This Black History Month, celebrate Black lives, history, art, and accomplishments with these recent outstanding illustrated nonfiction books for kids!
Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston by Alicia Williams
illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara
Luminous illustrations and a lively, conversational writing style tell the life story of writer and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, with a particular focus on Hurston’s tenacity in overcoming obstacles in pursuit of her goals. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
The People Remember by Ibi Zoboi
illustrated by Loveis Wise
This lyrical history of African American life covers a wide swath of history, from the Atlantic slave trade to the great migration, Motown, hip hop, and the Black Lives Matter Movement, while also explaining and celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Told in free verse accompanied by lush digital illustrations. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch by Heidi Tyline King
illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Preservationist and environmentalist MaVynee Betsch successfully fought development of a Florida beach purchased by her grandfather and held as a place where Black children could swim in the era of Jim Crow. Engaging paint-and-collage images combine with writing that references Betsch’s career as an opera singer for an engaging read. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
by Stacey Abrams
illustrated by Kitt Thomas
Politician and voting rights activist Abrams tells a fictionalized story of a spelling bee she lost by one word to the class bully. Discouraged but not defeated, bookish Stacey perseveres in her goal to win a bee, even though victory is neither swift nor easy. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford
illustrated by Floyd Cooper
This sensitively told age-appropriate narrative recounts the events of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Beginning with a portrayal of the thriving African American neighborhood of Greenwood, a vibrant community full of Black-owned businesses, Weatherford chronicles the destruction and devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community, looting businesses and razing buildings, and the subsequent 75- year wait for an official investigation. The distinct, sepia-toned oil-erasure style images of illustrator Floyd Cooper accompany the narrative. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards for Author and Illustrator and a Caldecott Honor Book. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
For more recommended titles, check out the list Black History Month – Picture Book Nonfiction for Kids.
~ posted by Andrea G.
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