The world wouldn’t be complete without all our stories.
Jacqueline Woodson
We believe that an emotionally well collective begins with a commitment to protecting and promoting the emotional wellness of each one of us.
Continuing our celebration of Black History Month, we’re sharing some favorite resources to help guide your reflections and conversations about our history and our role in shaping it as it unfolds.
This week, we’re highlighting 5 Black History Month books to enjoy with the kids (ages 4 to 12) in your life:
1. Whoever You Are (Mem Fox)
Reading age: 4 to 7
Highlighting the universal experience of human emotion, this book introduces the concepts of diversity and equality in a developmentally accessible way. Young readers from all backgrounds and circumstances are invited into a shared emotional experience of joy, love, and pain that unites them with other children across the world.
2. What Will I Be? (Jayla Joseph)
Reading age: 5 to 7
With engaging imagery and an affirming message of hope for all, this book depicts children imagining their futures in a wide variety of careers. Use it as a natural springboard for talking with kids about different roles and responsibilities while normalizing the image of black boys planning long and fruitful lives for themselves.
3. The Other Side (Jacqueline Woodson)
Reading age: 5 to 8
Despite warnings from her mother that it isn’t safe to cross the fence, Clover’s irrepressible curiosity about Anna, the white girl who lives on the other side, leads her to seek out an uncommon friendship. Through endearing storytelling, this book addresses the reality of segregation and creates opportunities to unpack the complexities of friendship in all its forms.
4. What Color Is My World?: The Lost History of African-American Inventors (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld)
Reading age: 8 to 12
A “tribute to black inventors whose ingenuity and perseverance against great odds made our world safer, better, and brighter,” this captivating collection of Black history profiles is told through the eyes of modern day children. With an impressive array of facts, accompanied by relevant links back to source material, this book offers a unique portal into hours of “choose-your-own-adventure style” exploration into the lives and works of some of our greatest inventors.
5. Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A. (Arlisha Norwood)
Reading age: 8 to 12
From the heroes whose names you know to the extraordinary figures you’re meeting for the first time, this compilation of the incredible scholars, activists, artists, and leaders who shaped our history is not to be missed. Readers will be immersed in rich descriptions of the lives and times of these role models, tracing their contributions from Ancient Africa to modern-day USA.
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7 emotional wellness lessons from MLK
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