Children's Books Catalog
Zuri Ray Tries Ballet
Author: Tami Charles
Meet Zuri Ray. She’s always willing to go the extra mile for family and friends and is up for any challenge. At least, that was before her best friend, Jessie, asked her to join a ballet camp.
Now Zuri isn’t sure if she’s up for everything. While Jessie can’t wait to chassé and plié while wearing tight hair buns and frilly tutus, that doesn’t sound like Zuri at all! But she can’t let her friend down. Maybe classical ballet just needs a new spin . . .
Your Special Voice
Author: Temi Adamolekun
If you want to make a difference,
but you don’t know where to start
Begin by searching way deep down
to find what’s in your heart
Whether your voice shines through singing, drawing, or dancing—whether it’s soft or loud, kind or proud—everyone has a voice that can effect change. This empowering and heartfelt message is conveyed through beautiful, lyrical rhyme that will encourage even the youngest readers to think about what’s important to them.
Your Friend, Parker: Ready-to-Read Level 1 (A Parker Curry Book)
Author: Parker Curry
The New York Times bestselling team behind Parker Looks Up returns with this Level 1 Ready-to-Read celebrating friendship that stays strong even over long distances!
Parker is writing to her friend, Gia, about the exciting sights she sees during her road trip across America. Even though Parker and Gia are far away from each other, they can still be best friends!
Young Trailblazers: The Book of Black Heroes and Groundbreakers:
Author: M. J. Fievre
A fun book for children with moving stories about Black trailblazers who persevered through adversity to inspire generations to come.
Inspirational stories of Black heroes. Discover how Black heroes have overcome adversity, from the story of writer and activist Maya Angelou, to the less known tale of Nance Legins-Costley, a slave whose freedom was won in a supreme court case by a young Abraham Lincoln. In this kid’s history book, take an educational trip through the ABCs of the names and stories of Black heroes who fought to overcome.
Experience an array of rich Black history. History books often have left out the amazing and varied stories of Black heroes. The Young Trailblazers series of children’s books shines a light on those stories for young readers and helps teach diversity and inclusion. Young Trailblazers: The Book of Black Heroes and Overcomers also includes beautiful illustrations, fascinating facts, and important words and their definitions.
Meet the Young Trailblazers and:
- Introduce your child to Black history
- Inspire hope and courage through stories of adversity
- Teach new words and interesting facts
If your child enjoyed other books in the Young Trailblazer series such as The Book of Black Inventors and Scientists; or if your child enjoyed books about Black history such as Black Heroes, Little Legends, or Black Women in Science, they’ll love Young Trailblazers: The Book of Black Heroes and Overcomers.
You Will Do Great Things
Author: Amerie
From Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and book club founder Amerie, You Will Do Great Things is a lyrical, magical picture book about the great possibilities that lie ahead for our little ones, featuring illustrations by Raissa Figueroa.
A young boy's imagination takes off as he gazes at family photos, whisking him off on a fantastical journey. Along the way, the boy tries exciting and bold new things, ventures into unexplored worlds, and forms deep connections with his multicultural heritage and the ancestors who imbue him with the strength and courage to make a difference.
Amerie has written a moving, sweeping, and deeply loving story that is inspired by her own family. It is a celebration of everything our little ones have yet to do: the great, the amazing, the strange, and the new. It's also a lasting reminder that the loved ones in our lives will always be right there beside us―and in our hearts―cheering us on.
You Can Be ABC's
Author: Robert Samuel White II
Based on the empowering and beloved viral video rap by six-year-old Sam White and his dad, Bobby, as seen on The Ellen Show and more, comes a book about the many careers kids can aspire to, from A to Z!
You can be an A--an architect, a B--a biochemist, a C--a computer software developer, and so much more! It's all about doing what you love and putting your heart into everything that you do. In this alphabet book of careers, the options run from A to Z! And six-year-old social media sensation Sam White and his dad, Bobby, want every kid out there to know that they can reach for the stars and make their dreams come true, whatever they want to become. Just don't be a Z--a zombie, and let the world pass you by.
With dynamic and joyful art by Robert Paul Jr. accompanying Sam and Bobby's viral rap, this book will have readers celebrating the potential in everyone.
You Can Be a Doctor/You Can Be a Pet Vet (Barbie)
Author: Random House
Double the fun with two Barbie You Can Be Step into Reading leveled readers in one!
