If your child can’t read, s/he has little to no hope of performing well in school. If black children are to excel in school and achieve success, we have to begin teaching them from a young age how powerful (and fun!) the written word can be.

The love of reading can begin as soon as your child is born. Certainly, s/he won’t be really looking at the pictures (joke) but the baby will certainly enjoy hearing the soothing sound of a parent’s voice. Reading aloud is very important to the development of your child’s hearing and his/her eventual recognition of the basic phonetic sounds. This will later assist in language development.

As your child gets older, hearing a more experienced reader pronounce words truly does assist them in learning new words. In addition, hearing a storyline can help children identify with a particular situation or character. In turn, this can lead to discussion about what the child would/would not do in that particular situation. Even if you don’t get an answer that you quite understand, the questioning helps the child develop critical thinking skills.

Tired of the same old classic books? Certainly we know that some school systems have never taken the time to update their list to include books that represent more aspects of their student population. Be aware of this, and make the effort to seek out books with black characters that reflect your experience.

Here are some recommendations for books for assorted grade levels, which will be indicated next to the book. I’ve read all of these books - either to my many classes or to my own children. Remember, you also have to set and example by reading yourself. In fact buy (or borrow0 two copies of your chosen book – especially in grades 4 and up - and you and your child can enjoy it together.

Let’s Count Baby– Infant/Toddler/Preschool
Author: Cheryl Willis Hudson, Illustrator: George Ford

Now who doesn’t like a counting book? In this book an adorable girl baby counts socks, cars and stars and at the end, wants to start again. My children read the book to me now.

Golden Bear –
Infant/Toddler/Preschool
Author: Ruth Young, Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

My 5 year old loved this story about a boy and his stuffed teddy bear. This lovely story will help children to recognize that everyone has a favorite toy or doll. The vibrant illustrations are perfect for the little ones and all children will love the depiction of familiar situations.

Peekaboo Morning 
- Infant/Toddler/Preschool
Author/Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

In this cute, simple book A little boy plays “peekaboo” with various toys and people around his house. Ms. Isadora brings her vibrant artistry and created beautiful illustrations. The little boy is just too adorable, with his mini-dreads.

Uncle Jed’s Barbershop–
4th  grade -up
Author: Margaree King Mitchell Illustrator: James Ransome

This book begins in the 1920s, where Uncle Jed’s (the only black barber in his county) dream is to have his own barbershop. He saves towards his dream but life often interfered and he experienced many setbacks. Told from the point of view of his niece, the story teaches children about working towards your dream and never giving up. The illustrations are excellent. I recommend that you preview the book to see if the story is a good match with your child’s temperament. Some may view the ending of the book differently, and that is an excellent starting point of discussion.

Amazing Grace -3^rd – 6^th grade

Author: Mary Hoffman Illustrator: Caroline Binch

This was my personal favorite to read to my fourth grade class. Grace, a young Jamaican girl, wants to play Peter Pan in the school play! But she’s not white and she’s not a boy. Hmmmmmm. What a great book to use to open children’s mind to the fact that they can do and be anything they want to be.

Vroomaloom Zoom –
Toddler/Preschool/K-4^th grade
Author: John Coy   Illustrator: Joe Cepeda

Ever take a car ride? How about on a night that is “cake-bake hot”? This story is about a little girl whose father loves to drive. So they take their blankets, hop in the back of the car with their pajamas, and Daddy takes her on a driving adventure. Rhyming lines and fun language make this a great bedtime read.

I tried to give you a bit of an overview of books that can be read to our younger children.
In an other post, I will review some books for older children that may be helpful

Most of these books are available either from a local bookstore or of course can be ordered online at major book retailers.

Happy reading!

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