Take a look at these insightful and inspiring titles for younger children to celebrate Black History.
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Harriet Tubman, Force of Nature: A Biography in Poems
Caroline Brewer
When Harriet Tubman was born enslaved in Maryland, USA, in 1822, nobody knew this tiny Black child would be so rooted in the natural world. Nobody knew she would find her way by the stars or move through the woods as silently as an owl or hear God speaking to her in trances. Nobody knew that she would use her oneness with the environment and spirit to escape the brutality that was slavery, rescue hundreds of others from the same fate, and embrace the joys of freedom. Nobody knew she would become a force of nature.
With compelling poetry perfect for reading aloud and luminous collage illustrations, Caroline Brewer brings readers of all ages the story of Harriet Tubman in a way it has never been told before.
Dance of Resistance: The Josephine Baker Story
Catherine Johnson and Katie Hickey
Overcoming the poverty and abuse of her childhood, Josephine grew up to become one of the biggest stars of the early twentieth century, particularly adored in her adopted country of France. She used her connections to help the Resistance in their fight against the Nazis during the Second World War and later became involved with Martin Luther King and the civil-rights movements in the US.
Controversial and outspoken, she is an iconic historical figure and Catherine Johnson brings her story vividly to life for a young audience in this enthralling piece of narrative non-fiction.
Coming to England: An Inspiring True Story Celebrating the Windrush Generation
Floella Benjamin and Diane Ewen
Follow ten-year-old Floella as she and her family set sail from the Caribbean to a new life in London. Alone on a huge ship for two weeks, then tumbled into a cold and unfriendly London, coming to England wasn’t at all what Floella had expected. What will her new school be like? Will she meet the Queen?
Filled with optimism and joy, yet deeply personal and relevant, young children will resonate with Floella’s experiences of moving home and making friends. Alongside vibrant illustrations by Diane Ewen, this powerful story shows little people how courage and determination can always overcome adversity.
We Sang Across the Sea
Benjamin Zephaniah and Onyinye Iwu
The hopes, dreams, and bravery of the Windrush generation are expressed in this vivid story through the real-life experiences of Trinidadian musician, Mona Baptiste. Written as a poem by Benjamin Zephaniah, the book is illustrated by the extraordinary artist, Onyinye Iwu.
Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush
Patrice Lawrence and Camilla Sucre
One day, Ava is asked to dress as an inspirational figure for assembly at school, but who should she choose? Granny suggests famous familiar figures such as Winifred Atwell, Mary Seacole and Rosa Parks, and tells Ava all about their fascinating histories, but Ava’s classmates have got there first – and she must choose someone else. But who?
And then Ava finds a mysterious old suitcase – Granny’s ‘grip’ – and Granny begins to share her own history, and how she came to England on the Empire Windrush many years ago. She tells her story through the precious items that accompanied her on the original voyage, each one evoking a memory of home, and as Ava listens to how Granny built a life for herself in England, determined to stay against the odds and despite overwhelming homesickness, she realises that there is a hero very close to home that she wants to celebrate – her very own brave and beloved granny.
Black Artists Shaping the World
Sharna Jackson and Marilyn Esther Chi
Through 14 stories, this picture book edition of the multi-award-winning ‘Black Artists Shaping the World’ makes the work and lives of Black artists accessible to a younger generation. Featuring full colour reproductions of 14 artworks and illustrations of the artists at work, this picture book is an ideal introduction to contemporary art for young children, and a fantastic tool for teachers wishing to de-colonise and diversify their classroom.
Young, Gifted and Black
Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins
Jamia Wilson brings together 52 icons of colour from the past and present and celebrates their inspirational achievements. Meet figureheads, leaders and pioneers such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and sporting heroes, including Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams.
Strong, courageous, talented and diverse, these extraordinary men and women’s achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream.
Young, Gifted and Black Too
Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins
Join us on an empowering journey around the world to meet 52 more icons past and present in this new celebration of Black excellence and achievement. Meet leaders, thinkers and resisters such as John Lewis, Amanda Gorman and Queen Nanny, as well as stem heroes, cultural innovators and sporting legends, including Annie Easley, Prince and Lewis Hamilton.
