“Lune loves hearing her daddy’s stories—the funny ones, the sad ones, the ones with lessons about truth and love. Whether evoking an ill-fated climb up a mango tree or life after a hurricane, flying over magical mountains or the healing power of a mother’s love, all of Daddy’s stories begin with “lakay”—back home—and each one ushers Lune to Haiti, her father’s homeland, a place she doesn’t know but can see, hear, and feel when she closes her eyes. Daddy is her favorite book, and sometimes she stays up late just to hear another story when he gets home from work. Everyone has stories, her mommy tells her, so Lune begins to wonder: could she have stories of her own, too?” — publisher […]
Illustrators: Daley, Ken
The Little Regent
“A little girl is tasked with ruling her West African village in this empowering story about breaking from tradition and leading with your heart.” — publisher […]
Black Boy, Black Boy: Celebrate the Power of You
“From athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick to musician Sam Cooke, inventor Elijah McCoy to writer Chinua Achebe, there are so many inspirational men in Black history. Imagine what you can be and the great things you can do with the strength of people throughout history that have paved the way for Black boys.
This inspiring, lyrical picture book combines an uplifting, motivational text with references to wonderful figures throughout history. The combination is both encouraging and educational, prompting boys to imagine what they can be and the great things they can do in their own lives.” — publisher […]
Read More… from Black Boy, Black Boy: Celebrate the Power of You
Granny’s Kitchen: A Jamaican Story of Food and Family
“Shelly-Ann lives with her Granny on the beautiful island of Jamaica. When Shelly-Ann becomes hungry, she asks her Granny for something to eat. Granny tells her “Gyal, you betta can cook!” and teaches Shelly-Ann how to get in touch with her Jamaican roots through the process of cooking.
As Shelly-Ann tries each recipe, everything goes wrong. But when Granny is too tired to cook one morning, Shelly-Ann will have to find the courage to try one more time and prepare the perfect Jamaican breakfast.” — publisher […]
Read More… from Granny’s Kitchen: A Jamaican Story of Food and Family
A Feast for Joseph
“Joseph misses sharing meals with lots of people like he did back in the refugee camp, so when the neighbors finally come over, it’s a feast!
When Joseph and Mama lived in a refugee camp in East Africa, everyone cooked and ate together. And Joseph could always hear someone playing the awal. It’s much too quiet and lonely in his new home. Though Whoosh, the girl who lives upstairs, is friendly, Joseph misses having more people around, especially his grandmother, who still lives across the ocean. So he invites his relatives in the city to come for dinner, then he invites his teacher, then Whoosh and her mami — but everyone is too busy.
Ever hopeful, Joseph picks the last greens from the garden. At least he and Mama will be ready to cook if someone comes. The next night Whoosh and her mami appear at the door with a big cake, and Whoosh and Joseph cook up a feast.
A touching story about adjusting to a new home and the pleasure of cooking and sharing food with friends.” — publisher […]
Jayden’s Impossible Garden
“Jayden and a new friend bring nature to the city in this timeless story about a community garden
Amidst all the buildings, people, and traffic in his neighborhood, Jayden sees nature everywhere: the squirrels scrounging, the cardinals calling, and the dandelions growing. But Mama doesn’t believe there’s nature in the city. So Jayden sets out to help Mama see what he sees. With the help of his friend Mr. Curtis, Jayden plants the seeds of a community garden and brings together his neighbors—and Mama—to show them the magic of nature in the middle of the city.
Timeless and vibrant, this story highlights the beauty of intergenerational relationships and the power of imagination and perseverance in bringing the vision of a community garden to life. Jayden’s love of nature will inspire readers to see their environment and surroundings as bursting with opportunities for growth and connection. At the back of the book, readers will find activities to make items found in the book, such as the milk jug bird feeder.
Jayden’s Impossible Garden is the winner of the 2019 African American Voices in Children’s Literature writing contest, cosponsored by Strive Publishing and Free Spirit Publishing.” — publisher […]
Auntie Luce’s talking paintings
"Every winter, a young girl flies to Haiti to visit her Auntie Luce, a painter. The moment she steps off the plane, she feels a wall of heat, and familiar sights soon follow – the boys selling water ice by the pink cathedral, the tap tap buses in the busy streets, the fog and steep winding road to her aunt’s home in the mountains. The girl has always loved Auntie Luce’s paintings – the houses tucked into the hillside, colorful fishing boats by the water, heroes who fought for and won the country’s independence. Through Haiti’s colors, the girl comes to understand this place her family calls home."–|cProvided by publisher […]
Joseph’s big ride
"A refugee boy’s determination to ride a bicycle leads to an unexpected friendship"–Publisher […]
