Children’s Books with Black Protagonists

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I’ve put together a list of reviewed books with Black protagonists for children ages 0-6, both in honor of Black History Month and because they’re great books that I recommend in general to expand the diversity on your child’s bookshelf. February is an awesome month set aside for teaching and learning about Black history and experience but it shouldn’t be limited just to these 28/29 days!

The books I’m presenting to you are a combination of categories: a few are about Black history, several speak specifically to the Black experience, and a lot where color of the protagonist isn’t the focus of the book. All three types are important, and not just for Black readers (for more on this topic, check out this blog post).

All of the reviews and the opinions within are my own and I hope you enjoy!

A cute and funny picture book depicting the day in the life of a toddler and his dad, Up Up Up Down is a book of opposites: the toddler wants one thing and then immediately wants another. Who hasn’t been there? I also appreciate that a dad is shown as the stay-at-home parent! The text is essentially a word per page and the illustrations are fun! Parents and toddlers alike will see themselves in the pages. Ages 0-2

Illustrator Gillingham uses a limited color palette in Love is a Truck, a choice which parallels author Novesky’s simple and lighthearted text. A parent joins the child in their playtime fun, which gives the discussion of love some context. It’s a quick enough read that you won’t go nuts if you have to read it multiple times! Ages 0-4

Girl of Mine is a board book tailor-made for a daughter’s bedtime routine! The book follows a little girl from playing to falling asleep as she’s held and loved and sung to by her dad. It’s written in the parent’s voice and it rhymes! The illustrations are vibrant and engaging! A win all around. Ages 0-3

As I was reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, I was instantly reminded of what a bizarre tale the story really is, but what may sound to adults like a description of an LSD-induced trip, to little ones is a fanciful adventure with fun characters. The wording is succinct and only includes the highlights; the treasure of this book is the illustrations! This Alice wears high-tops and a top bun and her world is colorful and fun. Ages 0-3

Peekaboo Morning is an excellent book for object identification, as it follows a toddler through his morning and he plays peekaboo with people, animals, and objects he encounters throughout his morning. The illustrations are realistic and have the look of oil pastels, which I really enjoy. Ages 0-3

Told in a series of “B” words, B is for Baby tells the story of a baby who climbs into a basket of bananas that’s then loaded onto the back of her brother’s bicycle as he heads off across the African landscape. With only the simplest of words, readers are taken on an interesting journey that will likely introduce new animals and trees to young listeners! Ages 0-3

“Happy to be nappy! Happy with hair all short and strong. Happy with locks that twist and curl. Just all girl happy! Happy to be nappy hair!” Though clearly of interest to Black girls, author bell hooks presents a celebration of hair for all readers. Happy to Be Nappy is fun to read aloud, with vibrant words that paint pictures as powerful as the illustrations themselves! Ages 0-6

If you’re thinking of taking your little one to swim class or the pool, Leo Can Swim is an excellent book to introduce the concept of swimming! The text is straightforward and introduces the reader and listener to all the steps that surround swim class: the swim diaper and locker room, other little ones and their parents, waiting for class to start, moving around in the water, showering after, and being tired! Ages 0-3

This Jazz Man has so much to love: it reads/sings to the rhythm of “This Old Man,” it introduces nine well-known jazz musicians, it uses onomatopoeia, and its illustrations use “mixed media collage and printmaking on watercolor paper” that are eye-catching and jazz-worthy. At the end, there are short biographies about the musicians alluded to in the text, and it’s a book that can grow with your child as they can grasp more meaning from it as they age. Ages 2-6

A mother and her baby are at home alone and then, one by one, loved ones stop by and stay until the house is practically full; as each person enters, they shower affection upon the happy baby! With more words were page, So Much! will require a slightly longer attention span, but the words flow with a nice rhythm. The illustrations showcase a contemporary Black family so it’s an excellent mirror AND window for readers! Ages 2-6

Picture books wouldn’t be picture books without illustrations and, if you follow along with my book suggestions, you know I love a good drawn/painted illustration! But I think there’s also a lot to be said for photographs of real people. We talk about children seeing themselves mirrored in a book, and what better way to do that than to have a book with photos that look like actual reflections? Ages 0-6

Hike, a wordless book with excellent illustrations, is a great opportunity for you and your child to write your own story! Whether your little one wants to peruse the pages independently or you decide to make up your own narrative, following along with this father and child as they explore the wilderness will get you reaching for you shoes and heading outside! Ages 2-6

In the tradition of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, this picture book has a rhythm and rhyme that makes reading it aloud pure joy. It’s the story of a young boy outwitting an enormous snake by staying calm and being clever. The pacing of the book is stellar, the illustrations are bright and colorful, and the narrative is energetic and cheerful! Ages 1-5

Saturday is about the joys of busy families spending time together, even if things don’t quite go as planned. As Ava and her mother’s plans go awry, they are resilient and persevere and have a day that’s good in unexpected ways! I especially like the love it shows between a Black mother and daughter as they help one another cope with disappointment. It’s an excellent message about disappointment and recovery. Ages 2-6

Jerome, the protagonist of The Word Collector, loves words! He loves big words and small words, words he reads and words he hears, and he joyfully shares words with others. The tale fosters a curiosity for words and a love of language! It’s a heartwarming story that puts a smile on your face, and it will grow with your child as they go from hearing the words to wanting to know their meaning! Ages 2-6

The King of Kindergarten portrays a confident child who thinks of himself as a king and faces his first day of kindergarten with joy! The text follows him throughout his day, from waking to meeting his teacher and new friends to returning home. Barnes shows that the parents are instrumental in empowering their child, and I especially like that he can’t wait to go to school the next day. This book is an essential read for little ones facing school themselves! Ages 3-6

A sensitive and heartfelt story that empowers children who are mixed race, biracial, or multiracial, Lulu the One and Only is a story for all children. Lulu has a Black mother and a White father, and she’s always being asked the BIG question: “What are you?” Whether your child is the one being asked that question or the one doing the asking, the accessible text and fun illustrations make topic approachable! Ages 3-6

Told in rhyming stanzas, this ABC picture book is several things at once: a rhyming look at history, a statement for self-esteem for Black children to see themselves as valued, and an accessible take for the the littlest ears on how much has been accomplished and how much is left to do. The illustrations are bright and colorful and make history jump off the page. Ages 3-6

When Aidan Became a Brother begins with Aidan’s journey: when he was born, everyone thought he was a girl, but Aidan felt something wasn’t right. When he realized he was a boy, he told his parents and author Lukoff writes about his Aidan’s transition in a straightforward and concise manner. The focus of the book then becomes about Aidan helping his parents prepare for a new baby. The illustrations are full of energy and emotion and I can’t recommend this book enough! Ages 4-6

I honestly can’t tell which I enjoy more - the writing of Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch, or the illustrations. Biographical children’s books are tough to write and read, but this one kept me engaged the whole time, due not just to the word choice but also that there weren’t an overwhelming number of them. Come for the illustrations, stay for the story of an unexpected environmentalist! Ages 4-6