KAY E. VANDERGRIFT
All children deserve to see positive images of children like themselves in the books they read. For the youngest children who “read” pictures as adults share text, illustrations can have a powerful influence on their perceptions of the world. Strong visual images of those similar to themselves, their friends, and their families are life-affirming and can encourage children to reach beyond the boundaries of their immediate life experiences and consider a multitude of possibilities for their futures. I made a special effort to find realistic stories and images, rather than only folk tales and legends, not because I would diminish the traditional works but because we need to employ powerful images in order to increase self-esteem in our youngest children.
Fortunately, there are increasing numbers of picture books that provide realistic positive images of all of our children. One outstanding book that provides a beginning framework for understanding literature and history is Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature by Barbara Curry and James Michael Brodie, and illustrated by Jerry Butler. The books on the following list represent a sampling of such picture books featuring African-American children. Because of the number of titles in this list, I have divided it in two parts arranged alphabetically.
Aardema, Verna. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears. Illus. by Diane and Leo Dillon. New York: Dial, 1975.
Adedjouma, Davida, ed. The Palm of My Heart: Poetry By African American Children. Illus. by Gregory Christie, Intro. By Lucille Clifton. New York: Lee & Low, 1996.
Alexander, Lloyd. The Fortune-Tellers. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Dutton, 1992.
Anderson, Jeanie. The Key Into Winter. Illus. by David Soman. New York: Whitman, 1995.
Angelou, Maya. Now Sheba Sings The Sing. Illus. by Tom Feelings. New York: Dutton/Dial, 1987.
Angelou, Maya. Kofi and His Magic. Photos Margaret Courtney-Clarke. New York: Crown, 1996.
Barber, Barbara E. Allie’s Basketball Dream. Illus. by Darryl Ligasan. New York: Lee & Low, 1996.
Barnwell, Ysaye M. No Mirrors in My Nana’s House. Illus. by Synthia Saint James. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace, 1998.
Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn. Off to School. Illus. by Gershom Griffith. New York: Holiday House, 1995.
Belton, Sandra. From Miss Ida’s Porch. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Four Winds Press, 1993.
Belton, Sandra.May’naise Sandwiches & Sunshine Tea. Illus. by Gail Gordon Carter. New York: Four Winds, 1994.
Bloom, Valerie. Fruits: A Caribbean Counting Poem. Illus. by David Axtell. New York: Holt, 1997.
Brady, Marie. The Longest Wait. Illus. by Peter Catalanotto. New York: Orchard, 1998.
Bradby, Marie. More Than Anything Else. Illus. by Chris K. Soentpiet. New York: Orchard, 1995.
Bray, Rosemary L. Martin Luther King. Illus. by Malcah Zeldis. New York: Greenwillow, 1995.
Bunting, Eve. Smoky Night. Illus. by David Diaz. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace and Co., 1994.
Burden-Patmon, Denise. Imani’s Gift at Kwantzaa. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Simon & Schuster’s, 1993.
Caines, Jeannette. Just Us Women. Illus. by Pat Cummings. New York: Harper & Row, 1982.
Carlstrom, Nancy White. Wild Wild Sunflower Child Anna. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Macmillan, 1987.
Carter, Dorothy. Bye, Mis’ Lela. Illus. by Harvey Stevenson. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1998.
Carr, Jan. Dark Day, Light Night. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Hyperion, 1995.
Chocolate, Debbi. On the Day I Was Born. Illus. by Melodye Rosales. New York: Cartwheel/Scholastic, 1995.
Chocolate, Deborah Newton. Kwanzaa. Chicago, IL: Children’s Press, 1990.
Clinton, Catherine. I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry. Illus. by Stephen Alcorn. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.
Coleman, Evelyn. The Foot Warmer and the Crow. Illus. by Daniel Mentor. New York: Macmillan, 1994.
Coleman, Evelyn. The Glass Bottle Tree. Illus. by Gail Gordon Carter. New York: Orchard, 1995.
