Must-Read Poetry Picture Books by Black Authors
by Naima Jasmine Russell
I have a degree in creative writing. I had to choose an emphasis, so I went with poetry. I never actually set out to be a poet (where is the money in that?), but I couldn’t ignore the power of poetry in my life.
I remember memorizing poems in grade school, and my copies of children’s poetry books are dog-eared and well-loved. I recited Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” in high school for Black History Month. I watched Love Jones, and those spoken word scenes got my creative juices flowing every time. How could I not choose poetry?
Poetry is powerful. It is reflection and meaning and can say things you can’t find the words for. Poetry is love. Poetry is art.
The benefits of memorizing and reciting poems are numerous for children. It increases brain activity, improves language pattern recognition, develops new vocabulary, and helps kids appreciate the beauty of the world around them.
Here are 12 essential poetry books by Black authors to read with your kids.
-
My Voice Is a Trumpet
Available from:“Some have a voice that’s patient and wise… / with lessons of life told through sparkling eyes.”
While not marked as poetry, this rhyming picture book clips along with a gorgeous poetic meter. Black country singer and author Jimmie Allen encourage readers to use their voices for change, whether big as trees, small as bees, wise and patient, or silent and marked with their hands. All voices can make a difference. This is an adorable book for younger readers or as a back-to-school read-aloud.
(Ages 3 - 7)Also available from: -
I Am Every Good Thing
Available from:"I am every good thing that makes the world go round. / You know— like gravity, or the glow of moonbeams ..."
This Good Reads Choice Award nominee sets out to celebrate and empower black boys with a charming and proud narrator at the helm. Through lyrical verse and gorgeous illustrations from the author-illustrator duo Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James readers are reminded of how great they are and can be.
(Ages 3 - 7)Also available from: -
Change Sings
Available from:"I can hear change humming / In its loudest, proudest song. / I don't fear change coming, / And so I sing along."
The youngest inaugural poet, Amanda Gorman, knocks it out of the park with her debut picture book. It’s a rallying cry to work together to create change. A young girl drags her oversized instrument through the city, joining other musicians to help her community. Loren Long’s illustrations are stunning in their simplicity and ability to move the reader (I have yet to read one of her books I didn’t love). This is one of my favorite picture books of the past few years. It is a must-add to your collection. I highly recommend having your kids memorize this one!
(Ages 4 - 8)Also available from: -
Just Like Me
Available from:“I love my body with all of its flaws / missing teeth / and crazy hair / Ashy knees / and elbows”
One of my favorite picture book illustrators flexes her poetry muscles in this ode to girlhood. It’s a delight for the ears and a colorful feast for the eyes. Girls with different families, clothing styles, relationships, and racial makeup express themselves in various emotions. Poems titled “I Love My Body,” “Pimple,” or my favorite, “Door Buster,” uplift, affirm, and empower young readers. Plus, they are plain fun to say out loud.
(Ages 4 - 8)Also available from: -
Overground Railroad
Available from:“We left in secret / before Daddy’s boss knew, / before our lease was up. / We said our goodbyes…”
From the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the bright lights of New York City, young Ruth Ellen shares her experience with the Great Migration through a series of poems. Looking out the window of a train in the colored car, Ruth Ellen leaves behind cotton fields and enslavement and moves towards freedom and opportunity. It’s a lyrical and moving portrait of an important season in Black history.
(Ages 4 - 8)Also available from: -
Brown Sugar Babe
Available from:“Brown is precious. Brown is feet marching for human rights…. Brown is an after-bedtime-story kiss goodnight.”
This book is a warm, intimate look at a mother’s love for her child and everything the color brown represents. Holding crayons that don’t reflect his skin tone, a little child declares he is “pink” and protests when his mom says, “You’re brown like me.” Mom then lists wonderful things that are brown. Brown is silent, like the “tree rings that tell time,” or loud, like “the squeal of a violin.” This is an uplifting, sweet, and read-aloud-worthy book for your collection.
(Ages 4 - 8)Also available from: -
Emile and the Field
Available from:“There was a boy / named Emile / who fell / in love with a field. / It was wide / and blue— / and if you could have / seen it / so would’ve you.”
Utterly charming and drenched in soft pastel watercolors and ink, Emile and the Field is a work of art from a debut author and illustrator. Emile wanders a wildflower field with his dog through the seasons. He laments the sledders that take to his field, sliding on winter snow. But he soon realizes that with care, the field will be there for years to come. It’s a sweet and simple display of Black boy joy!
(Ages 4 - 8)Also available from: -
Amazing Peace
Available from:“… Christmas enters. / Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope / And singing carols of forgiveness high in / the bright air. / The world is encouraged to come away from rancor, / Come the way of friendship.”
Read at the 2005 lighting of the White House Christmas tree, this classic poem from Maya Angelou became a holiday-themed picture book embracing the concept of peace. The text and illustrations follow a family joining their religiously diverse community (Buddhists, non-believers, Jewish, Muslim, and more), and invite them to celebrate Christmas together.
(Ages 4 - 8)Also available from: -
Feel the Beat: Dance Poems that Zing from Salas to Swing
Available from:“Birthday. / Uncle Nate. / Good food. / Cleaned my plate. / Old songs / on CDs. / They float / on the breeze.”
Dance lovers, music lovers, and poetry lovers alike will cherish this love letter to different dancing styles. This book has it all: hip-hop, cha-cha, swing dance, and salsa. The poems are fun to read because their cadence mirrors the dance steps, and illustrator Kristi Valiant captures a set of diverse characters in bright and engaging movements.
(Ages 5 - 8)Also available from: -
The Day You Begin
Available from:“There will be times when you walk into a room / and no one there is quite like you.”
This New York Times bestseller quickly became a staple on back-to-school reading lists because of its fantastic illustrations and relatable story about those awkward first moments of being the new kid in class. Brimming with diverse characters who feel like outsiders, this book allows both characters and readers to feel empathy and take those first courageous steps toward understanding and inclusion.
(Ages 5 - 8)Also available from: -
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
Available from:“people forget… poetry is not just words on a page… it is… / a snowflake on your tongue… a tattoo on the inside of your arm… a dashiki and a kaftan…”
This gorgeous coffee table-style book by three poets features over twenty poems about celebrated poets. Well-known names like Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, and Langston Hughes appear alongside lesser-known poets like William Carlos Williams, Okot p’Bitek, and Naomi Shihab Nye. Ekua Holmes, a Caldecott Honor-winning artist and recipient of the John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, stuns readers with a vibrant mix of mediums and a pallet of oranges, blacks, and yellows.
(Ages 8 - 12)Also available from: -
Jazz
Available from:“There’s a crazy syncopation / and it’s tearing through the nation / and it’s bringing sweet elation / to every single tune. / It’s Jazz.”
Named in Time Magazine’s “100 Best Children’s Books of All Time,” this jazz-themed poem anthology strikes all the right chords. Created by a father and son team, rhythmic poems appear alongside dramatic acrylic paintings of musicians at play. With a brief history of the genre and a timeline of jazz milestones, this multi-award-winning book is not to be missed.
(Ages 8 - 12)Also available from:
