Representation is extremely important in our house. In a world that frequently isn’t very diverse, I take extra care to make sure my kids see themselves in everything we do, particularly in books and toys. It comes sort of naturally because it was something my parents did with my sister and me. I still remember some of my favorite books as a child having characters that looked just like me dance across the pages. In fact, my mom saved those books and recently handed them down to my toddler. While they’re a little advanced for her, I cannot wait until she can read them, and until then, I’ve gone on the hunt to find a variety of board and other age appropriate African American books for toddlers that share about black history and include diverse characters in general. The books listed below are staples in our book collection and as we celebrate Black History this month, I wanted to share them with you. The best part is, you can find them all on Amazon!
Young Gifted and Black by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner
When God Made Light by Matthew Paul Turner
My Name is Kayla by Alison Woods and Ayanda Dorsey
Hair by Angela L Styles
Please Baby Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee
Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora
Girl of Mine by Jabari Asim
Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer
Dream Big, Little One by Vashti Harrison
I Can Do It Too! by Karen Baicker
Woke Baby by Mahogany L. Browne
This Makes Me Happy by Courtney Carbone and Hilli Kushnir
I Am Enough by Grace Byers
What other diverse and African American books for toddlers would you add to this list?
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