I Stand In Solidarity With The Black Community.
Recent events have sparked conversations that need to be out in the open. Therefor I thought it would be good for me to share with you all how we talk about race at home, what we read to our toddler, what we are watching when we are allowing screen time and other useful resources.
Nza is 19 months and loves to be read to, of course she also loves screen time, we try and minimise that to an average of 1 hour or less a day. This is flexible as we watch more on rainy days…
An excellent resource for parents:
Book shops
Of course, where you can, please visit your local library or by secondhand books!
We have a lovely bookshop close to us: Moon Lane Ink, they also have an excellent YouTube channel where they read stories.
New Beacon Books specialises in African and African-Caribbean literature, they are based in London.
Sankofa Read Aloud – Online African American Children’s Stories read aloud.
Black Well Oxford have book stores but also have a great eBay account featuring lots of inclusive books.
Children’s books written by authors from African descent
- Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry (which was originally an Oscar-winning short film)
- Tiana Eat Up! by Akitoye Sunday
- I Am Enough and I Believe I Can by Grace Byers
- Dream Big Little Leaders written & illustrated by Vashti Harrison
- Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o illustrated by Vashti Harrison
- Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow illustrated by Ebony Glenn
- Grandad Mandela by Zindzi Mandela, Zazi Mandela, Ziwelene Mandela illustrated by Sean Qualls
- Saturday and Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora
- Hands Up by Brenna J. McDaniel illustrated byShane W. Evans
- Girl of Mine by Jabari Asim illustrated by LeUyen Pham
- Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons illustrated by
- Another written and illustrated by Christian Robinson
- The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S. K. Ali illustrated by Hatem Aly
- The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
- My Daddy Doesn’t Need a Cape by Sheryl Smiley-Oliphant
- Welcome To the Party by Gabrielle Union illustrated by Ashley Evans
- My Hair is a Garden written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
Picture books celebrating Black Fathers and Black Father-Figures.
RESOURCES FOR MULTICULTURAL BOOKS
The Brown Bookshelf: http://www.thebrownbookshelf.com/
We Need Diverse Books: https://diversebooks.org/
Just Us Books: http://justusbooks.com/
Lee & Low: http://www.leeandlow.com/
Helping Kids Rise: https://www.helpingkidsrise.org
Black Children’s Books & Authors: http://bcbooksandauthors.com/
Here Wee Read: http://hereweeread.com/
EyeSeeMe: http://www.eyeseeme.com
The Conscious Kid: https://www.theconsciouskid.org/
Cynsations: https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/cynsations/
CBC Diversity: http://www.cbcdiversity.com/
Cinco Puntos Press: http://www.cincopuntos.com/
American Indians in Children’s Literature: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/
Cooperative Children’s Book Center: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/
Social Justice Books: https://socialjusticebooks.org/
Crazy Quilt Edi: http://campbele.wordpress.com/
Diversity in YA: http://www.diversityinya.com/
Sweet Honey Child Book Club: http://sweethoneychildbookclub.tumblr.com/
Inclusive children’s books by non-Black authors
It’s important to know if the author is or isn’t of African descent as the story might be less authentic or feel stereotypical instead of it being a personal story. These books might also be more supported already, they might have bigger publishers in some cases, so please first try and support the above list and than the list below.
- Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena illustrated by Christian Robinson
- My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan
- Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention by Pip Jones
- Handa’s Surprise by Eileen Browne
- Off to the Beach by Childs Play
- Earth Hour A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet by Nanette Heffernan illustrated by Bao Luu
- Lola Goes to School by Anna McQuinn illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
- The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson
- When’s My Birthday? by Julie Fogliano
This is an ongoing list, last updated 22 June 2020, please comment if you have any suggestions! 🙂
This is the result after just one hour of sun, not using any bleach.
Made from good quality, lightweight, breathable fabric that’s comfortable and supportive, I have worn it day in and day out. I’ve only not worn it overnight when it needed a wash and I let it air dry.
