Children's Book Suggestions | Black History Month Picture Books

Fiction and nonfiction picture books by pioneering Black authors and illustrators featured in this month's scavenger hunt.

Updated December 16, 2023
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears : a West African tale
Aardema, Verna.
Paper Book
"In this Caldecott Medal winner, Mosquito tells a story that causes a jungle disaster. "Elegance has become the Dillons' hallmark. . . . Matching the art is Aardema's uniquely onomatopoeic text . . . An impressive showpiece." -Booklist, starred review. Winner of...
We shall overcome
Collier, Bryan
Paper Book
A celebration of the gospel anthem and Civil Rights protest song "We Shall Overcome," masterfully brought to life by Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Bryan Collier."We Shall Overcome" is one of the most recognizable anthems of the Civil Rights movement...
Sail away : poems
Hughes, Langston
Paper Book
A celebration of mermaids, wildernesses of waves, and the creatures of the deep through poems by Langston Hughes and cut-paper collage illustrations by multiple Coretta Scott King Award winner Ashley Bryan. The great African American poet Langston Hughes penned poem after poem...
Last stop on Market Street
de la Peña, Matt
Paper Book
On Sundays, CJ and his nana ride the bus across town to their stop on Market Street. But today, CJ's not happy about it. Today, he's wondering out loud why they have to wait in the rain and why they don't have a car like his other friends. But it's Nana who opens young CJ's eyes and shows him the...
Going down home with Daddy
Lyons, Kelly Starling
Paper Book
Set at one young boy's annual family reunion, this Caldecott Honor-winning picture book is a rich and moving celebration of Black history, culture, and the power of family traditions. "On reunion morning, we rise before the sun. Daddy hums as he packs our car with suitcases...
The little mermaid
Pinkney, Jerry
Paper Book
In this captivating reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's classic, Caldecott medalist and bestselling artist Jerry Pinkney conjures a poignant friendship story and an epic tale of redemption -- the definitive new version for our time. Melody, the littlest sea...
The old truck
Pumphrey, Jarrett
Paper Book
A young girl turns her imagination into action in this beautifully crafted and intricately designed debut picture book. When is an old truck something more? On a small, bustling farm, a resilient and steadfast pickup works tirelessly alongside the family that lives there, and becomes...
Radiant child : the story of young artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Steptoe, Javaka
Paper Book
Winner of the Randolph Caldecott Medal and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award! Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.