Children's Books Catalog
Brown Is Warm, Black Is Bright
Author: Sarah L. Thomson
A long overdue book that lyrically celebrates and teaches positive associations with two of the most important colors on Earth, black and brown.
Have you ever paused to savor the power and beauty of brown and black? Brown is strong as a tree and sweet as honey in tea; black is the hopeful promise of a seed and the grace of a bird in flight... and the quiet space where dreams begin.
In this groundbreaking picture book, poetic text and lush imagery celebrates two essential colors that capture all the richness and depth life, love, and the natural world have to offer.
Brown Girl Dreaming
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.
Includes 7 additional poems, including "Brown Girl Dreaming."
Bros
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
From sunrise to sunset, a group of young Black boys joyously spend the day together as they live their best lives freely in their community. With confidence and a touch of swag, these friends do everything with one another: build a time machine, tend to the community garden, roleplay in the park, read, take a group selfie, and play basketball. With simple, spare text from celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and colorful, playful art from Reggie Brown capturing the pleasures of boyhood and friendship, Bros affirms the truth that Black boys deserve and are worthy of a childhood full of joy and free of risk, just as much as anyone. Timely and buoyant, it’s a story sure to be enjoyed by anyone who knows what it is to be surrounded by friends with a day of adventure ahead of you.
Broken Crayons Still Color
Author: Toni Collier
Avery has big emotions and bubbling anxieties about changes in her life. When her crayons break as she scribbles furiously, she discovers that they have personalities and feelings too! And they can show her how to use her love of coloring to manage scary, overwhelming feelings and embrace curiosity and joy. As Avery follows the crayons' advice, gets creative, and chooses bravery and positive thinking, she discovers that God can use her to make beautiful things, even with broken crayons.In Broken Crayons Still Color, children 4 to 8 willsee that everyone feels frustrated and overwhelmed at timeslearn to express emotions and explore creativitypractice coping skills, such as drawing worries, affirmations, and breathingunderstand that God loves them just as they are and He can turn their mistakes and weaknesses into beautiful new thingsThis illustrated picture book includesan inventive illustration style that models to children how to draw their own feelingsan emotion color chart to guide children in identifying how they feelWith a fun story, silly crayon characters, and practical guidance for kids struggling with powerful emotions, insecurity, and perfectionism, Broken Crayons Still Color will entertain children as it assures them that God is making a beautiful masterpiece out of things they thought were broken. The presentation page and deluxe dust jacket make this encouraging book a beautiful gift for back-to-school, kids facing new experiences and tough situations, and any child with big feelings.
Brilliant Baby Explores Science
Author: Laura Gehl
This series will introduce and explore all the different subjects your brilliant baby will soon master!
Your Brilliant Baby will love learning the basics of the scientific method and how they can find science all around them, such as in colors, nature, buildings, and more!
Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples
Author: Mavis Staples
At 85, Mavis Staples is still singing in front of large audiences and sharing her message of love, faith, and justice. She’s been performing since age eight as part of her family’s gospel group The Staple Singers, and has become one of America’s most admired musicians, with multiple Grammys, a Kennedy Center Honor, and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Mavis has been more than a thrilling singer; she has also stood alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., at numerous Civil Rights protests where her voice was a rallying cry to the country. Now she and acclaimed author Carole Boston Weatherford bring her story and her inspiring message to young people in this poetic, illuminating book, beautifully illustrated by Steffi Walthall.
Brave Like a Lion
Author: Megan Piphus
Animal puppets, hand puppets, even shadow puppets!
May loved them all.
At home, May loves to play pretend with her puppets, leading them fearlessly on all sorts of adventures. But at school, May is shy. When a class project offers the perfect chance for May to speak up, she has a unique idea for how to use her voice. With a little practice, a lot of imagination, and the help of a special friend, May is ready to let out her inner lioness!
Based on the real-life story of Emmy-winning author Megan Piphus, the first full-time Black woman puppeteer on Sesame Street, and lovingly illustrated by award-winning artist Niña Mata, this tale of authentic self-expression will inspire young readers to embrace their own unique voices.
