African American Books for Preschoolers


 

Grandfather and I

A child considers how Grandfather is the perfect person to spend time with because he is never in a hurry.


Let it Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals

Illustrated versions of three well-known hymns.


Flower Garden

Helped by her father, a young girl prepares a flower garden as a birthday surprise for her mother.


Kente Colors

A rhyming description of the kente cloth costumes of the Ashanti and Ewe people of Ghana and a portrayal of the symbolic colors and patterns.


Full, Full, Full of Love

For young Jay Jay, Sunday dinner at Gran's house is full of hugs and kisses, tasty dishes, all kinds of fishes, happy faces, and love.


My Family Plays Music

A musical family with talents for playing a variety of instruments enjoys getting together to celebrate.


The Neighborhood Mother Goose

A collection of nursery rhymes, both familiar and lesser known, illustrated with photographs in a city setting.


One Hot Summer Day

Relates a child's activities in the heat of a summer day punctuated by a thunderstorm.


Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon!

Harvey tackles a big job: cleaning his room.


Rap A Tap Tap

In illustrations and rhyme, this book describes the dancing of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, one of the most famous tap dancers of all time.


This Jazz Man

Presents an introduction to jazz music and nine well-known jazz musicians, set to the rhythm of the traditional song, "This Old Man." Includes brief facts about each musician.


Hot Day on Abbott Avenue

After having a fight, two friends spend the day ignoring each other, until the lure of a game of jump rope helps them to forget about being mad.


Honey, I Love

A young girl expresses what she loves about life.


When Will Sarah Come?

A little boy waits and listens all day for his older sister to come home from school.


Black All Around!

An African American girl contemplates the many wonderful black things around her, from the inside of a pocket, where surprises hide, to the cozy night where there is no light.


Bring On That Beat

Illustrations and rhyming text evoke the rhythms of jazz music.


Daddy Calls Me Man

Inspired by his family experiences and his father's paintings, a young boy creates four poems.


Lily Brown's Paintings

When Lily Brown paints, she imagines all sorts of fantastic things in the scenes that she sees every day.


Violet's Music

From the days she banged her rattle in the crib, Violet has been looking for friends to share her love of music.


Shanna's Ballerina Show

Shanna gives five clues that explain how she knows that she is a ballerina.


He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

Illustrated version of the well-known spiritual. Includes the words and melody.


Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life

When tiny Hewitt is born into a family of giants, everyone learns that sometimes small is best of all.


Shades of Black

Photographs and poetic text celebrate the beauty and diversity of African American children.


All Aboard!

Mr. Barnes goes on a train trip and enjoys all the sights and sounds of the ride.


My Freight Train

A little boy, living out his fantasy of driving his own freight train, describes the different cars, what each carries, how they are connected, and more.


What's What?

Illustrations and rhyming text provide examples of what is soft and hard, warm and cold, wet and dry, long and short, and light and dark and describe how a puppy is all these things at once.


Kevin and His Dad

Kevin feels excitement, pride, pleasure, and love as he spends an entire day working and playing with his father.


My Nana and Me

A young girl and her grandmother enjoy a day filled with tea parties, hide-and-seek, stories, and plenty of love.


Max's Starry Night

Max comes up with a clever way to help his elephant friend Big Blue, who is afraid of the dark.


Do You Know What I'll Do?

A little girl delights her brother with a series of promises about all the wonderful things she'll do to make him happy as they both grow up.