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Award-winning picture-book treatment of Tubman. Parents need to know that the topic of slavery is, and should be, disturbing, and young children will need help understanding. Harriet is in danger through much of the book. There is also a strong spiritual element to the book in Tubman’s many conversations with God. Awards: Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King Medal, ALA Notable Children’s Book.

Perfect for: Kids who like history.

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Althea is a hyperactive, high-spirited Harlem girl who is always in trouble, stealing stuff, and skipping school. When a neighbor recognizes her athletic skill and mentors her, the wild tomboy is transformed into a disciplined tennis champion. Jazzy prose and exuberant acrylics team up perfectly in this bio of a flawed, feisty heroine.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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In the tradition of African American storytelling, young Beatrice (living in modern-day Brooklyn) narrates the tale of her family鈥檚 journey north during the Great Migration in the early 1900s. 鈥淭his is the rope that my grandmother found beneath an old tree a long time ago back home in South Carolina.鈥� They used it to tie suitcases on the car when they left the South, then as a clothesline in their new house. Beatrice’s mother used it as a jump rope; Beatrice鈥檚 father used it to teach her how to tie a sailor鈥檚 knot. The rope is a metaphor for strength, flexibility, and the tie that binds families through generations.

Perfect for: Helping kids connect their present to their family’s past.

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This is a moving story set on a plantation in antebellum Virginia. The book deals directly with many of the hardships endured by enslaved African American people in the pre-Civil War South, from verbal and physical abuse by the owners and overseers of the plantation to the terrors of time spent on the dangerous Underground Railway. For children old enough to comprehend some aspects of the historical setting and political situation in the story, this is an emotionally rewarding and ultimately optimistic story.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

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An amazing semi-autobiographical picture book about a young boy and his deaf father set in Brooklyn. The year is 1947 and Jackie Robinson has just been signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although Dad was never a sports fan (since he can’t hear them on the radio), he becomes determined to meet Jackie in person. He wants to shake the hand of a man he views as a kindred spirit, “who works to overcome thoughtless prejudice.” This book is a beautiful social justice story and also a love letter from a son to his father.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

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A creative, compassionate account of the Great Migration of 1915 to 1929, when thousands of African-Americans escaped the bigotry and poverty of the South by moving north. Five free-verse poems express different travelers’ thoughts along their journey in search of 鈥溾�� a good life / for my family / for myself.鈥� The little-known history of these brave travelers is explored artfully with mixed-media collage, blending old sepia photos, maps, news clippings, and drawings Bibliography included.

Perfect for: Artists, adventurers, and any child who’s complained, “Are we there yet?”

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In 1899, land in the Oklahoma Territory was offered free to all Americans, regardless of race or gender. Poetic text and beautiful illustrations tell the inspiring story of an African-American woman who realizes her lifelong dream by staking a claim on the new frontier, 鈥渨here the cottonwood trees are innocent.鈥� Authentic details about the harsh living conditions the settlers endured bring to life the perils of pioneer living.

Perfect for: Pioneer descendants and courageous little girls.

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Every night, little Keyana鈥檚 mother rubs coconut oil on her scalp and combs her hair. But their sweet mother-daughter bonding is punctuated by “Mama, stop!” moments. No matter how gentle Mama tries to be, tangles can be tough — and sometimes it hurts! This story encourages young African American girls to feel good about their hair and celebrate their heritage. With beautiful watercolors illustrating Keyana’s emotions, this book doubles as a great way to teach all children about different hair types — and share in the sometimes-unpleasant experience of having hair combed by a parent.

Perfect for: Any child who dreads an ouchy, hair-pulling comb.

