12 Days of Giving: Fantastic Nonfiction Picture Books

 

Shopping for a reader this year? Today I've got my favorite nonfiction picture books of the year. If you have a little one who loves to learn or if you need more informational books on your home library shelves, these are wonderful choices. 

Shopping for an older nonfiction reader? Check out 12 Days of Giving: Books for Nonfiction Lovers for great suggestions for middle grade and teen readers!

Clever Hans: The True Story of the Counting, Adding, and Time-Telling Horse by Kerri Kokias, illustrated by Mike Lowery (Putnam, 2020). Clever Hans was a horse who could count. Or could he? This fascinating true animal story will please any horse lover and teaches about the scientific process as well. 

Eat Your Rocks, Croc: Dr. Glider's Advice for Troubled Animals by Jess Keating, illustrated by Pete Oswald (Orchard Books, 2020). This clever animal book presents facts about all kinds of different animals posed as questions for the local animal doctor. For example, Sebastian Nurse Shark complains that he can't shake the fish that are stuck to his belly and Dr. Glider explains that they are remoras who will help keep him clean. This book presents a lot of animal factoids in a really cute way and it's sure bet for kids who love animal shows like The Wild Kratts.

Jonas Hanway's Scurrilous, Scandalous, Shockingly Sensational Umbrella by Josh Crute, illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewan (Page Street Kids, 2020). This is a really fun nonfiction book about how umbrellas finally came into fashion (and stopped a lot of people from just GETTING WET in England) that will appeal to young readers who like learning weird and wacky facts about their world.

The Nest That Wren Built by Randi Sonenshine, illustrated by Anne Hunter (Candlewick, 2020). This sweet nonfiction picture book is a good bet for nature lovers and I love the rich vocabulary that makes it s really smart choice for sharing with preschoolers. We've all done more bird-watching than usual this past year and this would be a fun book to have in your home library this spring. 

RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison (Atheneum, 2020). This stunning picture book biography is one of my favorites of the year, hands down. If you buy one book from this list, make it this one. Carole Boston Weatherford's deceptively simple text pays homage to the Queen of Soul in a really clever way and Frank Morrison's oil paintings are just gorgeous. 

Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus, illustrated by Tonya Engel (Lee & Low, 2019). Last year was the 50th anniversary of the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and this kid-friendly biography introduces young readers to the life of this amazing poet. 

You're Invited to a Moth Ball: A Nighttime Insect Celebration by Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz (Charlesbridge, 2020). This unusual book will have families clamoring to spend some time outside investigating moths this summer. With lively text and photo illustrations, this book presents a "moth ball", a family setting up outdoor stations to study the moths in their backyard. This would be a fun gift for families who love to spend time outdoors to give them a unique activity for once the weather warms up again. 

For the first 12 days of November, I'll be posting a list of children's books perfect for gift giving this holiday season. Check out the full list of lists here to see what's coming. All the lists link to IndieBound to make it easy for you to find an independent bookstore to buy from (and as an IndieBound affiliate, shopping through those links supports me, too!). Independent bookstores need our support more than ever this year, so please shop local if you can or if you don't have a local independent bookstore, please consider ordering online from my local indie Carmichael's Bookstore. 

Storytelling Math Board Books

 

Storytelling Math series by Grace Lin. Ages 1-3. Charlesbridge, 2020.
Digital review copies provided by publisher. 

• Circle! Sphere!
• The Last Marshmallow
• Up to My Knees!
• What Will Fit? 

These entries in the Storytelling Math board books series published by Charlesbridge Publishing are perfect books to add to a toddler's library. Each book reinforces a basic math concept, using a super simple story that's perfectly suited to its young child audience. At the end of each book, Lin describes the concept that the book is building and gives parents ideas for activities and conversations to continue the learning. I love the playful, childlike illustrations and the short, simple text that's tailored for a young child's short attention span. There's one book for each season: 

Circle! Sphere! explores shapes with children blowing bubbles together in summer. 

The Last Marshmallow introduces division with two friends sharing cocoa in winter. 

Up to My Knees looks at scale and measurement as a plant grows in spring. 

