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We have picked our favorite books about the African American experience. You can find these in the Easy fiction and Easy non-fiction sections of the library.
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Nigel and the Moon
by Antwan Eady
When Nigel looks up at the moon, his future is bright. He imagines himself as...an astronaut, a dancer, a superhero, too! Among the stars, he twirls. With pride, his chest swells. And his eyes, they glow. Nigel is the most brilliant body in the sky. It is career week at school, and Nigel can't find the courage to share his dreams. It's easy to whisper them to the moon, but not to his classmates--especially when he already feels out of place.
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Show the World!
by Angela Dalton
In this beautiful and empowering celebration of self-expression, the young narrator journeys through her neighborhood, showing young readers all the many ways they can show the world exactly who they are.
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Uncle John's City Garden
by Bernette G. Ford
Visiting the city from her home in the suburbs, an African American girl sees how a few packets of seeds, some helping hands and hard work transform an empty lot in a housing project into a magical place where vegetables grow and family gathers.
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Who are Your People?
by Bakari Sellers
The New York Times best-selling author and CNN analyst presents this picture book in which he pays tribute to the roots that help shape young children into whoever they want to be.
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Carter Reads the Newspaper
by Deborah Hopkinson
This first-ever picture book biography of Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month, emphasizes the importance of pursuing curiosity and encouraging a hunger for knowledge of stories and histories that have not been told. Illustrations also feature brief biographical sketches of important figures from African and African American history.
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My Hair is Magic!
by M. L. Marroquin
A little girl knows her hair is great just as it is. When people ask, "Why is your hair so BIG?" she answers, "Why isn't yours?" Her hair is soft, it protects her, it's both gentle and fierce. While some might worry about how it's different and try to contain it, she gives it the freedom to be so extraordinary it almost has a life of its own.
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Ruby's Reunion Day Dinner
by Angela Dalton
Inspired by the rich tradition of African American reunions, a multigenerational story follows the experiences of young Ruby, who helps loved ones prepare the foods they are bringing while trying to think of a signature dish of her own.
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All Because You Matter
by Tami Charles
A lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere reminds them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will.
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I am Every Good Thing
by Derrick. Barnes
Proud of everything that makes him who he is, a young Black narrator celebrates the creativity, adventurous spirit, humor, and loyalty that shape his undeterred spirit and confident goals, even when people who do not understand try to limit his potential.
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Brown Sugar Babe
by Charlotte Watson Sherman
After a young girl declares she is pink, her mother shows her all the wonderful things that brown can be and to be proud of her skin.
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Lucky Beans
by Becky Birtha
During the Great Depression, Marshall, an African American boy, uses lessons learned in arithmetic class and guidance from his mother to figure out how many beans are in a jar in order to win her a new sewing machine in a contest.
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Hammering For Freedom: The William Lewis Story
by Rita L Hubbard
An inspirational story of William "Bill" Lewis, a hardworking blacksmith who slowly saved his money, and bought the freedom of each and every member of his enslaved family.
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I am Harriet Tubman
by Brad Meltzer
A depiction of the childhood influences and achievements of Harriet Tubman explains how she courageously helped numerous slaves escape to freedom as one of the key players of the Underground Railroad.
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A Dance like Starlight: One Ballerina's Dream
by Kristy Dempsey
A tribute to the achievements and legacy of first African-American prima ballerina, Janet Collins, traces her childhood in mid-20th-century Harlem and the talent that gained her entry into a white ballet school.
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Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song
by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A poetic tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Great March on Washington explores the intersecting lives of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson at the historic moment when their joined voices inspired landmark changes.
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Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley BryanIn a story of the Ila people that celebrates the importance of appreciating one's own inner beauty, the colorful birds of Africa ask Blackbird, whom they think is the most beautiful of birds, to decorate them with some of his "blackening brew."
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Forsyth County Public Library | #WeKnowBooks
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