Coleman, Evelyn. White Socks Only. Illus. by Tyrone Geter. Morton Grove, IL: A. Whitman, 1996.
Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby Bridges. Illus. by George Ford. New York: Scholastic, 1995.
Cooper, Floyd. Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes. New York: Philomel, 1994.
Cooper, Melrose. Gettin’ Through Thursday. Illus. by Nneka Bennett. New York: Lee & Low, 1998.
Crews, Donald. Bigmama’s. New York: Greenwillow, 1991.
Cummings, Pat. Jimmy Lee Did It. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1985.
Cummings, Pat. Petey Moroni’s Camp Runamok Diary. New York: Bradbury, 1992.
Cummings, Pat. Carousel. New York: Bradbury, 1993.
Cury, Barbara K. and James Michael Brodie. Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature. Illus. Jerry Butler. Madison, WI: Zino Press, 1996.
Davol, Marguerite W. Black, White, Just Right! Morton Grive, IL: Albert Whitman, 1993.
DeFelice, Cnthia. “I>Willy’s Silly Grandma. Illus. by Shelley Jackson. New York: Orchard, 1997.
Derby, Sally. My Steps. Illus. by Adjoa J. Burrowes. New York: Lee & Low, 1996.
Deveaux, Alexis. An Enchanted Hair Tale. Illus. by Cheryl Hanna. New York: Harper & Row, 1987.
Diakite, Baba Wague. The Hunterman and the Crocodile: A West African Folktale. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Eisenberg, Phyllis Rose. You’re My Nikki. Illus. by Jill Kastner. New York: Dial, 1992.
English, Karen. Neeny Coming, Neeny Going. Illus. Synthia Saint James. BridgeWater Books, 1996.
Everett, Gwen. John Brown: One Man Against Slavery. Illus. by Jacob Lawrence. New York: Rizzoli, 1993.
Feelings, Muriel. Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book. Illus. by Tom Feelings. New York: Dial, 1971.
Feelings, Murial. Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alaphbet Book. Illus. by Tom Feelings. New York: Dial, 1976.
Feelings, Tom. The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo. New York: Dial, 1995.
Feelings, Tom. Soul Looks Back in Wonder. New York: Dial, 1993.
Feelings, Tom. Tommy Traveller in the World of Black History. New York: Black Butterfly Children’s Books, 1993.
Fields, Julia. The Green Lion of Zion Street. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Margaret McElderry Books, 1988.
Flournoy, Valerie R. The Patchwork Quilt. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1985.
Flournoy, Valerie. Tanya’s Reunion. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1995.
Flournoy, Vanessa and Valerie Flournoy. Celie and the Harvest Fiddler. Illus. by James E. Ransome. Tambourine, 1995.
Ford, Juwanda G. Ford. Kenya’s Family Reunion. Illus. by Cristina Ong. New York: Scholastic, 1996.
Franklin, Kristine L. The Old, Old Man and the Very Little Boy. Illus. by Terea Shaffer. New York: Atheneum, 1992.
Gilchrist, Jan Spivey. Indigo and Moonlight Gold. New York: Black Butterfly Children’s Books, 1992.
Greenfield, Eloise. Angels. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Hyperion, 1998.
Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love and other Love Poems. Illus. by Diane and Leo Dillon. New York: Harper & Row, 1978.
Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Harper Festival, 1995.
Greenfield, Eloise. Grandpa’s Face. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Putnam/Philomel, 1988.
Greenfield, Eloise. Nathaniel Talking. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Black Butterfly Children’s Books, 1988.
Greenfield, Eloise. William and the Good Old Days. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
Greenfield, Eloise. Night On Neighborhood Street. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Dial, 1991.
Greenfield, Eloise. On My Horse. Illus. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Harper, 1995.
Greenfield, Monica. Waiting for Christmas. Illus. Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Scholastic, 1996.
Grifalconi, Ann. Kinda Blue. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1993.
Grimes, Nikki. Something on My Mind. Illus. by Tom Feelings. New York: Dial, 1978.
