Books about Black joy for 0-5s
Enjoy this selection of joyous picture books by Black authors and/or illustrators, all starring Black characters living their lives, having adventures and being loved.
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Black Girls: A Celebration of You
Author: Dominique Furukawa Illustrator: Erika Lynne Jones
Interest level: 2-5
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Black Girls: A Celebration of You
Author: Dominique Furukawa Illustrator: Erika Lynne Jones
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
A gloriously upbeat lyrical love letter to Black girls all over the world.
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Hey You! An empowering celebration of growing up black
Author: Dapo Adeola Illustrator: Various
Interest level: 3-5
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Hey You! An empowering celebration of growing up black
Author: Dapo Adeola Illustrator: Various
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
A baby is born to loving parents, but as she grows up it’s hard for her to find books to read containing girls that look like her.…
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Look Up!
Author: Nathan Bryon Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 6+
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Look Up!
Author: Nathan Bryon Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-7
Reading age: 6+
Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola’s charming picture book gifts us with a gorgeous character in Rocket, a girl whose passion for all th…
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I’m Going to be a Princess
Author: Stephanie Taylor Illustrator: Jade Orlando
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 8+
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I’m Going to be a Princess
Author: Stephanie Taylor Illustrator: Jade Orlando
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 8+
On her way home from school, Maya announces that she wants to be a princess when she grows up. Mum encourages her to consider othe…
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We're Going to Find the Monster
Author: Malorie Blackman Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 3-5
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We're Going to Find the Monster
Author: Malorie Blackman Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
A lovely slightly fairy tale-inspired tale about a family with two younger siblings and a teenager getting ready for breakfast,&nb…
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Mama’s Sleeping Scarf
Author: Nwa Grace-James (AKA Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) Illustrator: Joelle Avelino
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 7+
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Mama’s Sleeping Scarf
Author: Nwa Grace-James (AKA Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) Illustrator: Joelle Avelino
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 7+
While waiting for her mama to return from work, Mama’s sleeping scarf becomes an object of magic and whimsy in Chino’s imaginative…
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Mummy Time
Author: Monique James-Duncan Illustrator: Ebony Glenn
Interest level: 3-5
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Mummy Time
Author: Monique James-Duncan Illustrator: Ebony Glenn
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
Wake up, it’s mummy time! A warm and reassuring picture book about the everyday life of a stay-at-home mother and her two children…
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Strong Like Me
Author: Kelechi Okafor Illustrator: Michaela Dias-Hayes
Interest level: 4-5
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Strong Like Me
Author: Kelechi Okafor Illustrator: Michaela Dias-Hayes
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
Kamara is strong and fast. But negative words from her friends make her doubt herself. Can she find a way to celebrate her strengt…
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Daddy Do My Hair: Beth’s Twists
Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Chanté Timothy
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
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Daddy Do My Hair: Beth’s Twists
Author: Tola Okogwu Illustrator: Chanté Timothy
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Softly rhyming text and glowing, illustrations in this calm, gentle book celebrate an apparently insignificant domestic ritual, wh…
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Luna Loves Dance
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Fiona Lumbers
Interest level: 4-5
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Luna Loves Dance
Author: Joseph Coelho Illustrator: Fiona Lumbers
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
With the gentle support of her family, Luna begins to believe in herself as a real dancer. This delightful tale shows young c…
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I Love Me
Author: Marvyn Harrison Illustrator: Diane Ewen
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age: 3+
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I Love Me
Author: Marvyn Harrison Illustrator: Diane Ewen
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age: 3+
A first book of positive affirmation designed to boost confidence, enhance self-image and promote resilience and happiness in pre-…
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So Much
Author: Trish Cooke Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age: 5+
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So Much
Author: Trish Cooke Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age: 5+
One by one, family members drop by on a mum and her tot – all wanting to squeeze, kiss and give undivided attention to the baby.&n…
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Splash, Anna Hibiscus!
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Lauren Tobia
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 6+
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Splash, Anna Hibiscus!