Back matter features illustrated step-by-step instructions to make a puppet!
Brain Trouble (The Magnificent Makers #2)
Author: Theanne Griffin
This book includes two science activities kids can do at home! These quick educational activities (30 minutes or less) use items you probably already have on hand--or can easily order if needed!
Violet and Pablo are best friends who love science! So when they discover a riddle that opens a magic portal in the brain fair at school, they can't wait to check it out! In this adventure, the friends enter the Maker Maze--a magical makerspace--along with a set of twins who are interested in learning all about the brain. The kids can't wait to solve science puzzles . . . if first, they can learn to work together!
With the help of a hilarious and odd scientist, the Magnificent Makers embark on out-of-this-world adventures that help them master the science concepts they are learning in school. This series will cover several scientific topics (at an age-appropriate level) ranging from human biology to ecology, while also exploring issues such as managing failure, teamwork, courage, and jealousy.
Boy Dad
Author: Sean Williams
From the same team who brought families Girl Dad comes a picture book celebration of boy dads everywhere!
A fun read-aloud written in upbeat rhyming verse, Boy Dad is a picture book that honors the loving men who raise, nurture, and uplift their boys.
Share Boy Dad with the dads in your life, on Father's Day or any day.
Boulevard of Dreams (2) (Fearless Series)
Author: Mandy Gonzalez / Brittany J. Thurman
Twelve-year-old Relly can’t wait for his beloved grandfather to finally see him on stage! Along with the rest of the Fearless Squad, Relly has just opened Our Time, a brand-new musical at the infamous Ethel Merman Theater. Though his grandfather would prefer his grandson pursue something more “practical,” Relly just knows when he sees the show, he will change his mind and come around on Relly’s love of theater and dance.
But right before their night show, a member of the Squad loses their phone down an open manhole. When the entire Squad goes down to help retrieve it, they find themselves in 1950s Manhattan. A big problem, considering the curtain goes up in about two hours—and over sixty years in the future!
With a series of clues, Relly discovers that his grandfather was a popular tap dancer, working the nightclub circuit and pursuing his dream of performing—something he’s been discouraging Relly from doing lately. Perhaps this accidental fall into a different time wasn’t so accidental after all. Can Relly help his grandfather and make it back in time for places in the show?
Booked Graphic Novel
Author: Kwame Alexander
Twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read.
This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match.
"A novel about a soccer-obsessed tween boy written entirely in verse? In a word, yes. Kwame Alexander has the magic to pull off this unlikely feat, both as a poet and as a storyteller. " —The Chicago Tribune
Can’t nobody stop you
Can’t nobody cop you…
Bonnie's New Old Outfit
Author: Madison Moore
Bonnie's family can’t change what clothes are in her wardrobe, but she can make them her own.
Bonnie wants the perfect first-day-of-school outfit, but everything in her wardrobe is too big or too small or worn out. So with the help of her family and a lot of creativity, Bonnie learns to use maker techniques like embroidery, knitting, and natural dyes to turn her old clothes into something new, original, and perfect for her catwalk to the bus stop.
Bold Words From Black Women: Inspiration
Author: Dr. Tamara Pizzoli
Celebrate the power of Black womanhood in this first-of-its-kind collection of inspirational quotes from fifty activists, artists, and leaders, featuring bold, attention-grabbing illustrations—perfect for readers of Herstory and Little Leaders.
This incredible volume honors fifty modern women, presented with their own words, who have dared to raise their voices and persevere through hardship and injustice to become revolutionaries and dreamers, artists and creators.
Featuring women like musical powerhouse Beyoncé Knowles; tennis star Serena Williams; Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; and activist Angela Davis, this stylish book is perfect for any reader who is seeking grace, courage, strength, and self-love.
Brown Girl, Brown Girl
Author: Leslie Honore'
Brown girl, brown girl, what did you see?
A world that sees my skin before it sees me.
Based on a viral poem by Blaxican poet and activist Leslé Honoré, and illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Cozbi A. Cabrera, this moving journey through the past, present, and future of brown and Black girls is a celebration of community, creativity, and joy—and offers a reminder of the history that inspires hope, and the hope that inspires activism.