Grimes, Nikki. From a Child’s Heart. Illus. by Brenda Joysmith. Orange, NJ: Just Us Books, 1993.
Grimes, Nikki. C Is for City. Illus. by Pat Cummings. New York: Lothrop, 1995.
Grimes, Nikki. Come Sunday. Illus. Michael Bryant. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1996.
Gunning, Monica. Not A Copper Penny in Me House. Illus. by Frane Lessac. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 1993.
Guy, Rosa. Billy the Great. Illus. by Caroline Binch. New York: Delacorte, 1991.
Hamilton, Virginia. Drylongso. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992.
Havill, Juanita. Jamaica’s Blue Marker. Illus. by Anne Sibley O’Brien. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
Higginsen, Vy. This Is My Song!: A Collection of Gospel Music for the Family. Illus. by Brenda Joysmith. New York: Crown, 1995.
Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace. Illus. by Caroline Binch. New York: Dial, 1991.
Hoffman, Mary. Boundless Grace. Illus. Caroline Binch. New York: Dial, 1995.
Hopkinson, Deborah. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Knopf, 1993.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later). Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Clarion, 1991.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Chita’s Christmas Tree. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Bradbury, 1989.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Mac & Marie & the Train Toss Surprise. Illus. by Gail Gordon Carter. New York: Four Winds, 1993.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Papa Tells Chita a Story. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. The Train to Lulu’s. Illus. by Robert Casilla. New York: Bradbury, 1988.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. What’s in Aunt Mary’s Room? Illus. by Cedric Lucas. New York: Clarion, 1996.
Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Celebrating Kwanzaa. Photos by Lawrence Migdale. New York: Holiday, 1993.
Hudson, Wade. Jamal’s Busy Day. Illus. by George Ford. Orange, NJ: Just Us Books, 1993.
Hudson, Wade. I Love My Family. Illus. by Cal Massey. New York: Scholastic, 1993.
Hudson, Wade, Comp. Pass It On: African-American Poetry for Children. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Scholastic, 1993.
Hudson, Wade and Cheryl Hudson, Comps. How Sweet the Sound: African-American Songs for Children. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: Scholastic, 1995.
Igus, Toyomi, ed. Great Women in the Struggle: Book of Black Heroes, Vol. 2 Orange, NJ: Just Us Books, 1993.
In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers. Illus. by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Lee & Low, 1997.
Johnson, Angela. Do Like Kyla. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Orchard, 1990.
Johnson, Angela. Tell Me a Story Mama. Illus. by David Soman. New York: Orchard, 1989.
Johnson, Angela. Girl Who Wore Snakes. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Orchard, 1993.
Johnson, Angela. The Rolling Stone. Illus. by Peter Catalanotto. New York: Orchard, 1997.
Johnson, Dolores. Seminole Diary: Remembrance of a Slave. New York: Macmillan, 1994.
Johnson, James Weldon. Lift Every Voice and Sing. Illus. by Elizabeth Catlett. New York: Walker, 1993.
Johnson, James Weldon. The Creation. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Holiday House, 1994.
Jordan, June. Kimako’s Story. Illus. by Kay Burford. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1981.
King, Sarah E. Maya Angelou: Greeting the Morning. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press, 1993.
Kroll, Virginia. Maisi and I. Illus. by Nancy Carpenter. New York: Four Winds, 1992.
Kroll, Virginia. Africa: Brothers and Sisters. Illus. by Vanessa French. New York: Four Winds, 1992.
Kurtz, Jane. Fire on the Mountain. Illus. E.B. Lewis. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Langstaff, John, ed. What A Morning! The Christmas Story in Black Spirituals. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. Arrangements by John Andrew Ross. New York: Margaret McElderry, 1987.
Lauture, Denize. Father and Son. Illus. by Jonathan Green. New York: Philomel, 1993.
Lauture, Denize. Running the Road to ABC. Illus. Reynold Ruffins. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Lawrence, Jacob. The Great Migration: An American Story. New York: The Museum of Modern Art/The Phillips Collection/HarperCollins, 1993.