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Lauren Tobia
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 6+
Anna Hibiscus is at the beach with her family. She wants someone to go in the sea and splash in the waves with her but they are al…
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Handa's Surprise
Author: Eileen Browne
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 5+
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Handa's Surprise
Author: Eileen Browne
Interest level: 3+
Reading age: 5+
Glorious images of an African village convey the sights, smells and colours of the landscape, its animals and its food in a story …
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Catch That Chicken!
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 6+
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Catch That Chicken!
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Interest level: 3-6
Reading age: 6+
A joyful, vibrant romp through a Nigerian village in the company of Lami, the best chicken-catcher in the business. A great b…
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Queen of the Classroom
Author: Derrick Barnes Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Interest level: 4-5
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Queen of the Classroom
Author: Derrick Barnes Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
It’s MJ’s first day of school and Mum thinks she has what it takes to be the Queen of the Classroom – she needs to brighten up eve…
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Baby Goes to Market
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Interest level: 2-5
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Baby Goes to Market
Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank
Interest level: 2-5
Reading age:
With a basket balanced on her head and Baby strapped to her back, Mama embarks on an eventful trip to a West African market. …
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Where's Lenny?
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 2-3
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Where's Lenny?
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 2-3
Reading age:
Lenny and Daddy have a great time playing hide and seek! This charming tale, which features a mixed-race family, is ideal to …
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Astro Girl
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
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Astro Girl
Author: Ken Wilson-Max
Interest level: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
Astrid loves the stars and space, and wants to be an astronaut. A delightful and educational book for young readers intereste…
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The Rapping Princess
Author: Hannah Lee Illustrator: Allen Fatimaharan
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 4+
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The Rapping Princess
Author: Hannah Lee Illustrator: Allen Fatimaharan
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age: 4+
Shiloh's a princess – she’s supposed to sing, not rap. But she can't sing at all and has better flow than all the princes of the l…
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My Hair
Author: Hannah Lee Illustrator: Allen Fatimaharan
Interest level: 3-7
Reading age: 5+
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My Hair
Author: Hannah Lee Illustrator: Allen Fatimaharan
Interest level: 3-7
Reading age: 5+
This joyful celebration of black hair demonstrates a range of styles and will inspire children to experiment with their own look.
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Don’t Ask the Dragon
Author: Lemn Sissay Illustrator: Greg Stobbs
Interest level: 3-5
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Don’t Ask the Dragon
Author: Lemn Sissay Illustrator: Greg Stobbs
Interest level: 3-5
Reading age:
A charming tale about a young boy who wonders where is home. With the help of some animals and wise dragon, he discovers home is n…
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Books Make Good Pets
Author: John Agard Illustrator: Momoko Abe
Interest level: 5-8
Reading age: 6+
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Books Make Good Pets
Author: John Agard Illustrator: Momoko Abe
Interest level: 5-8
Reading age: 6+
In this delightful book about books, readers go on an imaginative journey through the amazing worlds of adventure that a good book…
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My Dad is a Grizzly Bear
Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-5
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My Dad is a Grizzly Bear
Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
The dad in this book is very bearish - he loves honey, chases his little boy around while growling, and naps everywhere. And there…
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Never Show a T-Rex a Book
Author: Rashmi Sirdeshpande Illustrator: Diane Ewen
Interest level: 4-5
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Never Show a T-Rex a Book
Author: Rashmi Sirdeshpande Illustrator: Diane Ewen
Interest level: 4-5
Reading age:
A young girl wonders what would happen if she showed her book to a real dinosaur. This entertaining tale celebrates the joy of rea…
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Small’s Big Dream
Author: Manjeet Mann Illustrator: Amanda Quartey
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Small’s Big Dream
Author: Manjeet Mann Illustrator: Amanda Quartey
Interest level:
Reading age:
In Small's world, everything is small – her house, her shoes, her bed – but her dreams are big. Small discovers that when you drea…
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