A Listing of Outstanding African American Children’s Literature
Compiled by Dr. Jonda C. McNair
Please note that I define African American children’s literature as books that are written by and about African Americans. All of the books listed below are written by African Americans, although some of them (e.g., Everett Anderson’s Goodbye) may be illustrated by people from other racial groups.
Primary = Grades K-3
Intermediate = Grades 4-8
Baby and Board Books
Johnson, Angela. (1994). Joshua by the Sea. Illus. by Rhonda Mitchell. New York: Scholastic.
Johnson, Angela. (1994). Rain Feet. Illus. by Rhonda Mitchell. New York: Scholastic.
Pinkney, Andrea and Brian. (1997). Pretty Brown Face. San Diego: Red Wagon Books.
Thomas, Joyce Carol. (2001) Joy. Illus. by Pamela Johnson. New York: Jump at the Sun.
Steptoe, Javaka. (2005). Sweet, Sweet Baby. New York: Scholastic.
Fiction
Barnwell, Ysaye M. (1998). No Mirrors in My Nana’s House. Illus. by Synthia Saint James. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. (Primary)
Belton, Sandra. (2004). Beauty, Her Basket. Illus. by Cozbi A. Cabrera. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary)
Clifton, Lucille. (1977). Everett Anderson’s 1-2-3. Illus. by Ann Grifalconi. New York: Henry Holt. (Primary)
Clifton, Lucille. (1983). Everett Anderson’s Goodbye. Illus. by Ann Grifalconi. New York: Henry Holt. (Primary)
Clifton, Lucille. (2001). One of the Problems of Everett Anderson. Illus. by Ann Grifalconi. New York: Henry Holt. (Primary)
Collier, Bryan. (2000). Uptown. New York: Henry Holt. (Primary)
Crews, Donald. (1991). Bigmama’s. New York: Greenwillow. (Primary)
Crews, Donald. (1992). Shortcut. New York: Greenwillow. (Primary)
Crews, Nina. (1998). You Are Here. New York: Greenwillow Books. (Primary)
Cummings, Pat. (1991). Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon!. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Curtis, Gavin. 1998). The Bat Boy and His Violin. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary/Intermediate)
DuBurke, Randy. (2002). The Moon Ring. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. (Primary)
English, Karen. (2004). Hot Day On Abbott Avenue. Illus. by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Clarion. (Primary)
English, Karen. (2004). Speak to me: (And I Will Listen Between the Lines). Illus. by Amy Bates. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux. (Primary)
Ferguson, Dwayne J. (2003). Kid Caramel: Mess At Loch Ness. East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books. (Intermediate)
Ferguson, Dwayne J. (2004). Kid Caramel: Ghost Ranch, The Legend of Mad Jake. East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books. (Intermediate)
Herron, Carolivia. (1998). Nappy Hair. Illus. by Joe Cepeda. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. (Primary/Intermediate)
Holliday, Billie. (2004). God Bless the Child. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Amistad. (Primary/Intermediate)
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. (1995). Papa Tells Chita a Story. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. (2000). Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. (2004). Flower Girl Butterflies. Illus. by Christiane Kromer. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary)
Hudson, Cheryl W., & Ford, Bernette, G. (1990). Bright Eyes, Brown Skin. Illus. by George Ford. East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books. (Primary)
Hurston, Zora Neale. Adapted by Joyce Carol Thomas. (2004). What’s the Hurry Fox?: and Other Animal Stories. Illus. by Brian Collier. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary)
Johnson, Angela. (1990). Do Like Kyla. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Orchard. (Primary)
Johnson, Angela. (2004). Just Like Josh Gibson. Illus. by Beth Peck. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Johnson, Angela. (2005). Sweet Smell of Roses. Illus. by Eric Velasquez. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Johnson, Dinah. (1998). All Around Town: The Photographs of Richard Samuel Roberts. New York: Henry Holt. (Primary/Intermediate)
Lee, Spike and Lee, Tonya Lewis. (2002). Please, Baby, Please. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Lee, Spike and Lee, Tonya Lewis. (2005). Please, Puppy, Please. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Lester, Julius. (1999). What a Truly Cool World. Illus. by Joe Cepeda. New York: Scholastic. (Primary/Intermediate)
McKissack, Patricia. (1986). Flossie and the Fox. Illus. by Rachel Isadora. New York: Dial. (Primary)
McKissack, Patricia. (1988). Mirandy and Brother Wind. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. (Primary)
