A Bouquet of Brown: African American Picture Books with Kids Just Being Kids
When selecting titles for our homeschool bookshelves, I search trusted lists, read reviews, and listen to the recommendations of friends – both old and new. But nothing communicates the simple splendor of a good book like the little fingers of my children bringing the same pages to my lap time and time again.
Literary quality is important, and it is something I always strive for. But quality is not only vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Quality is also connection, sentiment, and inspiration, and I try to make sure not to let one eclipse the other. The tattered pages of much-loved books indicate that my children have found relationship, even when they are not traditional classics. Balance is beautiful.
For my children to see themselves reflected in the pages of books, I am diligent to include plenty of images and stories with Black characters on our shelves. They serve a unique purpose in our family, but these books are life-giving for all families wanting to show their children the everyday meanderings of little Black boys and girls.
Between the pages of these books you will find tales of brotherhood and determination alongside stories of everyday fun. And isn’t that life – the spectacular mixed with the humdrum to create rhythms of normality and excitement? Each story can stand alone as a single good book, but when presented together over time they weave a simple, yet important, narrative – little boys and girls everywhere have wild imaginations and an insatiable drive for exploration and adventure. Happy reading!
Masai and I by Virginia Kroll - In this book, a little girl learns about the Masai people of East Africa in school, and she feels “the tingle of kinship flowing” through her veins. She spends the rest of the book comparing her everyday life to the daily rhythms of the Masai, and in the end she finds that she has more in common with these new people than she expected. The author uniquely blends and connects two completely different cultures into a cohesive story that allows children to consider what life would be like if they were born in another part of the world.
We Are Brothers by Yves Nadon – My boys adore this story. It tells of two brothers – one brave and ambitious and the other hopeful but hesitant. Rather than the old familiar refrain of sibling rivalry, taunting, and teasing, this book shows how brothers can support one another through life’s challenges, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
Cendrillon by Robert D. San Souci – Sometimes a familiar story told in a new way can be as comfy as a warm quilt on a cold winter night, and that is what this book is for my children. They love the traditional story of Cinderella, but this version is their all-time favorite. Cendrillon is a Creole girl on the island of Martinique who receives a helping hand from her godmother, a poor washerwoman, as she seeks to capture the heart of the ever-charming Paul. Coupled with Brian Pinkney’s stunning illustrations (He’s a family fave!), this book is magical. This story would be lovely to add to your semester of fairy tales with The Kind Kingdom.
Elizabeti’s Doll by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen. Elizabeti lives in Tanzania, but her story is one that siblings everywhere will identify with. When her mama has a new baby, Elizabeti decides that she also wants a baby to care for. She puts her creative juices to work and finds just the right baby, but one day her special baby disappears! This book offers the most gentle sense of mystery and intrigue, but it ends happily with a fun twist. This has been a family favorite for a while because it normalizes the feelings older siblings may have when a new baby comes – feelings to nurture something just like Mama. This would make a perfect addition to your unit on Africa with The Precious People.
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell – When Molly Lou Melon has to move away from her loving and supportive grandmother, she faces a series of taunts in her new school. As a bully tries to bring her down, she remembers her grandmother’s advice and she turns lemons into lemonade, even making friends with mean old Ronald Durkin along the way. This book is just so stinking cute. My children cheer out loud for Molly and they clap when she shows that bully what it means to be confident and kind!
Molly, by Golly! By Dianne Ochiltree – Part truth sprinkled with a little legend, this is the story of Molly Williams – the first known female firefighter in America. This fun book uniquely satisfies my firefighter wannabe boys and my never-to-be-outdone girls with a story of bravery and diligence all wrapped up in the shape of a woman. This would make a great addition to your year with The Playful Pioneers curriculum.
The Sun is So Quiet by Nikki Giovanni – “Little boys are like snowflakes. No two are alike.” These sweet lines of Giovanni’s have been repeated in our home repeatedly as I try to teach my boys that they are partners and not competitors. The pictures alone, by renowned artist Ashley Bryan, are enough to make this book good enough to eat, but the simplicity and clarity of the verses positions this book as a natural gateway into the world of poetry for young children.
Brothers of the Knight by Debbie Allen - In a new twist on an old Brothers Grimm fairytale, this unique retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses tells of the Knight family and why the father of twelve boys cannot figure out how his sons’ shoes are getting worn out. At first, the boys do not want to share their little secret, but in the end they find out that their dad has a little secret of his own.
It Takes a Village by Jane Cowen-Fletcher - This is a sweet little story about a village girl from Benin who gets to join her mother for market day where her mom will sell mangoes while Yemi watches her little brother. But what happens when Yemi gets distracted and her little brother wanders off? In the end, she learns a valuable lesson about the power of community. My older children have a little brother who likes to wander off, and they just love hearing this story of Yemi’s nail-biting search for her little guy.
Guest Post by Amber O’Neal Johnston. You can find her on the web at http://www.heritagemom.com. and read her thoughts on living books for black families here.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for clicking through and showing your support.