What Will Fit? plays with size at the farmer's market in autumn. 

These books would make excellent gifts for new babies, particularly in families where starting math skills early will be a priority. While I love series like Baby Loves Science and other more involved informational board books, which are all great for vocabulary and starting conversations, this one has text actually tailored to the board book crowd. Huzzah! And more, please.  

Hey, I'm an IndieBound affiliate, which means that if you purchase books through the links on this site, you're not only supporting your favorite independent bookstore, you're supporting me, too! 

The Worry (Less) Book

Hey, I'm an IndieBound affiliate, so if you buy books from the links on this site, not only are you supporting your favorite independent bookstore, you're supporting me, too! 

The Worry (Less) Book: Feel Strong, Find Calm, and Tame Your Anxiety by Rachel Brian. Grades 2-6. Little, Brown, 2020. 64 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Oh, anxiety is high all over the place. I feel it, you feel it, and the kids in our lives feel it, too. And this great graphic novel is wonderful for helping kids navigate it. This is a must-have for your library shelves and anyone working with or living with anxious kids, you're going to want this on your personal shelves, as well. 

It's super conversational and funny, while still providing some great information and tools that kids can use to deal with their own anxiety. Just like her book Consent for Kids, this is a book that kids will find fun to read, while it also gives them really good information. I love that this book normalizes anxiety, affirming that it's a normal emotion that everyone experiences sometimes, helps kids identify when anxiety is getting in the way of their life, and provides techniques for dealing with anxiety.

Although this book is definitely aimed at kids, I think it will have wide appeal and there are concepts that adults can use, too. I found myself snapping photos of pages to share with my husband, who tells me all the time to "stop worrying". The page that points out "You don't get to pick what you worry about, or when." is one I'm definitely going to show him. I love how this book boils down complicated concepts into simple wording that are easy to understand and make shareable sound bytes. 

A must-read, for these times especially. 

Jonas Hanway's Scurrilous, Scandalous, Shockingly Sensational Umbrella

Jonas Hanway's Scurrilous, Scandalous, Shockingly Sensational Umbrella by Josh Crute, illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen. Grades 1-4. Page Street Kids, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Okay, so did you know that it was once incredibly unfashionable in London to carry and use an umbrella? People just GOT WET. Or they paid for street coaches to drive them everywhere. Because you know something about London? It rains there. A lot. 

To Jonas Hanway, that didn't make a whole lot of sense. And after he traveled to some distant lands and saw many people using umbrellas, he got back and said "To heck with fashion! I'm not getting wet anymore!" (He did not actually say that - I'm paraphrasing.) And he started using an umbrella, no matter how much he was stared at and mocked. 

It seems completely ridiculous now - umbrellas are ubiquitous! - but that truly was the case once upon a time in London. Umbrellas were thought of as foreign and only used by poor people who couldn't afford to hire coaches. This is an intriguing and beautifully illustrated nonfiction book that will appeal to kids who enjoy learning weird facts about the world. 

Back matter includes some notes about the issue of umbrellas and additional information about Jonas Hanway - another popular trend he eschewed was using young children as chimney sweeps, a practice that was finally outlawed in 1875. And it includes a timeline with a brief history of umbrellas for even more fun facts. Pull  this one out on your next rainy day and learn all about this handy tool.

I would hand this to kids who enjoyed such books as Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy or Ben Franklin's Big Spash by Barb Rosenstock about fun inventions or interesting moments in history. The book has gorgeous, detailed illustrations with lots of funny little moments in the pictures, so it would make a great gift book for elementary age kids who enjoy trivia and fun facts. 

Itzhak

Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin: The Story of Young Itzhak Perlman by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin. Grades 2-5. Abrams, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

From the time he was a very young boy, music was important to Itzhak Perlman. Growing up in Israel, his family always had the radio on and Itzhak was drawn to the violin at a young age. Once Itzhak started playing the violin, he never stopped. A polio survivor, Itzhak played sitting down while most musical performers played standing up, but his music was more beautiful than many. After asking for an audition for the Israel Philharmonic at age 11 (they never wrote him back), he auditioned for the Ed Sullivan show, performed on the show to rave reviews, and was soon one of the most famous violinists in the world. 

