Since returning to this space, this blog, when I was feeling less overwhelmed about COVID19 I have been much more intentional about finding inclusive books for my stacks. I do not want to focus on Black or Latino/a/x folx one month per year. To me, that is performative. Instead, I will continue to find books on a theme that are inclusive of lots of different characters, stories, and experiences.
That said, February IS Black History Month. I did choose some new books for my family to read this month in addition to the books from our MLKJr inspired stack (here!) that we are still enjoying. I chose these books because they focus on Black joy and Black excellence in addition to Black history. Also, any time there is a mermaid involved, my kids are 100% in (see Oona below).
We haven’t yet started The ABC’s of Black History by Rio Cortez and illustrations by Lauren Semmer, but I fell in love when I paged through it. It’s an ABC primer with words tied to Black history. We just read A is for Activist, which has a similar format, so I’m thinking that we’ll start with just a few pages at a time to really soak them in. That will also allow me to help my 4 year old work on her writing one letter at a time, which I have been meaning to do since we took her out of preschool. My kids are going to love this one because the words are familiar and the text is interactive, asking questions of the readers and sharing information as well. The colorful and happy illustrations will draw them in, even when the topic is tougher- like the U pages that center on slavery.
Christian Robinson’s You Matter is beautifully written and illustrated. It shows all different people and things (even the gassy sun- a page that draws giggles every time) and how they’re important. The simple affirmation of mattering is something I want my kids to internalize as females who have lots of thoughts and opinions that deserve to be heard. I want them to realize too that the thoughts and opinions of others are also important. This book is a great start to internalizing those messages.
Oona by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrations by Raissa Figueroa is a new favorite in our house. My kids love that it’s a mermaid story. Plus, there’s an adorable sidekick and a problem to solve, so we’re all in. Oona is determined to reach the tiara that is stuck in the rift, and no other treasure hunters have been able to get it. Oona tries and tries and it’s not until she invents a solution that she perseveres. Persistence and ingenuity win for me, and the moody color scheme makes readers feel that they’re really down deep in the ocean.
Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins’ Young, Gifted, and Black is a collection of short biographies about Black people from the past and present. We are reading this a couple of pages at a time as well, so that we can savor the learning and consider the impact of each person. It’s really fun when my kids make connections to the people they know about already (hello to my birthday twin, Beyoncé) and to watch them learn about people they didn’t know before. My 7 year old is more into this one than my 4 year old, maybe because she likes non-fiction more or because some of the pages are longer in length and content is more advanced. Bright images and really fun fonts make the whole reading experience fun for us!
You can also find my past stacks on Hair (here) and Black History Month 2019 (here) as well as curated sets in my Bookshop store– check out the lists for Books that Affirm Hair and Skin, Books about Black History, and and Black Picture Books. Of course, if you purchase any of the books from my Bookshop store I’ll get a small commission; thanks in advance!