Book picks similar to
In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers by Javaka Steptoe
poetry
picture-books
picture-book
family
Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World
Jen Cullerton Johnson - 2010
A picture book biography of scientist Wangari Maathai, the first African womanand first environmentalistto win a Nobel Peace Prize (in 2004), for her work planting trees in her native Kenya.
Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: a Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix
Gary Golio - 2010
But first, he was a boy named Jimmy who loved to draw and paint and listen to records. A boy who played air guitar with a broomstick and longed for a real guitar of his own. A boy who asked himself a question: Could someone paint pictures with sound? This a story of a talented child who learns to see, hear, and interpret the world around him in his own unique way. It is also a story of a determined kid with a vision, who worked hard to become a devoted and masterful artist. Jimi Hendrix--a groundbreaking performer whose music shook the very foundations of rock 'n' roll.
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom
Tim Tingle - 2006
In the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears, Bok Chitto was a boundary. On one side of the river lived the Choctaws. On the other side lived the plantation owners and their slaves. If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free.Thus begins Crossing Bok Chitto, told by award-winning Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle and brought to life with the rich illustrations of Jeanne Rorex Bridges.Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, knows better than to cross Bok Chitto, but one day--in search of blackberries--she disobeys her mother and finds herself on the other side. A tall slave discovers Martha Tom. A friendship begins between Martha Tom and the slave's family, most particularly his young son, Little Mo. Soon afterwards, Little Mo's mother finds out that she is going to be sold. The situation seems hopeless, except that Martha Tom teaches Little Mo's family how to walk on water to their freedom.Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle blends songs, cedar flute, and drum with tribal lore to bring the lore of the Choctaw Nation to life in lively historical, personal, and traditional stories. His collection of stories Walking the Choctaw Road was selected as the Oklahoma Book of the Year.Artist Jeanne Rorex Bridges traces her heritage back to her Cherokee ancestors. Crossing Bok Chitto is her first fully illustrated book.
Mixed Me!
Taye Diggs - 2015
He has LOTS of energy! His parents love him. And Mike is a PERFECT blend of the two of them.Still, Mike has to answer LOTS of questions about being mixed. And he does, with LOTS of energy and joy in this charming story about a day in the life of a mixed-race child.
I Have a Dream
Martin Luther King Jr. - 1973
The appendixes include texts of some of King's most famous speeches.
Working Cotton
Sherley Anne Williams - 1992
“With its restrained poetic text and impressionist paintings, this is a picture book for older readers, too.”--Booklist
Boundless Grace
Mary Hoffman - 1995
Then he invites her to visit him and his new family in Africa, and Grace soon realizes that even in divided families, love can prove boundless. Watercolor illustrations.
New Shoes
Susan Lynn Meyer - 2014
She is ecstatic, but when she and her mother arrive at Mr. Johnson's shoe store, her happiness quickly turns to dejection. Ella Mae is unable to try on the shoes because of her skin color. Determined to fight back, Ella Mae and her friend Charlotte work tirelessly to collect and restore old shoes, wiping, washing, and polishing them to perfection. The girls then have their very own shoe sale, giving the other African American members of their community a place to buy shoes where they can be treated fairly and "try on all the shoes they want."
Sulwe
Lupita Nyong'o - 2019
She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.In this stunning debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty.
Bedtime Bonnet
Nancy Redd - 2020
This joyous and loving celebration of family is the first-ever picture book to highlight Black nighttime hair traditions--and is perfect for every little girl who knows what it's like to lose her bonnet just before bedtime.
In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!My brother slips a durag over his locs.Sis swirls her hair in a wrap around her head.Daddy covers his black waves with a cap.Mama gathers her corkscrew curls in a scarf.I always wear a bonnet over my braids, but tonight I can't find it anywhere!Bedtime Bonnet gives readers a heartwarming peek into quintessential Black nighttime hair traditions and celebrates the love between all the members of this close-knit, multi-generational family.Perfect for readers of Hair Love and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Ruth and the Green Book
Calvin Alexander Ramsey - 2010
Along the way they encounter prejudice, but they also discover The Green Book, a real guide to accommodations which was published for decades to aid African-American travelers as they faced prejudice on the roads across the country.
My New Mom & Me
Renata Galindo - 2016
Told from the point of view of a puppy who is adopted by a cat, this gentle and reassuring tale is perfect for very young readers and listeners. When the puppy comes to live with his new mom, he is nervous. After all, his mom has stripes and he doesn’t. But his mom says she likes that they look different, and soon the puppy likes it, too. (And who cares what anyone else thinks!) The puppy’s new mom does all the things other parents do. She plays with him, takes care of him, and sometimes even makes him mad! But that’s okay, because when he’s feeling sad, she knows just what to say.
The Secret Olivia Told Me
N. Joy - 2007
It's a secret that she tells only to her very best friend. And her friend promises she won't say a word. But the secret is really BIG and JUICY. What happens when a trusted friend slips and the secret gets out? Can you keep a secret? In The Secret Olivia Told Me, find out what happens when Olivia's friend can't.
Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up To Become Malcolm X
Ilyasah Shabazz - 2014
But first, he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Written by his daughter, this inspiring picture book biography celebrates a vision of freedom and justice.Bolstered by the love and wisdom of his large, warm family, young Malcolm Little was a natural born leader. But when confronted with intolerance and a series of tragedies, Malcolm’s optimism and faith were threatened. He had to learn how to be strong and how to hold on to his individuality. He had to learn self-reliance. Together with acclaimed illustrator AG Ford, Ilyasah Shabazz gives us a unique glimpse into the childhood of her father, Malcolm X, with a lyrical story that carries a message that resonates still today—that we must all strive to live to our highest potential.
Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Jonah Winter - 2015
She sees the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment and her great-grandfather voting for the first time. She sees her parents trying to register to vote. And she sees herself marching in a protest from Selma to Montgomery. Veteran bestselling picture-book author Jonah Winter and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner Shane W. Evans vividly recall America’s battle for civil rights in this lyrical, poignant account of one woman’s fierce determination to make it up the hill and make her voice heard.