This deluxe Step into Reading book features two leveled readers in one! First, children ages 3-7, will love reading about Malibu and Brooklyn taking care of adorable puppies, kittens, and more in the Step 2 YOU CAN BE A PET VET. Then they can flip the book over and read about Malibu and Brooklyn assisting a doctor and nurse in the Step 2 YOU CAN BE A DOCTOR.
Step 2 readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.
Since 1959, Barbie has shown girls that they can live their dreams. From an astronaut to a chef to a president, she knows that girls can do anything!
BARBIE™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel. ©2022 Mattel.
You Are a Unicorn!: A Little Book of AfroMations (Afro Unicorn)You Are a Unicorn
Author: April Showers
Tell your littlest unicorn just how unique, divine, and magical they are with this book of affirmations! And celebrate their inner unicorn with the first board book in the Afro Unicorn line.
There is no one quite like you!
You are a very special unicorn.
You are an Afro Unicorn!
This empowering board book is the latest installment from the Afro Unicorn line of books, which features stories about Black and Brown unicorns embracing their outer beauty and inner abilities.
When Afro Unicorn creator April Showers realized that her favorite emoji—the unicorn!—was only available in white, she was inspired to create a more inclusive brand for children of color to celebrate how magical, unique, and divine they truly are.
Don’t miss the other books in the Afro Unicorn series—
A Magical Day
We Are Afro Unicorns
Divine Makes a Splash
You are a Unicorn
Words of Wonder From Z to A
Author: Zaila Avant-garde
When 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde became the first Black American student to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021, the world took notice.
Now, this extraordinary speller, writer, and basketball champ celebrates the world of words, with 26 of Zaila's favorite words, such as KINDNESS, HOPE, and RESILIENCE, alongside Zaila's encouraging and poetic thoughts.
Each bright and busy page also includes an inspiring quotation from a famous thought leader. And an afterword to the book details the fascinating origins of each word.
It's an uplifting picture book packed with motivation, learning, and fun, from one of America's most promising, unique, and accomplished young people.
Woke Baby
Author: Mahogany L. Browne
For all the littlest progressives, waking up to seize a new day of justice and activism.
Woke babies are up early. Woke babies raise their fists in the air. Woke babies cry out for justice. Woke babies grow up to change the world.
This lyrical and empowering book is both a celebration of what it means to be a baby and what it means to be woke. With bright playful art, Woke Baby is an anthem of hope in a world where the only limit to a skyscrapper is more blue.
Wildseed Witch (Book 1)
Author: Marti Dumas
Hasani’s post-seventh-grade summer to-do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. What she does NOT expect is that an emotional outburst will spark a latent magical ability in her. Or that the magic will be strong enough to attract the attention of witches. Or that before she can say #BlackGirlMagic, she’ll be shipped off on a scholarship to a fancy finishing school for talented young ladies.
Les Belles Demoiselles is a literal charm school. Here, generations of young ladies from old-money witch families have learned to harness their magic, and alumnae grow to become some of the most powerful women across industries, including politicians, philanthropists, CEOs, entrepreneurs—and yes, even social media influencers. Needless to say, admission to the school is highly coveted, very exclusive . . . and Hasani sticks out like a weed in a rose bouquet.
While the other girls have always known they were destined to be witches, Hasani is a Wildseed––a stray witch from a family of non-witches, with no background knowledge, no way to control her magic, and a lot to catch up on. “Wildseed” may be an insult that the other girls throw at her, but Wildseeds are more powerful than they know. And Hasani will learn that there are ways to use magic and thrive that can never be taught in a classroom.
Who Will You Be?
Author: Andrea Pippins
For fans of I Am Enough, The Day You Begin, and The Wonderful Things You Will Be, here is a poignant picture book about how family and community help shape the wonderful people our children become.
My child, my little one,
Who will you be when you are grown?
There's loving kindness in your eyes, like your daddy's
and boldness in your heart, like your grandma's.
Will you be like them?
So begins this loving picture book about a mama who wonders who her child will grow up to be. Will her little one be curious like Grandpa and adventurous like Auntie Amina? Compassionate like Amy and joyful like cousin Curlena? Moving from family members to the wider community, she muses about which attributes her child will possess. A perfect gift for a baby shower, birthday, or graduation. Who Will You Be? features gorgeous artwork and gentle words that celebrate childhood and is an ode to the power of our village--and a reminder that every child is uniquely wonderful.
Who Was Maya Angelou?