Discover how each icon made their mark on the world and how their childhood dreams and experiences shaped their lives and achievements.
John Agard’s Windrush Child
John Agard and Sophie Bass
With one last hug, a child says goodbye to his grandmother and the shores of his Caribbean home, before stepping into an adventure across the ocean, to an unknown horizon and a sky full of hope.
With stunning, thoughtful lyricism, internationally renowned poet, John Agard, recalls the journey made by thousands of West Indian children and families who travelled to Britain as part of the Windrush Generation between 1948 and 1971.
Michelle Obama: The Fantastically Feminist (and Totally True) Story of the Inspirational Activist and Campaigner
Anna Doherty
Meet the marvellous Michelle Obama: A+ student, passionate piano player, and a girl who’s not afraid to dream big. Determined to make the world a better place, the grown up Michelle gets to work in helping the community in whatever way she can. But then she meets and falls in love with Barack Obama, who is equally passionate about changing the world and who tells her he wants to become the first African American President of the United States, Michelle knows it’s time to really find her voice.
Hidden Figures
Margot Lee Shetterly, Winifred Conkling and Laura Freeman
Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at maths – really good. They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.
In this picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
Vashti Harrison and Kwesi Johnson
Featuring 40 trailblazing black women in the world’s history, this book educates and inspires as it relates true stories of women who broke boundaries and exceeded all expectations. Debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison pairs captivating text with stunning illustrations as she tells the stories of both iconic and lesser-known female figures of black history – from nurse Mary Seacole, to politician Diane Abbott, mathematician Katherine Johnson and singer Shirley Bassey.
Tomar emprestado Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History →
Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History
Vashti Harrison and Kwesi Johnson
This beautifully illustrated volume educates and inspires as it relates true stories of black men in history. Illuminating text paired with irresistible full-colour art bring to life both iconic and lesser-known figures. Among these biographies, readers will find aviators and artists, politicians and pop culture icons. The men featured include writer James Baldwin, artist Aaron Douglas, photographer Gordon Parks, diplomat Kofi Annan, comic book author Dwayne McDuffie, and musician Prince.
Tomar emprestado Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History →
Usain Bolt
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Karen Crosbie
Growing up in a rural town in Jamaica, Usain was a standout cricketer and sprinter from a young age. His school coach noticed his talent, and by age fourteen he was wowing fans with his lightning speed on the track.
Due to a medical condition named scolosis, it took Usain time to develop a training routine that worked for him, but by listening to his body and working with professionals, he learnt his strengths and played to them. In 2008 he took the world by storm at the Beijing Olympics when he broke numerous records.
Beyoncé
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Jade Orlando
Beyoncé was quiet as a child but always enjoyed singing and dancing. At a young age, she went to see a concert, and from that moment on, she felt inspired to perform. She loved putting on shows for the people having their hair cut in her mum’s salon, but knew she was destined for a bigger audience.
After winning a local talent show, Beyoncé joined the newly formed girl group Girls Tyme. The band eventually became Destiny’s Child and shot to stardom with their catchy R&B songs and fierce dance routines. As a solo artist, she has since achieved incredible success with numerous number one hits, including ‘Irreplaceable’ and ‘Crazy in Love’, and several critically acclaimed and award-winning albums.
Lenny Henry
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Diane Ewen
Ever since he was small, Lenny Henry wanted to be a comedian. At home in Dudley, England, he would pretend to be the characters he watched on TV, copying scenes from his favourite shows to entertain his six brothers and sisters. But life wasn’t always easy, and at school Lenny found himself the subject of racist bullying – until he figured out a way to beat the bullies using humour.
This was when he realised he had a gift: he could make people laugh. He shot to fame aged 16 and the following decades were full of great successes, such as his hugely popular TV programme The Lenny Henry Show. Lenny co-founded the charity Comic Relief in response to a terrible famine in East Africa.
Simone Biles
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Nadia Fisher
Growing up in foster care, Simone Biles’ gymnastics training was an anchor in her life. An energetic child, she loved to tumble and spin in the air at gymnastics class, and began her career as an athlete aged just 14. By 19, she had won four gold medals for the USA. Despite the hardships, she has faced them all to become one of the greatest athletes of all time, and an advocate for mental health awareness.