This is a gorgeous picture book, illustrated with bold, rich color that mirrors the color and personality that Perlman found in every piece he learned. The beauty of music really comes across in the artwork, which makes sense since illustrator Abigail Halpin is a violinist herself. Itzhak is depicted as a jolly, spirited child, facing all obstacles in his path with a determined smile. More than a celebration of music (although it is that, for sure), this picture book advocates for better disability access around the world. Walking with crutches and unable to climb stairs, Perlman was often forced to use freight elevators and stay in makeshift dressing rooms built on the fly as he toured music halls around the world. 

This is a wonderful, tender portrait that's perfect for young musicians and performers. Young musicians will recognize the incredible amount of work that Itzhak put into his playing and appreciate the musical terms included in the text. Back matter includes author's and illustrator's notes, a timeline, and an extensive bibliography. 

The Hidden Rainbow

The Hidden Rainbow by Christie Matheson. Ages 5-8. Greenwillow, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Okay, so it's the wrong season for this book, but I'm going to need you to keep it in mind for when spring comes around and all thoughts turn to flowers and insects and gardens. This is a beautiful, colorful book that celebrates the importance of bees. It starts by introducing a rainbow of spring flowers that bees like to feed on and then talks about why bees are so important - they pollinate much of the food we eat. 

Every year, our local Purdue Extension hosts programs for Pollinator Week, giving tours of their honeybee hives and providing crafts and activities for families. This year they went virtual with programming and instead of the library attending and staffing a table, I offered to make a book list for them to hand out (or email). So I started looking at our books about pollinators and this brand new one jumped off the shelf at me. I think it's a really nice introduction for young kids and a great place to start learning about pollination. 

So don't miss it as you start to bulk up your springtime offerings or you're looking for books to put out on display! 

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (And Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (And Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion by Ahima Shiraishi, illustrated by Yao Xiao. Grades K-4. Make Me a World, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Ashima Shiraishi knows about problems. Problems are what rock climbers call the boulders that they climb: each one is a problem to solve. Shiraishi is a world champion rock climber who was the first woman in the world to climb a V15 boulder problem (that is a very, very difficult climb). And in this picture book, Shiraishi takes a look at how she solves problems. While this book uses Shiraishi's boulder problems to detail her problem-solving steps, these steps translate to any kind of problem a person might face. 

She looks at the problem "There were many parts, and none of them looked easy." 

She maps out her steps. She gives it a try.... and she falls. But does she give up? Of course not! "Then, when I was ready, I looked at the problem again with the new information the fall had given me." 

This is an encouraging book that is wonderful to share with kids of all ages who might struggle with perseverance in the face of difficulty. It would make a great classroom read aloud to set the tone for your class. The text reinforces the importance of learning from your failures and getting up to try and try again. Of course Shiraishi did not become a world champion by getting everything perfectly right the first time. I love how she structures her falls as opportunities to learn and to approach a problem in a new way. 

Not only is this a great book about problem solving and perseverance to have on your shelves and to know about for your patrons, but it's also a story that celebrates women and Asian Americans in sports and the accomplishments of a young person. Ashima Shiraishi was born in 2001, so she wrote this book as a teenager and she won world championships in climbing as a teen, so this is definitely a story that young people will relate to. And I think it's got some nice words of wisdom for us all! 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul

RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison. Grades K-6. Atheneum, 2020. 48 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Y'all. Stop what you are doing and run to your local indie bookstore to get your hands on this book. It is absolutely stunning. Stun. Ning. 

Carole Boston Weatherford is a poet, we know this. And she's outdone herself here. The text of this book is deceptively simple, each spread a rhyming couplet titled with a spelled out word, paying homage to one of Aretha Franklin's most well-known songs. It seems simple, but there's a lot of thought that's gone into the construction of this book. Each couplet is titled by a spelled-out word that ends in that "ee" sound like R-E-S-P-E-C-T. For example: 

B-L-E-S-S-E-D

Cradled by the church, rocked by an ebony sea, 

Aretha says a little prayer each night on bended knee

D-E-T-R-O-I-T

The Franklins move north from Memphis, Tennessee. 