Author: Ellen Labrecque
Born in Missouri in 1928, Maya Angelou had a difficult childhood. Jim Crow laws segregated blacks and whites in the South. Her family life was unstable at times. But much like her poem, "Still I Rise," Angelou was able to lift herself out of her situation and flourish. She moved to California and became the first black—and first female—streetcar operator before following her interest in dance. She became a professional performer in her twenties and toured the U.S. and Europe as an opera star and calypso dancer. But Angelou's writing became her defining talent. Her poems and books, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, brought her international acclaim.
Zuri Ray and the Backyard Bash
Author: Tami Charles
Zuri Ray is back! And this time, she's got a party to plan. With summer coming to an end, a backyard bash is an absolute must, and Zuri's not letting her parents' questionable tastes anywhere near the details. The food, the decorations, the entertainment—everything has to be perfect. Good thing her friends are ready to help!
But when the party doesn't go exactly according to plan, will Zuri be able to let loose and improvise? Or will the chaos be too much to handle?
Your Mama
Author: Nonieqa Ramos
A sweet twist on the age-old “yo mama” joke, celebrating fierce moms everywhere with playful lyricism and gorgeous illustrations, Your Mama is an essential Mother’s Day read.
Yo’ mama so sweet, she could be a bakery. She dresses so fine, she could have a clothing line. And, even when you mess up, she’s so forgiving, she lets you keep on living.
Heartwarming and richly imagined, Your Mama twists an old joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere.
Your Crown Shines: For Ketanji Brown Jackson and You
Author: Jessica Care Moore
Ketanji.
Unshook.
Unbothered.
Poised for position.
Based on the electric and historic appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, this poetic picture book from powerhouse jessica Care moore outlines the dreams of a young girl who wants to change the world one day. Regardless of the obstacles put into place, her crown shines brightly.
A love letter to the Black women pioneers of the past and to the next little girl who will one day be crowned, this melodic anthem, with luminous illustrations by award-winning illustrator Dare Coulter, is a celebration of one woman’s story that will inspire generations to come.
Young Gifted and Black
Author: Jamia Wilson
Meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement—a collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire, and empower the next generation of changemakers. Jamia Wilson has carefully curated this range of black icons and the book is stylishly brought together by Andrea Pippins’ colorful and celebratory illustrations.
Written in the spirit of Nina Simone’s song “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” this vibrant book is a perfect introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes. Meet figureheads, leaders, and pioneers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and athletes like Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, and Serena Williams.
All children deserve to see themselves represented positively in the books they read.Highlighting the talent and contributions of black leaders and changemakers from around the world, readers of all backgrounds will be empowered to discover what they too can achieve. Strong, courageous, talented, and diverse, these extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream…whatever it may be.
The 52 icons: Mary Seacole, Matthew Henson, Ava Duvernay, Bessie Coleman, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Cathy Freeman, George Washington Carver, Malorie Blackman, Harriet Tubman, Mo Farah, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jesse Owens, Beyonce Knowles, Solange Knowles, Katherine Johnson, Josephine Baker, Kofi Annan, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Brian Lara, Madam C.J. Walker, Yannick Noah, Maurice Ashley, Alexandre Duma, Martin Luther King, Jr., Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, Simone Biles, Stevie Wonder, Esperanza Spalding, Sidney Poitier, Oprah Winfrey, Pele, Nelson Mandela, Louis Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Naomi Campbell, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Muhammad Ali, Shirley Chisholm, Steve McQueen, Zadie Smith, Usain Bolt, Wangari Maathai, Mae Jemison, W.E.B. Du Bois, Nicola Adams, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Misty Copeland.
If you like this book, check out Step Into Your Power and Big Ideas for Young Thinkers, by the same author-illustrator team.
You So Black
Author: Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D
Black is everywhere, and in everything, and in everyone—in the night sky and the fertile soil below. It’s in familial connections and invention, in hands lifted in praise and voices lifted in protest, and in hearts wide open and filled with love. Black is good.
Accompanied by powerful yet tender illustrations by award-winning illustrator London Ladd, Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has adapted her poem, full of gorgeous lyricism and imagery, to show readers the love, joy, resilience, and universality in the beauty of Blackness.
You Can Be A Good Friend (No Matter What)
Author: Taraji P. Henson
From award-winning actress and mental-health advocate Taraji P. Henson, You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience, and love.
In this debut picture book from Taraji P. Henson, quirky, stylish and a bit off-the-cuff Lil TJ is ready for her first day of school. But when she gets there, TJ finds that everything she does is a little different than everyone else and she’s standing out in all the wrong ways. Once TJ’s classmate Beau notices, he relentlessly teases her. TJ is filled with anxiety and doubt until she recalls some important words of wisdom from her Grandma Patsy. When she looks inside to her own creativity and personality, she figures out how to help herself make new friends! —and helps someone else too!
