Find the perfect read aloud children’s books released in March 2021. This particular list of read aloud books for kids are children’s books with black characters. If you are looking for children’s books by black authors, this list is for you! We will also share links so you can find these children’s books online.
Find the list of Black Children’s Books below:
The Electric Slide and Kai by Kelly J. Baptist
Summary: Kai is the only member of his family who can’t get the dance steps to the Electric Slide right. But Kai is determined to bust a move in this fun and sweet celebration of Black families.
Kai’s aunt is getting married, and everyone in the Donovan family is excited about the wedding … except Kai. The highlight of every Donovan occasion is dancing the electric slide–a groovy line dance with footwork that Kai can’t quite figure out. More than anything, he wants to prove that he can boogie with the rest of his family and earn a cool nickname from his granddad. Can Kai break through his nerves and break it down on the dance floor?
Told with humor and heart by author Kelly J. Baptist and lively illustrations from debut picture book artist Darnell Johnson, The Electric Slide and Kai is a funky celebration with all the right moves!
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
My Day with the Panye by Tami Charles
Summary: A young girl in Haiti is eager to learn how to carry a basket to market in an exuberant picture book with universal appeal.
“To carry the panye, we move gracefully, even under the weight of the sun and the moon.”
In the hills above Port-au-Prince, a young girl named Fallon wants more than anything to carry a large woven basket to the market, just like her Manman. As she watches her mother wrap her hair in a mouchwa, Fallon tries to twist her own braids into a scarf and balance the empty panye atop her head, but realizes it’s much harder than she thought. BOOM! Is she ready after all? Lyrical and inspiring, with vibrant illustrations highlighting the beauty of Haiti, My Day with the Panye is a story of family legacy, cultural tradition, and hope for the future. Readers who are curious about the art of carrying a panye will find more about this ancient and global practice in an author’s note at the end.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Malaika’s Surprise (The Malaika Series, 3) by Nadia L. Hohn
Summary: When Malaika finds out she is going to have a new baby brother or sister, she worries that her mother will forget about her. But a surprise arrives on Malaika’s birthday that gives her reason to celebrate her family’s love.
It’s summertime, and Malaika and Adèle are enjoying playing carnival in their bright costumes, dancing and laughing in the sunshine. But when Mummy announces that they will soon have a new baby brother or sister, Malaika is unsure how to feel about another change in her family. Will Mummy forget about me?
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Game, Set, Sisters!: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams (Who Did It First?)
Summary: A stirring picture book biography of Venus and Serena Williams that celebrates their achievements…and their sisterhood.
This is the story of two sisters…
who took the tennis world by storm,
who achieved everything possible in the sport…and then some,
and who stood by one another through thick and thin.
Featuring illustrations by Ebony Glenn, Jay Leslie’s Game, Set, Sisters! The Story of Venus and Serena Williams tells the inspirational story of two of the most beloved athletes in history. It takes us from their beginnings on a crumbling Compton tennis court to their shining achievements on the most prestigious stages and shows us that despite being served the most challenging hardships in life―illness, family, loss, racism―Venus and Serena always continued to swing back stronger.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal
Summary: 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.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Michelle’s Garden: How the First Lady Planted Seeds of Change by Sharee Miller
Summary: From an acclaimed author and illustrator: Enjoy this tribute to Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her contributions to building the healthy future that America’s children deserve.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama had an idea. A big, inspiring, and exciting idea! She would grow the largest kitchen garden ever at the White House. This wouldn’t be easy, since she’d never gardened before: Where should she start? What tools did she need? What would she plant?
Everyone needs help when they’re learning something for the first time, even the first lady of the United States. So she gathered the help of local students, the White House staff, and even President Barack Obama. Together, they wouldn’t just grow a garden—they would inspire a nation!
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Wanda by Sihle Nontshokweni
Summary: An empowering picture book from South Africa about a young girl who overcomes endless teasing
Meet Wanda, with her beautiful head full of hair. She is brave and strong, but she’s unhappy because of the endless teasing by the boys at school for her “thorn bush” and “thunderstorm cloud.” Through Grandma Makhulu’s hair secrets and stories she finds the courage to face her fears and learn to appreciate that her hair is a crown‚ “not a burden‚” and it is something to be proud of. This book is about identity and beauty, celebrating how cultural pride is learned and passed on over generations.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Peace by Miranda Paul
Summary: Peace is on purpose. Peace is a choice. Peace lets the smallest of us have a voice.
From a hello and pronouncing your friend’s name correctly to giving more than you take and saying I’m sorry, this simple concept book explores definitions of peace and actions small and big that foster it.
Award-winning authors, Baptiste Paul and Miranda Paul, have teamed up with illustrator Estelí Meza—winner of the ‘A la Orilla del Viento’ the premier Picture Book Contest Award in Mexico—to create an inspiring look at things we can all do to bring peace into our lives and world.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
The Old Boat by Jarrett Pumphrey
Summary: The creators of The Old Truck set sail with an old boat and an evocative, intricately crafted exploration of home and family.
Off a small island,
an old boat sets sail
and a young boy
finds home.
Together, boy and boat ride the shifting tides, catching wants and wishes until fate calls for a sea change. Brothers and collaborators Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey’s newest picture book is a masterfully crafted celebration of the natural world and tribute to the families we make and the homes that we nurture.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Dreams for a Daughter by Carole Boston Weatherford
Summary: This stunning and empowering picture book from a New York Times bestselling author and an acclaimed illustrator celebrates a Black mother’s hopes and dreams for her daughter.
As I cradle you, look in your eyes,
your gaze says softly,
I want to know everything.
I promise to show you all that I can.
This love letter from mother to daughter inspires young girls to follow their dreams, no matter what challenges life may bring. Young readers will be reminded that love and support from home will follow them as they venture out into the world.
Find in Amazon Children’s Books | Find on Bookshop
Wow! So many awesome read aloud books! Which ones would you consider adding to your shelf? Let us know in the comments!
Are you still trying to find time in your day to read-aloud with your children? Check out this blog post for actionable tips.
❤️ Quinn
Sign up here to gain access to our Resource Library. You’ll find a list of 35 little ways to make time for reading AND a list of open-ended questions to help amp up storytime.