Lawrence, Jacob. Harriet and the Promised Land. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
Lessac, Frane. Caribbean Canvas. New York: Lippincott, 1987.
Lester, Julius. Black Cowboy Wild Horses: A True Story. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1998.
Lester, Julius. John Henry. Illus. Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1994.
Lester, Julius. Sam and the Tigers. Illus. Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1996.
Lewin, Hugh. Jafta: The Homecoming. Illus. by Lisa Kopper. New York: Knopf, 1993.
McKissack, Patricia. Mirandy and Brother Wind. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Knopf, 1988.
McKissack, Patricia. Flossie and the Fox. Illus. by Rachael Isadora. New York: Dial, 1986.
McKissack, Patricia. A Million Fish . . . More Or Less. Illus. by Dena Schutzer. New York: Knopf, 1992.
Medearis, Angela Shelf. Picking Peas for a Penny. Illus. by Charles Shaw. Austin TX: State House Press, 1990.
Medearis, Angela Shelf. The Singing Man. Illus. by Terea Shaffer. New York: Holiday House, 1994.
Medearis, Angela Shelf. Annie’s Gifts. Illus. by Anna Rich. Orange, NJ: Just Us Books, 1995.
Medearis, Angela Shelf.The Adventures of Sugar and Junior. Illus. by Nancy Poydar. New York: Holiday House, 1995.
Medearis, Angela Shelf. Treemonisha. Illus. by Michael Bryant. New York: Holt, 1995.
Mendez, Phil. The Black Snowman. Illus. by Carole Byard. New York: Scholastic, 1989.
Miller, William. The Bus Ride. Illus. by John Ward. New York: Lee & Low, 1998.
Miller, William. Richard Wright and the Library Card. Illus. by Gregory Christie. New York: Lee & Low, 1998.
Mitchell, Margaree King. Uncle Jed’s Barbershop. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993.
Mitchell. Rhonda. The Talking Cloth. New York: Orchard Books, 1997.
Mitchell, Rita Phillips. Hue Boy. Illus. by Caroline Binch. New York: Dial, 1993.
Monceaux, Morgan. Jazz: My Music, My People. Foreward by Wynton Marsalis. New York: Knopf, 1994.
Moodie, Fiona. Nabulela: A South African Folk Tale. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1997.
Moss, Marissa. Regina’s Big Mistake. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
Moss, Thylias. I Want To Be. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1993.
Musgrove, Margaret. Ashanti to Zulu: African Tradition. Illus. by Diane & Leo Dillon. New York: Dial, 1976.
Myers, Walter Dean. Brown Angels. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
Myers, Walter Dean. Glorious Angels: A Celebration of Children. New York: HarperCollins, 1995.
Myers, Walter Dean. Harlem. Illus. Christopher Myers. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Ogburn, Jacqueline. The Jukebox Man. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Dial, 1998.
Patrick, Denise Lewis. Red Dancing Shoes. Illus. by James E. Ransome. New York: Tambourine Books, 1993.
Peterson, Jeanne Whitehouse. My Mama Sings. Illus. by Sandra Speidel. New York: Harper, 1994.
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Alvin Ailey. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion Books, 1993.
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Seven Candles for Kwanzaa. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1993.
Pinkney, Brian. JoJo’s Flying Side Kick. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Pinkney, Gloria Jean. Back Home. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1992.
Polacco, Patricia. Pink and Say. New York: Philomel, 1994.
Raschka, Chris. Yo! Yes? New York: Orchard, 1993.
Rappaport, Doreen. The New King. Illus. E.B. Lewis. New York: Dial, 1995.
Ringgold, Faith. Dinner At Aunt Connie’s House. New York: Hyperion Books, 1993.
Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. New York: Crown, 1991.
Ringgold, Faith. Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky. New York: Crown, 1993.
Ringgold, Faith. My Dream of Martin Luther King. New York: Crown, 1995.
