Children's Books Catalog
Hey Black Child
Author: Useni Eugene Perkins
Hey black child,
Do you know who you are?
Who really are?Do you know you can be
What you want to be
If you try to be
What you can be?
This lyrical, empowering poem celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young people to dream big and achieve their goals.
Hello There, Sunshine
Author: Tabitha Brown
"Hello there, sunshine!"
Every morning, young Tabitha wakes up and greets the sun. She loves how it brings everyone JOY. But one day she wakes up and the sun is missing! So Tab hops on her strawberry shortcake bike with her puppy in tow and makes it her business to find the sun.
Can she do it? Or will Tabitha find out that sometimes the shine we're looking for is inside of us?
A perfect pick for fans of What Do You Do with an Idea?, You Matter, and Just Because, Brown’s children's debut is a marvelous read-aloud and a great gift that will remind the youngest reader to always stay positive.
HBCU Proud
Author: Yvette Manns
This big-hearted story of legacy, tradition and bravery—is an amazing way to introduce the child in your life to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Written by an HBCU graduate and educator, this story will be sure to expose children to the wonders of an HBCU through a realistic fiction experience, through the lens of the child. Aunt Tru had done it again. She managed to talk her nephew's parents into taking him on vacation for Spring Break again. Last year, they visited the beach. The year before that, they went camping. This year, they were going to -- a school?Q wondered why his aunt would take him to another school for his break, but she said it was a SPECIAL school... an HBCU. He didn't understand why his family was so passionate about Legacy University but he decided to make the best of the trip. Follow along on his journey as he learns about HBCUs, witnesses gentrification, and finds out what "The Spirit of Greatness" truly means -- all while finding his voice and fighting for what he believes in!
Harper Sharp: Kid Detective
Author: Jarrett Williams
Harper Sharp is like most fifth graders—he's juggling homework, friendships, video games, and...oh yeah, he's busy solving major mysteries!
When Starview Elementary announces their annual Young Inventor's Fair, everyone's minds start whirring. What will they make? A new trading card game? Collectible slugs?
Suddenly, ominous fliers appear all over school, warning kids and teachers to "BEWARE THE FAIR!" Can Harper figure out who's behind this terrifying threat and foil their nefarious plans? Or will these young inventors' sparks be extinguished forever?! Find out in the start to the next great graphic novel series sensation!
Harlem at Four
Author: Michael Datcher
In this beautiful picture book in two parts, meet Harlem: the girl and the neighborhood. Part one follows the adventures of a little girl named Harlem and her single father as they go on a museum “playdate” with painters Romare Bearden and Jean-Michel Basquiat, listen to John Coltrane records, and conduct science experiments in their apartment ("The volcano erupts /Red lava on Valentine’s Day!").
Part two takes us back to the fourth year of the twentieth century in Harlem the neighborhood. Here, we are introduced to Philip A. Payton Jr., aka Papa Payton, whose Afro-American Realty Company gave birth to the Black housing explosion, helping to start America's Great Black Migration. Because of Papa Peyton, Black families—like Harlem and her father a century later—could move to Harlem and thrive and flourish.
This is a completely unique, absolutely gorgeous picture book by a New York Times bestselling author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning illustrator that weaves together the lives of a modern Black family and a historically Black neighborhood in New York City.
Happy Hair Board Book
Author: Mechal Renee Roe
Mechal Renee Roe, illustrator of Vice President Kamala Harris's Super Heroes Are Everywhere, creates a joyful, positive, read-together book celebrating girls with natural black hair that will have kids everywhere chanting: "I love being me!"
Full 'fro, cute bow! I love being me! Smart girl, cool curls! I love being me!
Girls will love seeing strong, happy reflections of themselves in this vibrant, rhythmic book full of beautiful Black hairstyles. From a cute crop to pom-pom puffs, adorable illustrations of girls with gorgeous braids, blowouts, and bantus grace each page, side by side with a positive message that will make girls cheer. It's a great read-aloud to promote self-esteem for girls of all ages, building and growing the foundation of self-love (and hair love!) and letting every girl know "You are made beautiful!"
Look for all the books in the Happy Hair series:
Cool Cuts—a celebration of boys with natural black hair
I Love Being Me! (Step Into Reading)—a level one reader about joy and self-esteem, for kids learning how to read
Hand-Me-Down Magic #1: Stoop Sale Treasure
Author: Corey Ann Haydu
Brimming with adorable illustrations and short, easy-to-read chapters, this is the first book in the popular Hand-Me-Down Magic series, perfect for fans of Ivy and Bean and Dory Fantasmagory!
