Celebrating Picture Book Black Voices
Summer vacation has arrived, which means there is so much time for reading! As a kid, one of my favorite summertime activities was an afternoon trip to the public library. No school or extracurriculars meant extra time to peruse the shelves to find the perfect stories to take home with me. Each week my stack looked quite different, as I loved (and still do love) finding books that expanded my worldview and showed perspectives outside my own.
In this blog post I wanted to amplify some wonderful picture books of 2024 by Black voices! Let these stories inspire you and your little reader to head to your local library/bookstore for a literary adventure of your own!
Virginia was free.
To be a dreamer.
To be a wanderer.
To be her own unique self.
Free to be.
Virginia Hamilton was only nine years old when she decided she would become a writer. Growing up in the countryside of Ohio, she listened to her family’s stories and knew that words held extraordinary magic. From her childhood years discovering her love for storytelling, to her early adult life honing her craft in the city, Virginia found her voice in her writing as she began a career defined by her roots.
I’m a big fan of anything Jewell Parker Rhodes and Kelly McWilliams touch, so in my entirely unbiased opinion, Soul Step is a beautiful foot-stomping masterpiece.
What does sisterhood sound like? STOMP, CLAP! How does pride move? FLIP, FLAP! How do we uphold tradition? GO HARD, SNAP BACK! SOUL STEP!Written by the mother-daughter duo Jewell Parker Rhodes and Kelly McWilliams, and gorgeously illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, Soul Step is a loving ode to sisterhood and the tradition of stepping that lets women and girls, and people of all backgrounds, step loud and be proud.
This is one of those special stories that provide a window into communities and experiences far, far away from here in the United States. The Gabi That Girma Wore is a lyrical celebration of Ethiopian culture that follows the creation of a traditional Gabi from a little cotton seed all the way to Girma’s hands.
This vibrant and lushly illustrated tale pays tribute to the Gabi— a traditional Ethiopian cloth that is used to celebrate both community and culture. From the tiny seed to the fluffy white cotton, from the steady hands of the farmer to the swift fingers of the weaver, from the busy shopkeeper, to a gift for a loved one, follow the journey of the Gabi that Girma wore in this lively and rhythmic tale that’s perfect to read aloud.
Sparrow sets out for a day of birding, where she watches, listens, and identifies the many types of birds around her through their color (red—a cardinal), song (“Cheer up! Cheer up!”—a robin), and movement (flitting backward, forward, and even upside down—a hummingbird). Using her notebook and markers, Sparrow records all the birds she sees on her walk.
On the first day of elementary school, Abuela soothes Gloriana’s nerves by telling her stories from their family home in la República Dominicana. But as soon as Gloriana enters the classroom, the tropical scenery crumbles and la música is replaced with English phrases she does not understand. When other kids approach her to play at recess, she freezes, uncertain about how to exist between her two homes, or how to make new friends between her two languages. Abuela recognizes echoes of her own immigration journey on this challenging day at school, and she gently guides Gloriana towards newfound confidence.
Keyana has come up with the perfect idea for a class project, and getting it done is pretty fun! All she has to do is pick the people and places she loves around her school. But when the teacher asks Keyana to present the project in front of everyone, she’ll have to find a little bit of confidence and a big way to share.
Keyana has come up with the perfect idea for a class project, and getting it done is pretty fun! All she has to do is pick the people and places she loves around her school. But when the teacher asks Keyana to present the project in front of everyone, she’ll have to find a little bit of confidence and a big way to share.
From the team behind The Proudest Blue and The Kindest Red comes another empowering story of family, community, and acceptance.
Faizah loves being part of the community at her mosque, and she loves being part of the group at her fencing lessons. When all eyes are on her, though, Faizah freezes up. Mama says bravery will come with time, but there’s a fencing tournament coming up—does Faizah have what it takes to be bold?
Brown girl, brown girl, what did you see?
A world that sees my skin before it sees me.
Based on a viral poem by Blaxican poet and activist Leslé Honoré, and illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Cozbi A. Cabrera, this moving journey through the past, present, and future of brown and Black girls is a celebration of community, creativity, and joy—and offers a reminder of the history that inspires hope, and the hope that inspires activism.