Brown Baby Lullaby
Author: Tameka Fryer Brown
This #OwnVoices lyrical bedtime picture book is a must-have for every sweet brown baby's bookshelf.
From sunset to bedtime, two parents lovingly care for their beautiful brown baby: first, they play outside, then it is time for dinner and a bath, and finally a warm snuggle before bed. This Parents Latina Magazine Best Latino Children's Book of the Year features warm and cozy art by New York Times-bestselling and NAACP-Award-winning illustrator AG Ford.
Tameka Fryer Brown's Brown Baby Lullaby is the perfect new baby or baby shower gift.
Bronzeville Boys and Girls
Author: Gwendolyn Brooks
This classic picture book from Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Gwendolyn Brooks, paired with full-color illustrations by Caldecott Honor artist Faith Ringgold, explores the lives and dreams of the children who live together in an urban neighborhood.
In 1956, Gwendolyn Brooks created thirty-four poems that celebrated the joy, beauty, imagination, and freedom of childhood. Bronzeville Boys and Girls features these timeless poems, which remind us that whether we live in the Bronzeville section of Chicago or any other neighborhood, childhood is universal in its richness of emotions and new experiences.
Brilliant Baby Plays Music
Author: Laura Gehl
Your Brilliant Baby will love learning about all the different types of music they can groove, dance, and boogie along to, as well as being introduced to instruments such as cellos, pianos, trumpets, saxophones, and more!
Brilliant Baby Does Math
Author: Laura Gehl
This brand-new series will introduce and explore all the different subjects your brilliant baby will soon master!
Your Brilliant Baby will love exploring all the applications of math and where they can find it in their daily lives, like learning what's hotter or colder, checking the score of the game, and seeing math in skyscrapers, rocket ships, and more!
Bree Boyd is a Legend
Author: Leah Johnson
7th grader Bree Boyd loves rules, order, and knowing what's going to happen next. It's why she likes reading the same books over and over; it's why she's the school's reigning spelling bee champ; and, most importantly, it's why she's never minded the high expectations her father has always had for her and her sisters. After all, if you're always the best, life can't throw many surprises at you.
But for the first time, Bree has no idea what the future holds. Because when a huge storm delivers a bolt of lightning straight into Bree, it leaves behind something she never prepared for: the power to move things with her mind.
All of a sudden Bree's life—filled with rules and routine—is twisted upside down and inside out. But will these new powers show Bree the magic of an unpredictable, imperfect life? Or will they simply spell disaster for everyone?
Irresistibly charming, laugh-out-loud funny, and brimming with heart, Leah Johnson’s powerful series about ordinary kids with extraordinary abilities is nothing short of miraculous.
Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins (Who Did It First?)
Author: Michelle Meadows
A lyrical picture book biography of Janet Collins, the first African American principal dancer at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Janet Collins wanted to be a ballerina in the 1930s and 40s, a time when racial segregation was widespread in the United States. Janet pursued dance with a passion, despite being rejected from discriminatory dance schools. When she was accepted into the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a teenager on the condition that she paint her skin white for performances, Janet refused. She continued to go after her dreams, never compromising her values along the way. From her early childhood lessons to the height of her success as the first African American prima ballerina in the Metropolitan Opera, Brave Ballerina is the story of a remarkable pioneer as told by Michelle Meadows, with fantastic illustrations from Ebony Glenn.
Boys Like Me
Author: Valerie Thompkins
Follow the journey of a little boy as he explores a new career role on every page, gaining the self confidence to become a future history maker. He can become a pharmacist, a therapist, even a TV News Anchor. This inspiring and easy to read picture book is designed to shape the future for readers and encourage them to begin exploring occupations at an early age.