Rochelle, Belinda. When Jo Louis Won the Title. Illus. Larry Johnson. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
Rosen, Michael J. Bonesy and Isabel. Illus. by James Ransome. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace and Co., 1995.
Rosen, Michael J. A School for Pompey Walker. Illus. by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. San Diego, CA; Harcourt, 1995.
San Souci, Robert D. The Hired Hand: An African-American Folktale. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1997.
San Souci, Robert D. The Faithful Friend. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.
San Souci, Robert D. The Talking Eggs: A Folktale of the American South. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1989.
San Souci, Robert D. Sukey and the Mermaid. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Four Winds, 1992.
San Souci, Robert D. The Boy and the Ghost. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.
Schertle, Alice. Down the Road. Illus. E.B. Lewis. San Diego. CA: Browndeer Press/Harcourt Brace, 1995.
Schroeder, Alan. Ragtime Trumpie. Illus. by Bernie Fuchs. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1989.
Schroeder, Alan. Satchmo’s Blues. Illus. Floyd Cooper. New York: Doubleday, 1996.
Schroeder, Alan. Minty: A Story of Harriet Tubman. Illus. Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1996.
Shelby, Ann. We Keep a Store. Illus. by John Ward. New York: Orchard, 1990.
Sisulu, Elinor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote: South Africa April 1994. Illus. Sharon Wilson. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1996.
Slier, Deborah, ed. Make a Joyful Sound: Poems for Children by African-American Poets. Illus. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Scholastic, 1991.
Smalls, Irene. Louise’s Gift: Or What Did She Give Me That For? Illus. Colin Bootman. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1996.
Smalls, Irene. Irene and the Big, Fine Nickel. Illus. Tyrone Geter. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1991.
Smalls, Irene. Irene Jennie and the Christmas Masquerade The Johnkankus. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1996.
Smalls-Hector, Irene. Jonathan and His Mommy. Illus. by Michael Hays. Boston, MA: Little Brown, 1992.
Steptoe, John. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1987.
Stock, Catherine. Where Are You Going Manyoni? New York: Morrow, 1993.
Stolz, Mary. Storm in the Night. Illus. by Pat Cummings. New York: Harper & Row, 1988.
Tchana, Katrin Hyman and Louise Tchana Pami. Oh, No, Toto! Illus. Colin Bootman. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Thomas, Iolette. Mermaid Janine. Illus. Jennifer Northway. New York: Scholastic, 1991.
Thomas, Joyce Carol. Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.
Thomassie, Tynia. Mimi’s Tutu. Illus. Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Scholastic, 1996.
Towle, Wendy. The Real McCoy. Illus. by Wil Clay. New York: Scholastic, 1993.
Wahl, Jan. Little Eight John. Illus. by Will Clay. New York: Dutton, 1992.
Walker, Alice. Finding the Green Stone. Illus. by Catherine Deeter. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991.
Walker, Mildred Pitts. My Mama Needs Me. Illus. by Pat Cummings. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1983.
Washinton, Donna L. The Story of Kwanzaa. Illus. Stephen Taylor. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.
Weatherford, Carole Boston. Juneteenth Jamboree. Illus. by Yvonne Buchanan. New York: Lee & Low, 1995.
Williams, Sherley Anne. Working Cotton. Illus. by Carole Byard. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace, 1992.
Williams, Vera B. Cherries and Cherry Pits. New York: Greenwillow, 1986.
Wisniewski, David. Sundiata: Lion King of Mali. New York: Clarion, 1993.
Woodson, Jacqueline. Martin Luther King, Jr., and His Birthday. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Silver Press, 1990.
Wright, Courtni C. Jumping the Broom. Illus. by Gershom Griffith. New York: Holiday House, 1994.
Wyeth, Sharon Dennis. Something Beautiful. Illus. by Chris K. Soentpiet. New York: Bantam/Doubleday/Dell, 1998.
Yarborough, Camile. Cornrows. Illus. by Carole Byard. New York: Coward, 1979.
Zolotow, Charlotte. The Old Dog. Illus. by James Ransome. New York: Harper, 1995.