DEL loves LOTS of things! The Curious Cousins Secondhand Shoppe. Ginormous family dinners. And of course, her best-friend-cousin, Alma.
ALMA loves her abuelita’s tasty empanadas. Her old home by the lake. And soon, she’ll love living in the same place as her best-friend-cousin, Del.
Yet despite having Del by her side, Alma isn’t quite sure she fits in with their family at 86 ½ Twenty-Third Avenue. It’s a new life and it’s all so different. When Del finds a special item at a neighbor’s stoop sale, she gets so excited by the magic luck it brings—but doesn’t see that it’s driving the two best friends apart. Will family, friendship, and maybe a little everyday magic be enough to make things right again?
Corey Ann Haydu’s writing is filled with tender moments, wholesome humor, and magical detail—reminiscent of literary icons like Beverly Clearly, Marla Frazee, and Katherine Applegate. This chapter book series is pitch perfect for kids reading at this young level. And Luisa Uribe's stunning black-and-white illustrations capture the warmth and unique personality of each character.
Hair Love ABCs
Author: Matthew A. Cherry & Illustrator: Vashti Harrison
An alphabet board book inspired by the bestselling HAIR LOVE, from the original award–winning author and illustrator duo—and perfect for baby gift baskets.
A is for Afro, N is for Natural, and W is for Waves. Letter by letter, follow Zuri and her father in their joy-filled journey through the kinks and curls of Black hair.
This 7x7 board book is perfect as a baby gift, for existing fans of HAIR LOVE, young readers embracing their natural hair, and toddlers learning their ABCs!
Green Green: A Community Gardening Story
Author: Marie Lamba / Baldev Lamba
Green grass is wide and fresh and clean for a family to play in, and brown dirt is perfect for digging a garden. But when gray buildings start to rise up and a whole city builds, can there be any room for green space? The neighborhood children think so, and they inspire the community to join together and build a garden for everyone to share in the middle of the city.
Grandma's Tiny House
Author: JaNay Brown-Wood
Chicago Public Library’s 2017 Best of the Best Books selection
"A fine addition to book collections about families, food, counting, and joyous gatherings" — The Horn Book
This sweet, rhyming counting book introduces young readers to numbers one through fifteen as Grandma’s family and friends fill her tiny house on Brown Street. Neighbors, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and grandkids crowd into the house and pile it high with treats for a family feast.
But when the walls begin to bulge and nobody has space enough to eat, one clever grandchild knows exactly what to do.
Graduation Day!: A Kindergarten Graduation Gift
Author: Candice Ransom
It's time to graduate Kindergarten in this Step 1 Reader featuring the family from Pumpkin Day!, Apple Picking Day!, and all the DAY books.
The school year is nearly over, and little bro is ready to graduate kindergarten! He and big sis head off for the very last day of school. He learned so much and can do so much on his own now. His cubby is cleaned out, he has his cap and gown, but—oh no!—his shoe is untied! No worries, he'll show everyone what he can do!
Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading.
Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading.
Gracie’s Corner: Today Is Gonna Be a Great Day!
Author: Gracie's Corner
Get grooving, moving, and learning with Gracie’s Corner!
Gracie and friends say good morning and get ready for the day! Inspired by the megapopular “Good Morning Song,” kids will love following along with Gracie as she brushes her teeth, fluffs her hair, and starts her day with a BIIIG smile on her face! The perfect get-ready anthem for any—and every—day.
Features a helpful Good Morning guide in the back to break morning routines down into easy-to-follow steps!
- Upbeat and inspirational, this is the perfect picture book to get kids excited for their mornings and to start their days on a positive note!
- First of its kind Gracie’s Corner picture book adaptation is perfect to read (or sing!) along with your child’s favorite Gracie’s Corner YouTube video!
- Turn everyday routines—like teeth brushing, hair combing, and more!—into fun for kids with this bright and colorful picture book.
- Created by family team Graceyn, Javoris, and Arlene Hollingsworth,Gracie’s Corner focuses on centering children of color in the edutainment industry and making learning a fun, positive experience.
Goodnight Racism
Author: Ibram X. Kendi
As children all over the world get ready for bed, the moon watches over them. The moon knows that when we sleep, we dream. And when we dream, we imagine what is possible and what the world can be.