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This is part of the Rookie Biographies Series and includes books about Benjamin Franklin, Neil Armstrong and Amelia Earhart. Rookie Biographies is an excellent series for stronger first-grade readers. The books utilize lyrical language and challenging vocabulary words, but also offer guidance with pronunciation keys and word definitions at the end of each book. The Dr. Mae Jemison biography is one of my favorites because not only was she the first African-American woman to travel into space, but she is an accomplished chemical engineer and jet pilot, making her a truly exciting role model for girls and boys alike.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life 鈥� from dealing with segregation in childhood to the Montgomery bus boycott, the March on Washington, his epic 鈥淚 Have a Dream鈥� speech, and his tragic assassination 鈥� is described through the author鈥檚 personal dream and illustrated with folk-modern illustrations. The book ends with pictures of everyone in the world fulfilling King鈥檚 dream: trading in prejudice, fear, and hate for hope, peace, and love.

笔别谤蹿别肠迟听蹿辞谤: Introducing kids to African-American history and societal goals like justice, freedom, and equality.

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In The Steel Pan Man of Harlem, Trinidadian-born Colin Bootman offers a historical retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamlin set during the Harlem Renaissance. When Harlem is overrun by rats, a man with a steel pan drum arrives with a promise to drive them out using his musical prowess. But there’s a price. Bootman鈥檚 illustrations capture a vibrant moment in the life of this prominent African American neighborhood.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

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When Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play baseball in the major league, racial discrimination and segregation were rampant. Despite the protests and prejudice, one teammate named Pee Wee Reese stood up for Jackie. This story about a legendary time in history is important to share with children.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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The song in this story, set to the tune of “This Old Man” will get stuck in your head 鈥� in a good, toot-tooting, tap-tapping, snapping, drumming kind of way in this clever introduction to African American jazz greats. It’s the coolest version of 鈥淭his Old Man鈥� you鈥檝e ever heard. 鈥淭his jazz man, he plays five, 5. He plays bebop, he plays jive, With a Beedle-di-bop! Bebop! Give the man a hand, This jazz man blows with the band.鈥� There are no names, but the mixed media illustrations of celebrated musicians offer some clues for grownups. And at the end of the book, you’ll find out if you guessed the musicians correctly. Five is Charlie 鈥淏ird鈥� Parker on the sax, for example. Altogether, this book has wonderful history of each musician to share with kids.

Perfect for: Adding a bit of rhythm and history to a picture book.

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Growing up in the 1830s in Saratoga Springs, New York, George Crum experienced prejudice because of his mixed Native-American and African-American racial heritage. With a passion for cooking and against the odds, he landed a job as a chef at a fine restaurant frequented by an upscale clientele. He prided himself on his culinary talent and reputation, and the popularity of his cuisine grew. One day a diner complains that her French-fried potatoes, a fashionable new dish at the time, are cut too thick. In a fit of aggravation and to teach the customer a lesson, George accidentally creates the all-American snack food, potato chips. The lively and comical acrylic illustrations add to the fun of this quirky true-life story.

Perfect for: Kids who like history.

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Everyone has heard of Harriet Tubman, who courageously helped sneak slaves out of the south to free states in the north using the Underground Railroad. But not much is known about Araminta, or Minty for short, which is Tubman鈥檚 real name. This account of her life growing up as a slave herself is based on real facts but tells a fictional story of what the young Minty might have been like and how her childhood and parents shaped her adult life as a renowned humanitarian. 鈥淲henever she was working in the fields, Minty kept looking for a way to escape鈥� 鈥業 know what you鈥檙e thinkin鈥�, Amanda whispered. 鈥業 can see it in your eyes. You鈥檙e fixin鈥� to run away, but they鈥檒l catch you 鈥� and when they do鈥︹�� She pointed to a deep scar on her forehead. 鈥楤elieve me, honey, I鈥檝e tried it an it ain鈥檛 worth it. Uh-uh.鈥欌��

Perfect for: Teaching children about slavery without the gruesome details.

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Ella Mae鈥檚 getting her first pair of new shoes! But her excitement quickly turns into disappointment and humiliation when she鈥檚 not permitted to try on any shoes in Mr. Johnson鈥檚 store because of her skin color. Instead, her mother has to trace Ella Mae鈥檚 feet on paper and Mr. Johnson selects her shoes. Set in the south during the time of state-enforced segregation, known as Jim Crow laws, this book and its bold illustrations bring readers into the daily lives of African Americans in the 1960s, as they were subjected to demeaning second-class citizen status. But the story also inspires. When Ella Mae tells her cousin Charlotte what happened, Charlotte says: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 happened to me.鈥� Ella Mae and Charlotte devise a plan to assure dignity for African Americans. They collect and restore old shoes and set up a store of their own in the barn where 鈥渁nyone who walks in the door can try on all the shoes they want.鈥�

Perfect for: Teaching young children about a difficult and ugly period in U.S. history while also inspiring them not to accept discrimination.

