I feel so incredibly lucky that my daughter loves books as much as I do. We often read together and I get so much joy when she is excited to crack open a crisp new book. I go above and beyond to ensure that her library contains all kinds of stories and characters, different races, cultures, abilities, genders, circumstances and more.

So whether you also take price in your diverse children’s library like I do, or are looking to introduce diversity into your children’s book collection, I highly recommend checking out the titles below.

Children’s Books By Black Authors

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry

This book is absolutely so beautiful and has an incredible message. To me, this book is excellent for hair representation but ultimately about self love and acceptance. I also appreciated the representation of cancer in the little girl’s mother as many families face this reality (ours included).

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o

I absolutely love Lupita, not only for the talented actress that she is but also because of the fun fact that she is a Mexican born Spanish speaking Black woman (This is important to highlight as a stand against the erasure of Black communities in Mexico and Latin America). So when I found out she was releasing this wonderful book, I ran to purchase it for our collection. It is a touching story about beautiful Black skin like the night and stars.

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

This is an excellent book about entering new spaces, from a new school to a new experience. It shares the message of celebrating the idea that everyone is different and it is perfectly okay, sometimes you just have to be brave and take a step forward.

Mama’s Nightingale by Edwidge Danticat

This story really touched my heart, and I must admit I teared up when i read it as this is a sensitive topic for me. While you may hesitate to discuss the topic of family separation with your child, it is the reality of what many children and families experience. I believe this book is an excellent way to introduce this topic to your child and do recommend it.

Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin

I LOVE this story, particularly because I was once the little girl wondering why I didn’t look like Snow White or the other Disney princesses. It is a beautiful story about self love and of claiming a space where you truly belong.

I Am Enough by Grace Byers.

This story is about confidence and self-esteem. It is important to plant those seeds from an early age and nurture them in our children all the way until adulthood and beyond. Grace Byers is also the author of I Believe I Can, another book we absolutely love!

The books featured in this blog post are excellent to include representation at home. Regardless of your child’s race, it is incredibly important for them to have these stories available to them. Also, the books are an excellent way to support Black authors. Investing in these books for your child is an actionable step towards being an ally to the Black community, for its present and its future.

Do you have other books by Black authors that you recommend? Leave them in the comments below or get in touch with me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Happy Reading!