This book tells the story of one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time.
Martin Luther King Jr
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Mai Ly Degnan
Little Martin grew up in a family of preachers: his dad was a preacher, his uncle was a preacher, his grandfather was a preacher…so maybe he’d become a great preacher too. One day, a friend invited him to play at his house. Martin was shocked when his mother wouldn’t let him in because he was black. That day he realized there was something terribly unfair going on.
Martin believed that no one should remain silent and accept something if it’s wrong. And he promised himself that—when he grew up—he’d fight injustice with the most powerful weapon of all: words.
Rosa Parks
Lisbeth Kaiser and Marta Antelo
Rosa Parks grew up during segregation in Alabama, but she was taught to respect herself and stand up for her rights. In 1955, she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her decision had a huge impact on civil rights, eventually leading to the end of segregation on public transport.
Rosa has been described as The Mother of the Freedom Movement; this inspiring story of her life features a facts and photos.
Pelé
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Camila Rose
With a sock full of rags for a ball, Pelé honed his skills in a poor neighbourhood in Brazil. He believed that, one day, he would lead his country to World Cup victory – and he was right! Today, he is widely regarded as the greatest footballer who ever lived – and a hero off the pitch, too, using his voice to help the people who need it most.
Wilma Rudolph
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Amelia Flower
Wilma was born into a family with 22 brothers and sisters, in the segregated South. She contracted polio in her early years and her doctors said she would never walk again. But Wilma persisted with treatment, and she recovered her strength by the age of 12. At school, Wilma showed a talent for basketball and sprinting, earning the nickname ‘Skeeter’ (mosquito) as she ran so fast.
Wilma was in college when she went to the 1960 Olympics. She not only won gold in sprint events, but also broke world records with her sprinting skill.
Jesse Owens
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Anna Katharina Jansen
Little Jesse, originally J.C., was born in Oakville, Alabama, during segregation. When he was nine, he moved with his parents and nine brothers and sisters to Cleveland, Ohio, to find a better life. There, he found his passion for running, and was making national headlines by high school, where he equalled the world record in the 100-yard dash.
It was during the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics that he established himself as a legend, winning four gold metals that also delivered an unforgettable blow to Hitler and racism.
Evonne Goolagong
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Lisa Koesterke
Evonne grew up on a hot, dusty farm in Australia. She was the third of eight children, and descendant of the Wirundjuri people, who have lived on the land for more than 60,000 years. Her talent for tennis was discovered at a local tennis club, and before she knew it, the girl dreaming about the place called “Wimbledon” was playing on center court.
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Luciano Lozano
Jean-Michel was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father was from Haiti and his mother was Puerto Rican-American. As a child, his gift for art was noticed by his teachers and nurtured by his mother.
After struggling in high school, he gained recognition as part of the graffito duo SAMO that spray-painted cryptic messages and images around the landscape of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He eventually made his way to the New York gallery scene and on to international acclaim.
Josephine Baker
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Discover the incredible life of Josephine Baker, the world-famous entertainer, activist and French Resistance agent in this true story of her life. Little Josephine grew up in St Louis, Missouri during segregation. But Josephine loved to dance and perform and dreamed of being on stage. When she grew up, Josephine defied expectations and left for Paris, where audiences fell in love with her. She fought against segregation her whole life and kept going with style, whatever was thrown in her way.
Michael Jordan
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Lo Harris
Little Michael wanted to be the first at everything – especially if that meant beating his older brother. One day, he came home crying… he’d been rejected from the basketball team at school. With his mum’s message of ‘go out and earn it’ ringing in his ears, Michael practised all summer. Soon he was the star of the team, going from school, to college, to the Olympics.
Harriet Tubman
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Pili Aguado
Little Harriet was born into slavery on a plantation in Maryland. Though life was hard, Harriet persisted. She used all of her strength and bravery to escape slavery and journey north on the Underground Railroad. Harriet made the dangerous mission back to the South many times, fighting her whole life to bring others with her to freedom.
Olive Morris
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Aurélia Durand
Olive Morris was a social justice activist and campaigner. A Jamaican-born British-based community leader and activist in the feminist, Black nationalist and squatters’ rights campaigns of the 1970s, Olive’s life changed forever when she witnessed police brutality towards a Black man and was arrested when she came to his aid.