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In this installation of the Smart About? series, student Annie Marcus has chosen her favorite scientist, George Washington Carver, as the subject of her assignment. Through Annie’s journal, which includes great illustrations and photographs, readers learn that George Washington Carver was one of the first farmers to introduce crop rotation for better and healthier crops. He also pioneered the commercial use of peanuts, including the invention of peanut butter!

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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In 1960, court-ordered desegregation sends 6-year-old Ruby Bridges to an all-white New Orleans school. Escorted by federal marshals, she walks past angry racist mobs to her classroom, where she鈥檚 the only student. Warm watercolors convey the quiet bravery of the tiny heroine in this superb introduction to the civil rights movement.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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Virgie’s brothers walk many miles to go to school in Jonesboro, but she is not allowed to go. She fights to go with them, showing her resolve and strength.

Perfect for: Kids who like school.

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In this absorbing follow up to Tar Beach, Cassie Louise Lightfoot鈥檚 imagination soars to the skies, where she and her brother, Be Be, spot 鈥渁n old ramshackled train in the sky.鈥� The conductor is Harriet Tubman, the former slave who led hundreds of other slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. She beckons Cassie and Be Be to come aboard. Be Be jumps onto the train, which vanishes as it moves north toward free states and Canada. Cassie is distraught that she lost her brother until Aunt Harriet appears and tells Cassie about life as a slave and shows her the real Underground Railroad. She explains that it wasn鈥檛 an actual train, but could be a farmer鈥檚 wagon or hearse covered with flowers with a slave hiding in the coffin. More often than not, slaves walked at night, following the North Star and looking for signs directing them to safe houses. These were often symbols sewn into quilts, which are a main focus of author and artist Faith Ringgold鈥檚 work. Ringgold鈥檚 vivid, richly colored illustrations are integral to the story.

Perfect for: A gentle yet deep look at the lengths slaves went to for freedom.

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Literacy is forbidden for slaves in the South, but young Ben secretly teaches himself to read. Civil War chaos forces him into a Charleston slave prison, where he exhilarates fellow inmates by reciting a newspaper bulletin of Lincoln鈥檚 Emancipation Proclamation. Inspirational homage to perseverance, African-American struggle, and language arts.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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Chicken Creek, a small town in Mississippi, is segregated in 1964 until Annie, a 19-year-old white volunteer, arrives to teach black children at Freedom School. Annie and her pupils are terrorized, getting hate letters, having bricks come smashing through windows, and surviving a church fire. But the civil rights project bravely continues. Told through the eyes of Jolie,, a young black student, this story conveys the daily truths with the emotional depth necessary to understand the bitterness and terrifying tensions of racial conflict during Southern desegregation.

Perfect for: Small scholars interested in America’s racial history.

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Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, refused to give up her Montgomery, Alabama, bus seat to a white man on Dec. 1, 1955. Her stubborn courage led to her arrest and a boycott that instigated the Civil Rights Movement. This inspiring autobiography describes her childhood, her community leadership, and her discontent that culminated in the famed protest for equality. Uplifting advice urges readers to treat everyone with respect, not hate. Clear, direct writing is accompanied by lovely watercolor paintings.

Perfect for: Courageous children who want to make the world a better place.

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Accessible and impressive anthology that showcases the powerfully expressive language of African-American verse. Contains 34 poems by 27 poets, including Phillis Wheatley, James Baldwin, Countee Cullen, Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Gwendolyn Brooks. With biographies, mixed media illustrations, a glossary, helpful annotations, and an explanatory introduction. An ideal intro to poetry for young readers.

Perfect for: Kids who like poems.