You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) is the perfect read for:
-Easing back-to-school jitters and setting a course for the new school year
-Helping children ages 4-8 to overcome anxieties and embrace what makes them unique
-Classroom and library story time, as well as bedtime reading
-Promoting mental wellness and learning socialization skills, embracing the importance of standing in their own uniqueness, and promoting friendship over bullying.
Includes author’s note with references for parents and teachers.
You Are My Favorite Color
Author: Gillian Sze
A lyrical story of parental love that celebrates and takes pride in the many shades of brown skin. Perfect for fans of I Am Enough, Hey Black Child, Hair Love, and Our Skin.
When you ask me why your skin is brown,
I will tell you that you are my favorite color.
I will say that your skin was decided long, long ago.
Time was just waiting for you.
So begins a mother’s celebration of her children's brown skin, told through warm and vivid poetry. With sweeping descriptions of what brown skin means—it is the brawny bear whose paws know the ground of its home, the sequoia tree that reaches up and touches the sun, the glossy shell of roasted chestnuts—this is a book that empowers as it embraces, and that reminds young readers that they have shades of color that only they can discover and express.
With beautiful, lyrical text by powerhouse poet Gillian Sze and vibrant, engaging art by illustrator Nina Mata, the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of LeBron James's I Promise, this is more than a story of love—it is a song that rings out for brown kids everywhere.
Yellow Dog Blues
Author: Alice Faye Duncan
A lyrical road trip through the Mississippi Delta, exploring the landmarks that shaped one of America’s most beloved musical traditions.
One morning Bo Willie finds the doghouse empty and the gate wide open! Farmer Fred says Yellow Dog hit Highway 61 and started running. Aunt Jessie picks up Bo Willie in her pink Cadillac, and together they look for his missing puppy love. Their search leads them from juke joints to tamale stands to streets ringing with the music of B.B. King and Muddy Waters. Where, where did that Yellow Dog go?
Acclaimed creators Alice Faye Duncan and Chris Raschka present a boogie-woogie journey along the Mississippi Blues Trail. With swinging free verse and stunning hand-stitched art, Yellow Dog Blues is a soulful fable about what happens when the blues grabs you and holds on tight.
Words Are Magic!
Author: Zaila Avant-Garde
Words are magic! Have you heard? Pick a letter. Make a word!
New readers will find joyful encouragement in this level 1 easy reader that sings out about the magic of words. Encouraging kids to mix words, match words, shout and rap words, Scripps National Spelling champ Zaila Avante-garde takes readers along on a noisy and boisterous celebration of letters, sounds, and reading. It's the perfect first step for new readers, full of fun and energy, from one of America's most exciting and unique young voices.
Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.
Wings of Ebony
Author: J. Elle
Instant New York Times bestseller!
“A remarkable, breathtaking, earthshaking, poetic thrillride.” —Daniel José Older, New York Times bestselling author of Shadowshaper
In this riveting, keenly emotional debut fantasy, a Black teen from Houston has her world upended when she learns about her godly ancestry and must save both the human and god worlds. Perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Tomi Adeyemi, and The Hunger Games!
“Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue’s taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders.
Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life.
Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.
Why Not You
Author: Ciara and Russell Wilson
Why not you? Amazing you! You’re a winner! You’re so strong! You are perfect and important—you and all your gifts belong!
We all have big dreams! Sometimes it’s hard to imagine our big dreams coming true. But what if someone saw all the amazing and spectacular parts of us—our winning smiles, our fancy feet, our warm hearts—and asked, “Why not you?”
Whether it’s becoming a football player or a pop star or the president or a scientist: Why not you?
In this picture book debut, superstars Ciara and Russell Wilson encourage readers to see themselves achieving their dreams, no matter how outrageous they may seem. It’s a lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and daring to shoot for the stars.
Who Was Muhammad Ali?
Author: James Buckley, Jr.
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. won the world heavyweight championship at the age of 22, the same year he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He would go on to become the first and only three-time (in succession) World Heavyweight Champion. Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Ali was as well known for his unique boxing style, consisting of the Ali Shuffle and the rope-a-dope, as he was for the catchphrase “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” He was an uncompromising athlete who brought beauty and grace to a very rough sport and became one of the world’s most famous cultural icons. Read Who Was Muhammad Ali? and discover “The Greatest.”