McKissack, Patricia. (2001). Goin’ Someplace Special. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Atheneum. (Primary/Intermediate)
McKissack, Patricia. (2006). Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters. Illus. by Andre Carrilho. New York: Schwartz and Wade Books. (Intermediate)
Mitchell, Margaree King. (1993). Uncle Jed’s Barbershop. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary/Intermediate)
Nelson, Vaunda. (2003). Almost to Freedom. Illus. by Colin Bootman. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books. (Primary)
Nolen, Jerdine. (2003). Thunder Rose. Illus. by Kadir Nelson. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. Primary/Intermediate)
Nolen, Jerdine. (2005). Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life. Illus. by Kadir Nelson. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary/Intermediate)
Perdomo, Willie. (2002). Visiting Langston. Illus. by Bryan Collier. New York: Henry Holt. (Primary)
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. (2004). Sleeping Cutie. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. (Primary)
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. (2006). Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale. Illus by Brian Pinkney. New York: Jump at the Sun Books. (Primary/Intermediate)
Pinkney, Brian. (1995). Jojo’s Flying Sidekick. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Pinkney, Brian. (1997). The Adventures of Sparrowboy. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Pinkney, Sandra. (2000). Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children. Photo-Illus. by Myles Pinkney. New York: Scholastic. (Primary)
Pinkney, Sandra. (2006). Read and Rise. Photo-Illus. by Myles Pinkney. New York: Scholastic. (Primary)
Scruggs, Afi. (2000). Jump Rope Magic. Illus. by David Diaz. New York: Scholastic. (Primary)
Smalls, Irene. (2006). My Pop Pop and Me. Illus by Cathy Ann Johnson. New York: Little, Brown & Company. (Primary)
Steptoe, Javaka. (2003). The Jones Family Express. New York: Lee & Low. (Primary)
Tarpley, Natasha. (1998). I Love My Hair. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company. (Primary)
Tarpley, Natasha. (2002). Bippity Bop Barbershop. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. Boston, MA: Little Brown & Company. (Primary)
Tarpley, Natasha. (2004). Destiny’s Gift. Illus. by Adoja J. Burrowes. New York: Lee & Low Books. (Primary/Intermediate)
Taulbert, Clifton. (2001). Little Cliff’s First Day of School. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Dial. (Primary)
Smith, Charles, Jr. (1999). Brown Sugar Babies. New York: Hyperion. (Primary)
Williams, Sherley Anne. (1999). Girls Together. Illus. By Synthia Saint James. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. (Primary)
Woodson, Jacqueline. (2001). The Other Side. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Putnam. (Primary)
Woodson, Jacqueline. (2002). Visiting Day. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Scholastic. (Primary/Intermediate)
Woodson, Jacqueline. (2004). Coming on Home Soon. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Putnam.
(Primary)
Wyeth, Sharon Dennis. (1998). Something Beautiful. Illus. by Chris Soentpiet. New York: Doubleday. (Primary)
Non-Fiction
Bridges, Ruby. (1999). Through My Eyes. New York: Scholastic. (Primary/Intermediiate)
Chambers, Veronica. (2002).Double Dutch: A Celebration of Jump Rope, Rhyme and Sisterhood. New York: Jump at the Sun. (Primary/Intermediate)
Haskins, James & Benson, Kathleen. (1999). Bound for America: The Forced Migration of Africans to the New World. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard. (Intermediate)
Haskins, James & Benson, Kathleen. (2001). Conjure Times: Black Magicians in America. New York: Walker & Company. (Intermediate)
Haskins, James. (2002). Champion: The Story of Muhammad Ali. Illus. by Eric Velasquez. New York: Walker & Company. (Intermediate)
Hudson, Wade. (1992). Afro-Bets Kids: I’m Gonna Be! Illus. by Culverson Blair. East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books. (Primary)
Hudson, Wade. (2004). Powerful Words: More Than 200 Years of Extraordinary Writing By African Americans. Illus. by Sean Qualls. New York: Scholastic Inc. (Intermediate)
Morrison, Toni. (2004). Remember: The Journey to School Integration. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (Primary/Intermediate)
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. (1997). Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin’ Cowboy. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. (Primary/Intermediate)