They put down roots and rise like a mighty tree. 

Not all the words are seven letters long, like "respect", a feat that would have been a stretch to carry out throughout the book. They all end in that long E sound, so the text flows together like a song and continually brings the reader back to the powerful message of Aretha's famous song. 

And the paintings. Oh, the paintings. Frank Morrison's oil paintings are rich and full of color and consistently play with perspective, sometimes taking a view from behind or above. I love the spread that talks about Detroit, picturing the Franklin family as part of a mighty tree and then later in the book after Aretha's mother has left the family, the same image is rendered with the family minus mom. 

I am sure the Caldecott Committee is looking carefully at this book - it's one of my favorites of the year! 

Powwow: A Celebration through Song and Dance

Powwow: A Celebration through Song and Dance by Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane. Grades 3-8. Orca Book Publishers, 2020. 88 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

When your patrons ask you for books about Native Americans, do you only have history books to give them? If so, it's way beyond time to change that. And this book is a great one to add to your collection. With vibrant words and photographs, this book takes a look at modern powwows, celebrations of song and dance that are still held today in all 50 states, as well as their history and significance. It's a comprehensive introduction that is a wonderful starting point for kids (and adults) interested in learning more about Native American traditions and it inspired me to look up annual powwows held near me. Of course I can't attend one this year, but it's definitely something I would like to do once it's safe to do so again. 

I Am Not a Label

I Am Not a Label: 34 Disabled Artists, Thinkers, Athletes, and Activists from Past and Present by Cerrie Burnell, illustrated by Lauren Mark Baldo. Grades 3-7. Wide Eyed Editions, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Collective biographies - how do they do at your library? Not always great at mine, but this is one that I was thrilled to put on our shelves. This is a collection unlike any I have seen yet and it's high time to put more disability representation on our library shelves. This collective biography gathers brief bios of 34 different disabled people who have done awesome things. I really appreciate how diverse the collection is, highlighting not only people with a variety of different disabilities (physical and mental, visible and invisible), but people from around the globe and of many different races. Each of the 34 people profiles here gets a spread with a portrait and a page of information about their contributions to the world. There are folks you may have heard of here, like Frida Kahlo and Stephen Hawking and plenty of names that will probably be new, from Paralympic stars to artists to activists and more. 

Clever Hans: The True Story of the Counting, Adding, and Time-Telling Horse

Clever Hans: The True Story of the Counting, Adding, and Time-Telling Horse by Kerri Kokias, illustrated by Mike Lowery. Grades 2-5. 32 pages. Putnam, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Clever Hans was a horse who could do math problems, tell time, read, spell, and more... or could he? Even after seeing the horse answering questions, some people thought it was somehow a hoax, but it took a scientist and a study to figure out how. It turns out that Clever Hans really WAS clever, but not in the way that most people thought. 

I loved, loved, loved this nonfiction picture book, which is reminiscent of one of my favorite picture book authors, Meghan McCarthy. It's an interesting and little known topic - I remember learning about Clever Hans in my college psychology classes, but chances are he'll be new to kids. The narrative is written with a good dose of humor in a conversational tone. The cartoony illustrations add to the humor and appeal of this book. I appreciated the author's note that explained why Clever Hans is important to modern research and I loved that the book emphasizes the ways that Hans really was clever, even if not in exactly the ways that people originally thought. This is a great book about the scientific process and a fun animal story in one. A winner.

Eat Your Rocks, Croc

Eat Your Rocks, Croc!: Dr. Glider's Advice for Troubled Animals by Jess Keating, illustrated by Pete Oswald. Grades PreK - 3rd. 40 pages. Orchard Books, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

What's a platypus to do when a family of humans keeps trying to catch him and he's feeling extremely helpless? Go to Dr. Glider for advice! Dr. Glider reassures Patrick Platypus that platypuses are anything but helpless - they're one of few venomous mammals in the world! How about when Sebastian Nurse Shark can't shake the small fish that are stuck to his belly? Dr. Glider explains that they are remoras who will help keep him clean.