With dynamic, imaginative art and poetic prose, Goodnight Racism delivers important messages about antiracism, justice, and equality in an easy-to-read format that empowers readers both big and small. Goodnight Racism gives children the language to dream of a better world and is the perfect book to add to their social justice toolkit.
Here Are the Seeds
Author: JaNay Brown-Woods
This delightfully rhythmic story follows two children as they grow a garden from seeds. Author and poet JaNay Brown-Wood's cumulative tale, similar to “The House That Jack Built,” starts promisingly: “Here are the seeds that we will sow to help our garden grow.” But as time passes, the children quickly learn that things rarely go as planned in the garden. Plants will droop without enough sun and wilt without enough water. Suddenly, “OH NO!” becomes the children's repeated refrain. Eventually, the pair come to see that nature itself provides everything a magnificent garden needs to flourish! This engaging read-aloud doubles as a child-friendly lesson on what plants need in order to grow. Olivia Amoah's vivid artwork brings the story to life, particularly on the spreads featuring the refrain (“OH NO!”), where readers can look at the illustrations to try to figure out what went wrong in the garden. The story covers the key elements of what makes a healthy garden, such as soil, sun, bugs, water, mushrooms and worms - and shows how balance is necessary for plants to survive. The back matter includes brief explanations of each of these key elements. This picture book offers excellent life science curriculum connections to the needs of living things, growth and changes in plants and plant life cycles.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Lost in the Void (Tales of Eternia Book
Author: Liselle Sambury
Young witch Teela—also known as Sorceress—takes center stage in this original middle-grade adventure from acclaimed author Liselle Sambury, based on Mattel’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the hit Netflix show!
Danger slithers around every corner as the Masters of the Universe are overwhelmed by a reptilian army wreaking havoc across the land. But young magician Teela is more worried about finding Eldress, the missing guardian of Castle Grayskull and the only person who can help her understand her powers.
Teela takes matters into her own hands—what's the worst that could happen? But when her spell goes horribly wrong, she meets a mysterious stranger made of stars who turns her world upside down. Suddenly, she's trapped in an alternate dimension where there are no Masters of the Universe: She can't use her magic, this Adam is more used to hiding than battling evil, and Eternia is ruled by . . . King Skeletor?! If Teela has any hope of finding her way home, she'll first have to save this world—but not without the help of her friends.
Harriet Tubman: A Little Golden Book
Author: JaNay Brown-Wood
Inspire and educate your little one with a Little Golden Book biography about Harriet Tubman! It’s the perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers—as well as fans of all ages!
This Little Golden Book about Harriet Tubman–a true hero who helped to free enslaved Black people as a conductor on the Underground Railroad–is an inspiring read-aloud for young children.
Harlem Honey
Author: Tamron Hall
For Moses, Harlem couldn’t be any more different than the Texas he moved away from, and his only friends are his dog, Lotus-May, and his bird, JoJo. But, when Moses is asked to help his new neighbor Laila deliver jars of honey to the people of Harlem, he finally gets the chance to make new friends and see the places and feel the magic of this bustling neighborhood.
There are historic landmarks like the famous Apollo Theater, which has hosted iconic performers, Sylvia’s Restaurant, the best spot in the city for cornbread, the celebrated African American art of the Studio Museum, and the electric sounds of the neighborhood itself.
From Emmy-winning talk show host Tamron Hall comes a lively and heartening tale inspired by her son about one of the nation’s most celebrated neighborhoods and the places and people that make Harlem home.
Happy Kwanzaa!
Author: Isabel Michaels
Happy Kwanzaa! Gabrielle and Tamir are excited to celebrate their African American culture—and Elmo is excited to learn all about the holiday. From lighting the candles in the kinara, to discussing the seven principles, and enjoying a family feast, there's a lot to be excited about! This colorful book with sturdy board pages makes a great Kwanzaa gift for young boys and girls.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, is dedicated to helping kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. By creating researched-based media and resources for families around the world, Sesame Workshop is able to meet children’s most pressing needs. With a focus on foundational knowledge & skills, creativity & playful problem-solving, self-identify & belonging, and emotional well-being, Sesame Street is the most trusted name in early learning.
Hands On!
