African American Picture Books - Fiction

Picture books and read-alouds for small children.

Updated May 16, 2025
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Mahogany : a Little Red Riding Hood tale
Brown-Wood, JaNay
Paper Book
A clever, Black contemporary twist on Little Red Riding Hood, Mahogany embraces the beauty-and magic-within herself to thwart the Big Bad Wolf. Mahogany is a spunky girl who loves to sew, listen to music, and wear fresh kicks. On the way to deliver homemade honey cornbread to...
The last stand
Eady, Antwan
Paper Book
The author of Nigel and the Moon, delivers a tender intergenerational story inspired by his childhood in the rural south. Here's a farm stand that represents the importance of family, community, and hope. A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, BOOKPAGE, and SCHOOL...
Like so
Forman, Ruth
Paper Book
From bestselling author Ruth Forman and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honoree Raissa Figueroa comes a lyrical and vibrant picture book honoring the love and bond that exists between family and child even in complicated times. Told from Nana's point of view, this simple,...
Yaya and the sea
Good Marable, Karen
Paper Book
A 2024 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book A family goes on a trip from the city to the sea in search of renewal in this "lively and lovely...beautiful" (Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming...
Forever and always
Thurman, Brittany
Paper Book
"This is a picture book that gives oxygen to all the unstated fears, perhaps burning them off. This book offers a reality right out of the headlines, but by leaving it child-sized has a huge impact." --School Library Journal (starred review) "A balm for little ones grappling with harsh...
Summer is here
Watson, Renée
Paper Book
Celebrate iconic childhood joys in this love letter to summer featuring bright, sun-drenched art, from New York Times bestselling creators Renée Watson and Bea Jackson. Summer is here! No dark clouds in the sky, it's a perfect day for play. What joy...

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