The Robeson County Public Library has introduced a new selection of titles written by Black authors in honor of Black History Month.
                                 Courtesy photo | RCPL

The Robeson County Public Library has introduced a new selection of titles written by Black authors in honor of Black History Month.

Courtesy photo | RCPL

In honor of Black History Month, I would like to share some of our recently purchased children’s books written by Black authors. These books would be perfect to share with your students or your children at home. I have been selecting children’s books for libraries for 13 years and have worked as a Youth Services librarian. The lack of diversity in the children’s book publishing industry is a widely known problem, and one I have witnessed, making it challenging to build an inclusive collection for our young readers.

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center released a survey in 2019 regarding diversity in children’s and young adult literature. Out of their survey sample, only 11.9% of main characters in US children’s literature were Black or African. Another survey put out in 2019 by Lee and Low, a multicultural children’s book publisher, shows that only 5% of publishing industry workers were Black, African American, or Afro-Caribbean.

It is so critical for all children to see themselves positively represented in books. It helps them with self-reflection, feeling included, and gives inspiration to overcome challenges or to try something new. All children deserve a chance to see themselves as heroes in the pages of a book. Publishing trends have left many children feeling invisible, whether it is because of the color of their skin, religion, illness or disability, or countless other important parts of a person’s story. Over the last year, it seems like more and more high quality titles are coming forward and I have hope that more children will finally be able to feel seen through stories.

“Time for Kenny” by Brian Pinkney is a delightful picture book published in 2021 by HarperCollins Children’s Books. This book follows a young boy, Kenny, through his daily routine. Brightly colored illustrations and simple sentences portray Kenny picking out his outfit for the day and attempting to borrow his mother’s shoes or his grandfather’s hat. He also is very concerned about the vacuum that eats up his cereal, making him fear for his kitty’s safety! As the day goes on, it is time for Kenny to get ready for bed. As the countdown to lights out continues, Kenny insists he is not tired. Like so many children, Kenny finds a clever way to avoid bedtime for a few more minutes. You’ll have to read the story to find out what Kenny did! Pinkney has also illustrated two Caldecott Honor books and has received the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration. This book received a starred review in the School Library Journal, Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly.

“The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne” by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by John Parra is a children’s biography published in 2020 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. This book gives a thorough introduction to the woman known as the “First Lady of the Black Press.” It follows her reporting from her school newspaper, to WWII, and all the way to the White House briefing room. As stated in this book, she was one of only three black journalists issued a White House press pass. This is an inspirational, barrier-breaking nonfiction selection for elementary aged children. Cline-Ransome previously received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award and five starred reviews for her novel Finding Langston.

Speaking of barrier-breaking, “Kamala Harris: Rooted In Justice” by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Laura Freeman is on the shelves in time for our children to read about the United States’ first female vice president, and the first African American and first Asian American vice president. This book was published in 2020 by Antheneum Books for Young Readers. This biography follows Vice President Harris from childhood through the 2020 presidential election primaries. It details her experiences as a young person attending civil rights marches with her parents and is a great read aloud for all young readers. Grimes is a previous Coretta Scott King Author Award winner and Freeman is the illustrator of a Coretta Scott King Honor Award book.

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul” by Carole Boston Weatherford and art by Frank Morrison is a tribute to musical legend, Aretha Franklin. It was published in 2020 by Antheneum Books for Young Readers. It was recently awarded the Coretta Scott King Illustration Award for its vibrant pictures of the Queen of Soul. It takes common themes in her life and spells them out like her famous song, “Respect.” A few of my favorite illustrations are included on the pages with the headings G-I-F-T-E-D, G-R-O-O-V-E, and P-R-O-U-D. You will have to check out the book to find YOUR favorite pictures! Weatherford is a North Carolina author and has written several books, including multiple Caldecott Honor winners. Morrison has won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Awards.

The last two books I will include are both gorgeous picture books that celebrate Black children and families. “Black is a Rainbow Color” by Angela Joy and illustrated by Ekua Holmes was published in 2020 by Roaring Brook Press. It features stained-glass inspired illustrations and rhythmic text. The story starts out with a little girl sitting on her porch, coloring a rainbow with crayons. She talks about the color order of a rainbow and follows up with, “My color is black… and there’s no BLACK in rainbows.” As the story progresses, the author defines what black is, culminating in the child declaring, “Black is a rainbow, too.” At the end of the book, the author includes a playlist, more information about phrases in the book, poems, and a timeline of Black ethnonyms in America. This book received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book, and Booklist. This is Joy’s first book and Holmes has illustrated several picture books including a Caldecott Honor book and Coretta Scott King Illustration Award winners.

“All Because You Matter” by Tami Charles and illustrated by Caldecott Honor Winner Bryan Collier was published in 2020 by Orchard Books. It received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly. It is narrated by expecting parents, speaking to their baby on the way, lovingly telling them that they matter and were dreamed of long before they were to arrive. It highlights important milestones in a child’s life, like first steps, first words, and first book. The story goes deeper and warns of darker times when the child may feel picked on, threatened, or worthless, but quickly offers a reminder of the power within and that they matter. Always.

All of these titles, and many more, are available in our library system. If you would like help selecting more titles to celebrate Black History Month, please call our staff at 910-738-4859 or email us at [email protected]. We love to pull book lists together for our patrons! You may also search our online catalog or visit our digital libraries by visiting our website at www.robesoncountylibrary.org. We hope to see you at the library soon!

Katie Fountain is the director of the Robeson County Public Library.