I started reading to my first born, Mari, while she was still in the womb fantastic stories by authors like Andrea Pinkney, Vera B. Williams and Ezra Jack Keats. Between a few well-worn books from the library of her older brother, Mazi, a few classics given to me at my baby shower, and a few picture books I managed to scare up at our local bookstore, Mari had a decent-sized library of books featuring African American children by the time she made her debut. Your newborn (or the child of an expectant mom you love) can, too. The editors at NorthParan.com gathered up an impressive list of black children’s books that would be perfect for a child’s starter library. Take a look, order a few or all! of these outstanding works, and remember that for every book you buy at NorthParan.com, the company will give a free book to a child in need. Books for babies! YES!
1. More, More, More, Said the Baby, by Vera Williams
Gouache paintings illustrate the love between three children, Little Guy, Little Pumpkin and Little Bird, and the adults in their lives. A visual celebration of family ties. Caldecott Honor Book.
2. The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
No book has captured the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall better than The Snowy Day, winner of the Caldecott Medal.
3. Whose Toes are Those?, by Jabari Asim
Children are invited to explore their toes by playing “This Little Piggy.
4. Please, Baby, Please, by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee
From moments fussy to fond, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, producer Tonya Lewis Lee, present a behind-the-scenes look at the chills, spills, and unequivocal thrills of bringing up baby!
5. Goodnight Baby, by Cheryl Willis Hudson
Realistic illustrations of endearing African-American babies.
6. Ten, Nine, Eight, by Molly Bang.
Count down to bedtime with Molly Bang in this board book edition of the Caldecott Honor Book.
The North Paran Book Buzzlist is a weekly feature produced by NorthParan.com that gives readers an entertaining digest of the most fascinating books that are being talked about by the black community today.
Remember: For every book you purchase at NorthParan.com, a new book will be given to a child in need!
Denene Millner
Mom. NY Times bestselling author. Pop culture ninja. Unapologetic lover of shoes, bacon and babies. Nice with the verbs. Founder of the top black parenting website, MyBrownBaby.
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Oh my gosh! My favorite post. I ALWAYS encourage friends to read to their babies while they are still in the womb. I don’t have children of my own but I have lots of nieces and nephews and I know the importance of literacy–especially for our Black children. Thank you for the link to these awesome books–a few I own and have read before. Read IS fundamental! 🙂
Oh definitely must haves for the babies. 🙂 9 years ago we were reading Please Baby Please to my son and now we are reading it to our 8 month old daughter. Classic.