Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
Black History Month: Books
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When we adopted Talitha, we became a multiracial family. African-American history became part of the mix of our family’s history.
The books on our shelves started to change. Now I was noticing whether the illustrations in a book included children of various ethnic backgrounds. I hope many of you will be wiser and more into real life than I had been before that: I hope you will be seeking books that are multi-racial and multicultural even if your family is all one color.
A number of people have asked me for book recommendations. My best first advice is to keep your eyes open wherever you usually are finding books. But of course, it helps to get recommendations too. Pamela Toussaint has collected about 250 titles and descriptions in Great Books for African-American Children. It was published several years ago, so newer books won’t be listed, but it’s a good start.
One of my favorites is Come Sunday, by Nikki Grimes. It begins with Mama waking LaTasha on Sunday morning. “Time to shed dawn’s cozy quilt” has become part of our home language.
Then each short poem, paired with an evocative, luscious illustration, leads us with affection and tender humor through LaTasha’s Sunday. Mama braiding her hair, the imaginative hats at Paradise Baptist, the pinches on the cheek, the music that brings the congregation to dancing, the potluck meal of ”collards and ham and honey-glazed yams, fried chicken and black-eyed peas, and pumpkin pie” . . . .
Oh, now I’m thinking of another book and another. Another day.
What are your favorites?
6 Responses to “Black History Month: Books”
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Thanks so much for helping me stroll down memory lane, from remembrances of being introduce to Robert Frost, to thinking about family and history, to books!
We enjoyed Come Sunday too! Some of my other favorites are
Amazing Grace
Nappy Hair (gotta read it with lots of attitude and Ebonics LOL)
Uncle Jed’s Barbershop
Thanks, Noel!! I’m struggling to find books with multi-racial illustrations. I particularly noticed it over Christmas when I was trying to find good childrens Christmas books. This list will be really helpful for our family.
I have been collecting childrens picture books for over 30 years now and at first I thought that I did have quite a few with multi-racial illustrations… but, when I went to pick a favorite book to post here, well, I am afraid that I did not have nearly as many as I thought I had! Now I will be more aware as I begin to collect for my grandchildren. A favorite author of mine is Patricia Polacco and a favorite book by her is Chicken Sunday.
[...] Prayer follows a little girl as she accompanies her handyman father when he helps a neighbor.Yesterday I recommended a favorite of mine by Nikki Grimes. Today Grimes’ poetry and Ladwig’s [...]
I’m the mommy in a multiracial family. My family of origin is also a multiracial family, and that motivated me to seek out well-illustrated children’s books even before my family became multi-racial. Here are a handful of our very favorites (off the top of my head):
- The Hello, Goodbye Window (Juster & Rachka?)
- All the Colors of the Earth (Sheila Hamanka)
- We’re Different, We’re the Same (a Sesame Street Book)
- The Colors of Us (Karen Katz)
- He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands (PROFOUNDLY beautiful illustrations by Kadir Nelson!!!)
- Do You Want A Friend? (ever heard of it?) :)
A Place Where Hurricanes Happen–Renee Watson
Pretty much any Ezra Jack Keats book.
Jesus Loves You–Diane Stortz