's less than thrilled.
This is a collection of twenty-three poems about the many wonders of the Christmas season, told from an African-American perspective.
My kids really enjoyed this book! It is about a boy and his quest to replace the broken angel for his Christmas tree with an angel that looks more like him.
