Freedom on the Menu by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jerome LaGarrigue
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro sit-ins, and Freedom on the Menu is probably the best children’s book you could use to mark the occasion. Weatherford tells the story from the perspective of a young girl whose siblings join in the fight for equal rights in Greensboro. She makes the story exciting and accessible for young readers while LaGarrigue’s muted color paintings lend a solemn quality to the story.
Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Most kids have heard stories of slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad, but not every story involves the dangerous night hikes and safe-houses we’ve come to expect. Levine tells the surprising story of a man who actually mailed himself to freedom. Henry Brown’s story is understandably sad and upsetting in the beginning, and even though Levine is not graphic in her descriptions of the hardships he faces, the loss of Henry’s family and parts of his escape might be difficult for younger readers to handle. But kids ages 6 and up will be enthralled by the unusual (true!) story and Nelson’s Caldecott-Honor-winning illustrations.
Ashanti to Zulu by Margaret Musgrove, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
Jerry Pinkney became the first African-American to win the Caldecott Medal on his own just last month, but Leo Dillon was the first African-American to win the award, and he and his wife are the only people to ever win the medal two years in a row. They accomplished this feat with 2 wonderful books about African fables and traditions: first, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears and then Ashanti to Zulu, an alphabet book that takes readers across the continent. Each letter introduces another tribe or culture to expose kids and parents to the diversity of Africa, and while it might be organized alphabetically, kids will learn plenty from this book long after they’ve mastered their letters. A beautiful reminder that “African American” can mean a lot of different things.
Choosing just a few books for this post was tricky, and we have more than 20 of our favorite Black History books for all ages on display right now in the store.