Amanda Gorman
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Queenbe Monyei
From an early age, little Amanda read everything she could get her hands on, from books to cereal boxes. Growing up with an auditory processing disorder and a speech impediment, Amanda had to work hard, but ultimately she took great strength from her experiences. After hearing her teacher read aloud to the class, she knew that she wanted to become a poet, and nothing would stand in her way.
At the age of 19, she became America’s first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate. And, after performing her inspiring poem ‘The Hill We Climb’ at the Presidential Inauguration in January 2021, she became an icon across the world.
Vanessa Nakate
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Olivia Amoah
As a kid, when little Vanessa heard about climate change, she thought it was something that happened on the other side of the world. As an adult, she saw how droughts led to crop failure that left families hungry. Inspired by other activists, Vanessa took a stand and began campaigning to save the Congolian rainforests. Soon, she was invited to take her campaign around the world. In 2020, Vanessa participated in an important summit about climate change.
But when she was cropped out of a photograph featuring other climate-change activists, it felt like not just her contribution to the movement had been erased, but that the needs of a whole continent had been disregarded. It was a moment that shocked the world, but it spurred Vanessa on to raise her voice louder and to fight harder for climate justice for Africans. Today, she continues to be a leader in the climate-change movement and a voice of her generation.
Lewis Hamilton
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Fernando Martin
Little Lewis’s childhood was filled with cars, motorcycles and watching Formula One with his dad. On his fifth birthday, he received a remote-controlled racing car and joined a local club. It was hard being the only black child there, but he listened to his dad’s words: ‘Let your results speak for you.’ His hobby led him to go-kart racing, and at the age of 10 he became the youngest ever winner of the British cadet go-karting competition.
Shortly after, he began training as a racing driving with McLaren, rising through the ranks to compete at Formula One’s Grand Prix. Despite his amazing successes, from breaking the record for the most triumphs in Formula One to his knighthood, Lewis has never forgotten where he came from. Today he is a campaigner for racial justice and racial diversity in sport, as well as an advocate for positive mental health as well as environmental issues.
Mae Jemison
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Janna Morton
When Mae Jemison was a little girl, she dreamed of blasting off into space on a rocket ship. She was so excited as she watched the Apollo Moon landings, but she wondered why none of the astronauts were women. Mae loved science and was so bright that she started college at just 16, and was training to be a doctor by the age of 20.
She joined the Peace Corps, using her medical knowledge to help people in countries all around the world. Upon returning to the United States, she was accepted into NASA’s astronaut program.
Dwayne Johnson
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Lirios Bou
Born into a family of Samoan and Black wrestlers, little Dwayne travelled with his parents and watched his family fight in the ring. Although, he much preferred the football field to wrestling! He trained hard and worked to become a football player, signing with the Calgary Stampeders as a linebacker. But he was cut from the team after just two months. A natural athlete, Dwayne decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and decided to pursue professional wrestling.
Taking on the persona of ‘The Rock’ as a wrestler in the WWE, he won 16 championships and millions of fans. After a huge wrestling career, he tried his hand at acting and today is one of the biggest film stars that Hollywood has ever seen!
Aretha Franklin
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Amy Blackwell
Aretha Franklin, ‘The Queen of Soul’, was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was twice voted Greatest Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine. She was also an important activist for civil rights and women’s rights. This book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the broadcaster’s life.
Prince
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara
From a young age, Prince was obsessed with music. Even though he couldn’t read it, his talent – whether on piano, drums, guitar or vocals – turned him into an icon. Combining funk, disco, soul and almost every other genre out there, his songs are some of the best-loved all around the world. Prince knew that he didn’t have to be like anyone else to be a star – and there was no one quite like Prince.
Stevie Wonder
Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Melissa Lee Johnson
At just 8 years old, it was clear that Steveland Judkins was going to be a star. Renamed Stevie Wonder for his astonishing talent on the piano and other instruments, he wrote and performed some of the biggest hits of the 1970s. Stevie became known for his inventiveness, his soulful voice and the social commentary in his lyrics. He is a UN Messenger of Peace and remains one of the music world’s most iconic figures.
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