Author: Ann Wynter
Hands On! is a joyful board book celebration of a baby’s journey from crawling to taking their very first steps. The perfect board book for babies and their parents to share!A great gift for expecting and new parents, Hands On! sweetly encapsulates this special time in a baby’s development.Plus don't miss Anne Wynter and Alea Marley's One Big Day, a celebration of baby’s first birthday and a wonderful companion gift for showers and other celebrations of milestone toddler events.Hand in handLeft, right, leftHands out wideStep, step, step....
Halloween Night! (Step into Reading)
Author: Candice Ransom
BOO! Get ready for some Halloween excitement with the Day family! Join Brother and Sister on their trick-or-treating adventure in this Step 1 reader, perfect for children who know their alphabet and are eager to learn how to read!
Brother and Sister can't wait to go trick-or-treating! They put on their costumes and hurry out into their festive neighborhood. The night is filled with so much fun: candy, costumes, a parade, and some silly scares! At last, Brother and sister are so excited to get home and sort their candy! Halloween night is so very special and the Day kids cannot wait till next year!
Hair Love
Author: Matthew A. Cherry & Illustrator: Vashti Harrison
A New York Times Bestseller and tie-in to Academy-Award Winning Short Film "Hair Love" "I love that Hair Love is highlighting the relationship between a Black father and daughter. Matthew leads the ranks of new creatives who are telling unique stories of the Black experience. We need this." - Jordan Peele, Actor & Filmmaker
It's up to Daddy to give his daughter an extra-special hair style in this ode to self-confidence and the love between fathers and daughters, from Academy-Award winning director and former NFL wide receiver Matthew A. Cherry and New York Times bestselling illustrator Vashti Harrison. Zuri's hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it's beautiful. When Daddy steps in to style it for an extra special occasion, he has a lot to learn. But he LOVES his Zuri, and he'll do anything to make her -- and her hair -- happy. Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair -- and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere. A perfect gift for special occasions including Father’s Day, birthdays, baby showers, and more!
Grandparents Day
Author: Candice Ransom and Ashley Evans
What could be more fun than spending a whole day with Grandma and Grandpa? Brother and sister get to visit a museum, do crafts, feast on homemade brownies and watch old home movies with their very special grandparents! It's a memorable day full of laughter, good food, and love. Easy-to-follow rhyme ensures a successful reading experience, while bright, lively art brings this intergenerational story to life.
Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading.
Grandma and the Moon's Hidden Secret
Author: Jumoke Verissimo
Àdùké lives with her grandparents in Ibidan and Grandma is her favourite person in the world. She loves when Grandma sings to her, and gives her treats from her stall. But one day, Àdùké comes home from school and can’t find Grandma anywhere! Àdùké doesn’t understand why Grandma can’t come back, but then her aunt Yímiká tells her a secret. Can she really see Grandma if she squints up at the moon?
Gracie’s Corner: What Sound Does That Letter Make?
Author: Gracie's Corner
Get grooving, moving, and learning with Gracie’s Corner!
What sound does a letter make? Using familiar rhythms from the smash hit the "Phonics Song,” this perfect-to-hold board book adaptation breaks down the alphabet and letter sounds into easy-to-remember word examples and bright and bold art in the style of Gracie’s Corner. From “elephant” to “umbrella,” kids will be breaking it down and sounding it out in no time!
- Features the lyrics of an easy, catchy, and educational song! Teach kids the alphabet in a fun-filled way that they’re sure to love.
- First of its kind Gracie’s Corner board book adaptation is perfect to read (or sing!) along with your child’s favorite Gracie’s Corner YouTube video!
- Vibrant illustrations and fan-favorite lyrics will make kids want to read this over and over, aiding in memorization along the way!
- Created by family team Graceyn, Javoris, and Arlene Hollingsworth,Gracie’s Corner focuses on centering children of color in the edutainment industry and making learning a fun, positive experience.
Grace and Box
Author: Kim Howard
A little girl and a refrigerator box go on many adventures as they imagine all the things they can be in this debut picture book from Kim Howard and Megan Lotter, Grace and Box…
Grace and Box have become fast friends. Box delivered a refrigerator earlier in the week and by the end of it, Grace and Box had already been to space, gone camping, and explored the depths of the sea together.
But on Sunday, Grace notices something’s wrong with her buddy. Box has some rips and crumples that Band-Aids, ice packs, and rest on the couch can’t seem to heal. Grace certainly doesn't want these adventures to end, so she is determined to fix Box so that they can continue their play together!
A universal friendship (child and box) has come alive in this imaginative and humorous picture book. The depths of friendships run deep with children, even if they're just boxes to us!