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Learn about the origins of Kwanzaa. The seven principles or beliefs of the holiday are explained in detail and accompanied by lovely illustrations. Recipes and crafts ideas are also included.

Perfect for: Kids who like holidays.

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Imagine being 6 years old, starting a new school, and having to be escorted by armed U.S. Marshals through an angry mob just to get to your classroom. That’s the true story of what happened to Ruby Bridges, the first black child to integrate William Frantz Public School in New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 14, 1960. It was four years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that separate but equal schooling was unconstitutional, but New Orleans schools remained segregated by race. Ruby鈥檚 story is told through her memories of that year, through the recollections of her mother; her teacher, Mrs. Henry; and friends; and through writings, newspaper articles, and dramatic photographs.

Perfect for: Helping children learn the value of equality, fairness, and learning.

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Polio crippled Wilma鈥檚 left leg, but she was determined to triumph over this handicap. After painful years of therapy, she ditched her steel braces and started sprinting, faster and faster, until she gained three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics. A great role model for gritty persistence and hope.

Perfect for: Kids who like to read about real people.

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Delphine, 11, and her two younger sisters don鈥檛 know what to expect when their dad puts them on plane to visit their mother, who abandoned the family years ago. It is 1968 and their mother is active in Oakland鈥檚 Black Power movement. The girls hope to visit Disneyland, but instead, their mother sends them to a camp run by the Black Panthers. As the summer wears on, the sisters聽learn about themselves, their mother, and their country during a pivotal moment in African American history. Delphine both blames and longs for her mother, and in the end these two strong characters find a measure of reconciliation.聽聽If this is your child’s first exposure to historical fiction, she may be hooked.

Perfect for: A glimpse of 1968 Oakland from a child鈥檚 point of view.

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Delphine and her sisters are back in this sequel to One Crazy Summer. After self-discovery and empowerment gained during their summer in Oakland, the girls return home to Brooklyn. But now, they must readjust to the changes at home. Pa has a new girlfriend, Uncle Darnell returns from Vietnam, and Delphine is about to start sixth grade. Amidst all the changes, Delphine continues to keep in touch with her mother, Cecile. In her letters, Cecile advises Delphine to be 11 while she can.

Perfect for: Readers who want more Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern!

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Bass Reeves was a real Wild West hero. This African-American lawman was clever, honest, fearless, skilled at disguises, a fast draw and a crack shot with his Colt .45 pistols and Winchester rifle. He was also an escaped slave from Texas. This biography tells of his exploits during 30 years of duty, including arresting 3,000 horse thieves, train robbers, cattle rustlers, bandits, and gunslingers in the Indian territories. Parents should note that several of the book鈥檚 illustrations depict violent scenes.

Perfect for: Kids interested in law and order, the Old West, and African-American history.

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Twins Josh and Jordan Bell are 12-year-old basketball stars. Josh, a.k.a. Filthy McNasty, executes way more than a slammerific shot. He鈥檚 creative, narrating his story using verse-style poetry that never skips a beat. When Jordan gets a girlfriend, Josh feels abandoned. With the brothers’ close relationship threatened by tension, Josh uses rhymes to share his take on sports, school, race, and, most importantly, a loving family.

Perfect for: Sports fanatics who can appreciate storytelling through poetry.

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The Revolutionary War is breaking out when 13-year-old Isabel and her sister Ruth, who are slaves, are sold to new owners: a cruel couple who sympathize with the British. When Isabel is approached by rebels and asked to spy on her owners, she decides to take this risky step to gain freedom and to find Ruth, who has been sent away. The book underscores the complex social forces that sustained the cruel system of slavery 鈥� even as the American colonies fought for freedom.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

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Rosa Parks sparked the civil rights movement in 1955 when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. This biography details some of the lesser-known aspects of her earlier life, including that she cared for her elderly mother, married the 鈥渂est barber in the county,鈥� worked as a seamstress in a department store, and was a stalwart participant in the local NAACP. This book includes full-page color illustrations and information on other civil rights era events, including the murder of Emmitt Til and the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Perfect for: Kids who are interested in social justice, the civil rights movement, and African-American history.