Boy 2.0
Author: Tracey Baptiste
Win “Coal” Keegan has just landed in his latest foster home, with a big, noisy, slightly nosy family named the McKays. They seem eager to welcome Coal, but he’s wary of trusting them. So, he doesn’t tell them that he went for a walk with chalk in his pocket to cover a nearby street with his art. He doesn’t tell them that a neighbor found Coal drawing, pulled a gun on him, and fired it. He doesn’t tell them the police chased him. And he definitely doesn’t tell them that when everything went down, Coal somehow turned invisible.
But he did.
Now he has to figure out how. Is he a superhero? Some kind of mutant? A science experiment? Is that why he has no family of his own? As Coal searches for answers and slowly learns to control his invisibility, he turns to the McKay kids and friends both new and old for help. But they soon discover they’re not the only ones looking for a Black boy with superpowers, and the situation is far stranger—and more dangerous—than they ever could have expected.
Books N Bros: 44 Inspiring Books for Black Boys (Our Tomorrow)
Author: Sidney Keys III
Teen entrepreneur Sidney Keys III of Books N Bros spreads his love of literacy with this compilation reviewing his 44 inspiring books for black teen boys—from classic fiction to fantasy, graphic novels to history books. Empowering boys of color and advocating for African American literacy, Keys gives tips and ideas for how kids can advocate for reading right where they are now.
In Books N Bros, Sidney Keys III shares the story of his mission to encourage reading among boys, advice for how other kids can do it too, and reviews of over 40 of the best books to empower boys of color—from classics to fantasy and more. After an introductory story about Sidney's journey to become an entrepreneur and literacy advocate, his book recommendations are divided into chapters on history; biographies; novels, short stories and poems; comics and graphic novels; superheroes and science fiction; family and community; and money and careers. Featured are some of the biggest names in children’s literature, including Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Jerry Craft, Rita Williams Garcia, Kekla Magoon, Ty Allan Jackson, and others. Books N Bros is the second in the Our Tomorrow series, dedicated to inspiring, uplifting, and empowering the next generation of leaders.
If you’re searching for growth mindset books for kids, Books N Bros is part biography of an entrepreneurial teen, part anthology of book reviews, and 100% self-improvement guide! Beautifully illustrated, the cover art and content will inspire generations of young men to come.
Boo Stew
Author: Donna L. Washington
Curly Locks is a good-hearted girl, but she's an awful cook. All the townspeople of Toadsuck Swamp know to steer clear of her peculiar dishes—like batwing brownies and toad eye toffees. So it's quite a mystery when one of her dishes goes missing from her windowsill.
Next morning, chaos breaks out in town and word spreads how the Scares of Toadsuck Swamp are running wild and terrorizing the town at mealtime. They shriek "Gitchey Boo, Gitchey Bon! Gitchey Goo, Gitchey Gone!" and send folk running for their lives! But Curly Locks isn't frightened, and she has an inkling her unsavory cooking can help corral those Scares for good.
Exercising tremendous narrative skill, internationally known storyteller Donna L. Washington breathes a spirited new life into an old classic. Her clever, can-do protagonist and joyful language pair brilliantly with Jeffrey Ebbeler's fantasy-like illustrations. This enchanting read is a treat for any time of the year!
Bones at the Crossroads (Blood at the Root, #2)
Author: LaDarrion Williams
It's Homecoming season at Caiman University, and all 17-year-old Malik Baron wants to do is be a regular college student…or as regular as he can get at a magical HBCU for young, Black Conjurers. He’s ready to go to parties, hang out with his new friends, choose a major, and talk to girls. Instead, he's reeling from a summer of revelations, heartbreak and betrayal, and still uncovering the truth about his powers and his legacy.
The family he only just discovered is already fractured beyond repair, and a new relative who shows up on his doorstep brings even more questions. Then there’s the mother he risked everything to find, who might be the biggest threat to the life he's trying to build. To protect his new community, Malik joins an elite secret society with roots in ancient magic.
His journey takes him even deeper into his own heritage and the history of the magical world, while bringing him closer to a classmate whose friendship might mean something more, if Malik is ready to let her in. But how can he use powers he can’t even control to defend a world he’s not sure will ever fully accept him? And as the pressure and danger builds, will he be able to confront the deepening cracks within the magical society, and those building within himself?