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. (1998). Duke Ellington. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion. (Primary/Intermediate)
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. (2002). Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion. (Primary/Intermediate)
Ransome, Lesa-Cline. (2000). Satchel Paige. Illustrated by James Ransome. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary/Intermediate)
Ransome, Lesa-Cline. (2004). Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary/Intermediate)
Poetry
Bryan, Ashley. (1992). Sing to the Sun. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary/Intermediate)
Clinton, Catherine. (Ed.). (1998). I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry. Illus. by Stephen Alcorn. San Diego, CA: Harcourt. (Intermediate)
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. (1999). Jump Back Honey. Illus. by various African American artists. New York: Hyperion. (Primary/Intermediate)
Greenfield, Eloise. (1977). Honey, I Love. Illus. by Leo & Diane Dillon. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary)
Greenfield, Eloise. (1988). Nathaniel Talking. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Black Butterfly Children’s Books. (Primary/Intermediate)
Grimes, Nikki. (1993). From a Child’s Heart. Illus. by Brenda Joysmith. East Orange, NJ: Just Us Books. (Primary/Intermediate)
Grimes, Nikki. (1994). Meet Danitra Brown. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Simon & Schuster. (Primary)
Grimes, Nikki. (2001). Stepping Out With Grandma Mac. Illus. by Angelo. New York: Orchard. (Primary)
Grimes, Nikki. (2002). Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman. Illus. by E.B. Lewis. New York: Orchard. (Intermediate)
Hudson, Wade. (Ed). (1993). Pass It On: African American Poetry for Children. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Scholastic. (Primary/Intermediate)
Hughes, Langston. (1994). The Dream Keeper and Other Poems. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Scholastic. (Primary/Intermediate)
Johnson, Angela. (2001). Running Back to Ludie. Illus. by Angelo. New York: Orchard. (Intermediate)
Medina, Tony. (2001). Deshawn Days. Illus. by R. Gregory Christie. New York: Lee & Low. (Primary)
Medina, Tony. (2002). Love to Langston. Illus. by R. Gregory Christie. New York: Lee & Low. (Primary/Intermediate)
Myers, Walter Dean. (1993). Brown Angels. New York: HarperCollins.
Myers, Walter Dean. (1998). Angel to Angel: A Mother’s Gift of Love. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary/Intermediate)
Myers, Walter Dean. (2004). Here in Harlem. New York: Holiday House. (Intermediate)
Rochelle, Belinda. (Ed.). (2001). Words With Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary/Intermediate)
Smith, Charles, Jr. (2002). Perfect Harmony: A Musical Journey with the Boys’ Choir of Harlem. New York: Hyperion. (Primary/Intermediate)
Smith, Charles, Jr. (2003). Hoop Queens. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. (Primary/Intermediate)
Smith, Charles, Jr. (2004). Hoop Kings. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. (Primary/Intermediate)
Smith, Hope Anita. (2003). The Way a Door Closes. Illus. by Shane Evans. New York: Henry Holt.
(Intermediate)
Steptoe, Javaka. (Ed.). (1997). In Daddy’s Arms I am Tall. New York: Lee and Low. (Primary/Intermediate)
Thomas, Joyce Carol. (2002). Crowning Glory: Hair a Gift Wrapped Ribboned Curled Tied. Illus. by Brenda Joysmith. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary/Intermediate)
Sing-a-Long Picture Books
Johnson, James Weldon. (2001). Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Pictorial Tribute to the Negro
National Anthem. New York: Hyperion. (Primary/Intermediate)
Nelson, Kadir. (2005). He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. New York: Dial. (Primary)
Pinkney, Brian. (2006). Hush, Little Baby. New York: HarperCollins. (Primary)
Thomas, Joyce Carol. (2000). Hush Songs: African American Lullabies. Illus. by Brenda Joysmith. New York: Jump at the Sun. (Primary/Intermediate)
Weiss, David George & Thiele, Bob. (1995). What a Wonderful World. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. New York: Atheneum. (Primary)
An Award Given to Authors and Illustrators of African American Children’s Literature
The Coretta Scott King Award was established in 1969 and the first award was presented in 1970. Here’s the website so that you may access previous and current winners of the CSK Award. http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/corettascott.htm > Happy reading!
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