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This moderately graphic depiction of the worst of the slave trade, told exclusively from a white boy’s point of view, will raise many questions, both historical and moral. Though the reading level is middle to upper elementary, sensitive children may find it very disturbing.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

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In 1761, a 7-year-old African girl was transported in a slave ship to Boston and sold to Susannah Wheatley, who provided her with an elite education that included geography, mathematics, Latin, Greek, and English literature. In 1773, Phillis Wheatley became the first published African-American poet, writing celebrated verses on Revolutionary War topics. Eventually freed, she struggled in poverty; her children died in infancy and she succumbed herself at the age of 31. This emotionally complex biography of a remarkable life is enriched by powerful paintings that express the emotions and details of the era.

Perfect for: Children interested in poetry, Revolutionary history, and the African-American experience.

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The true story of 15-year-old Prince At-mun who was captured in Africa in 1725 by slave traders, shipped in chains via the Middle Passage to Boston, and sold as a slave, and renamed Amos Fortune. Maintaining his dignity as the first son of a chief, he learns the tanning trade from a kind master, purchases freedom for himself and his family members, buys land in New Hampshire and builds a house and a barn for himself. Inspirational story of persistence, with historical details of Colonial and early American life.

Perfect for: Tweens interested in slavery, social justice, African-American history, and the Colonial Era.

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Magulu, a 9-year-old from the Mende region in Sierra Leone captured by slave traders and taken to Cuba, offers the focal point for this little-known chapter in the history of slavery. Upon being sold in Cuba, she ends up on the Amistad, a 19th century Spanish slave ship. There, the Mende captives revolt against their captors, free themselves, and demand to be taken back to Sierra Leone. This book recounts the abduction, mutiny, and legal trials that ensue 鈥� all from young Magulu鈥檚 point of view.

Perfect for: Teaching kids about the abolition movement.

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Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of her life, family, and first attempts at writing for younger audiences in this memoir in verse. She provides a rich historical perspective of what it was like growing up in Columbus, Ohio during the civil rights era as she sat at the back of the bus, learned about the death of Martin Luther King Jr., and watched the Black Panthers on TV. In other, more personal poems, Woodson recounts her struggles learning to read and eventually, wanting to write. This may look like a book of poetry, but once your child ventures into the first pages, the story will carry her along.

Perfect for: Aspiring writers who also love a historical memoir.

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Emotional prose conveys the inner experiences of multiple narrators 鈥� slaves, slave-owners, abolitionists 鈥� in this deeply felt narrative encompassing 400 years, from the Middle Passage to Civil Rights demonstrations. Topics in the text are intense with some in-your-face exercises and political opinions, and illustrations are graphic, including an auction block, a lashed slave鈥檚 bloody back, a lynching, and a slave-ship with naked Africans stacked seven-high. Painfully honest and powerful, but, 鈥攚arning 鈥� this book has been accused of making white kids feel guilty and ashamed.

Perfect for: Tough-skinned youths interested in America鈥檚 slave and civil rights history. Parental pre-reading advised.

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In 1761 a young African girl, Keziah, was kidnapped from her village in Senegal, shipped to Massachusetts, and sold as a slave. Her owners, the Wheatleys, decide to rename her, educate her, and encourage her writing. Eventually Phillis amazes America when she becomes the new nation鈥檚 first published black poet. This entertaining book is well researched but heavily embellished with fiction; at the end the author reveals what did, and did not, actually happen. It does provide insights into slavery, New England colonial life, creativity, and even romance.

Perfect for: Teens interested in early American history, particularly the Revolutionary War and slavery, and those interested in poets and poetry.

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After the death of 16-year-old Tariq Johnson, the community is in uproar. Tariq was black, and his shooter was white. As the community struggles to figure out what went down, the book unfolds into a modern Rashomon tale that everyone living in America is now familiar with. No two accounts tell the same truth, and as new facts surface each day, uncovering what really happened grows increasingly elusive.

Perfect for: Understanding the racial issues that plague American communities today.

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