ByTamara Shiloh
Little ones will love turning the pages of “The ABCs of Black History,” a book filled with lively verse and colorful faces (illustrations by Lauren Summer) in all shades of brown just like theirs!
Author Rio Cortez also scrolls the alphabet letter by letter giving lessons in important words, words that our children need to not only hear every day but know and live: A is for the anthem; B is for beautiful, brave, bright, bold; C is for the community, church, civil rights … and more.
Layers of history will unfold like the pages of this accessible resource are turned. An education in pride is definitely offered in this one.
By Darcie Caswell
This February, the Central Rappahannock Regional Library celebrates African American history with online programs for all ages that can be found at librarypoint.org/african-american-history. There, you can find a video series focusing on Black inventors and a variety of booklists with recommended titles for all ages.
The books below are selections from one of those lists, Our Stories: The African American Experience for Children, which includes titles for readers up through grade 6.
âBedtime Bonnetâ by Nancy Redd and illustrated by Nneka Myers. A little girl watches as all the members of her family get ready for bed. Her brother twists his locs and slips on a durag, her mother wraps her curls in a scarf, her grandma puts her hair in rollers and a kerchief. While her mother lovingly braids the little girlâs hair, her grandpa tells jokes that make her laugh. But when the little girl canât find her bedtime bonnet to protect her hair w