Each spread in this adorable science picture book addresses another animal "problem" with Dr. Glider providing interesting animal facts to advise and reassure his animal patients. This is a really cute way to present animal facts and this book is a sure hit with kids who like shows like The Wild Kratts. It's a picture book that will suit a wide range of ages. Preschoolers will enjoy the animal characters and learning animal facts, which elementary school kids will be able to read it on their own. This would be a really fun gift for the young animal lovers in your life. 

Consent for Kids

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Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of YOU by Rachel Brian. Grades 1-5. Little, Brown, 2020. 64 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

This is such a needed book that I read it and I'm immediately going to buy copies for all the special kids in my life. This is not a book that I would probably book talk, but it's a book that I would press into the hands of parents and teachers to use it with their kids to start conversations about what consent and respect means. Kids need to have access to this book, kids need to have this book lying around where they can discover it. Families may want to read this book together. This is a must-read and a must-buy for library and classroom shelves.

Written in a cute, funny graphic novel style, the book brings humor into a serious subject, making it fun and taking away the didactic tendency books on this topic can so easily slide into. A cast of largely gender neutral cartoon kids clearly explain what consent is, that friendships need to be based on mutual respect, how to assert yourself with other people (kids and adults), and what to do if someone violates your boundaries or you see someone violating someone else's boundaries.

This book covers a ton of topics, including some sticky ones like bodily autonomy when you're a child and there are some things that adults can make you do for safety. Examples are holding hands to cross a busy parking lot or getting a shot at the doctor's office. Author Rachel Brian talks a lot about boundaries and I especially like that she provides lots of examples of when boundaries can change and she emphasizes that it's okay to change your mind. She also provides examples of clear consent and hesitant or unsure consent. She explains that you need to get clear consent from a person and "If you're not sure, it's a NO".

At the very end of the book, Brian provides information for contacting the National Child Abuse Hotline for kids who feel unsafe or have had their boundaries crossed. 

Any kid could grow into someone who might hurt someone else or who might be hurt. Teaching consent from an early age can make a huge difference. And further than that, we need to be practicing consent, too. When I was a storytime librarian I made it very clear that no child needed to hug me (although I personally was okay with hugs from kids who wanted to give them). A high five was always offered and if a kid didn't feel like giving a high five, that was okay, too.

Go forth and buy this book for your library shelves! 

Seven Picture Book Biographies for Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month and it's a wonderful month to explore amazing picture book biographies about influential women. Here are seven of my recent favorites to get you started. Don't miss the Amelia Bloomer List, an annual book list of excellent books "with significant feminist content" for more ideas on books to explore in March (or anytime!).

 

All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi Ali. Grades 1-4. Sourcebooks, 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. This is a fantastic introduction to the disability rights activism that led to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Jennifer Keelan was one of very, very few children who participated in the demonstrations, including the Capitol Crawl. In the Capitol Crawl, people with disabilities crawled up the steps of the Capitol, the building where laws are made, which at the time was completely inaccessible to people in wheelchairs. Jennifer writes the forward to this book and back matter includes additional information about disabilities, activism, and the ADA, as well as a bibliography. This is a particularly timely addition to your Women's History Month units since March is also Disability Awareness Month and this July is the 30th anniversary of the passing of the ADA.

 

Instructions NOT Included: How a Team of Women Coded the Future by Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn, illustrated by Chelsea Beck. Grades 2-5. Little, Brown, 2019. When computers were first being developed, of course they didn't have instructions. And it fell to a team of women to figure out how to program the first computers. This book introduces three women - Betty Snyder, Jean Jennings, and Kay McNulty - whose work went on largely behind the scenes but without whose work, our lives would be incredibly different today. Hand this one to young coders.

 

Mother Jones and her Army of Mill Children by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Grades 2-5. Schwartz & Wade, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. Written in the first person, this book is told in a voice that will grab readers from the very beginning: "I've seen coal miners in West Virginia, covered with soot, lungs filled with dust, hardly being paid DIDDLY-SQUAT..." Mother Jones spoke out for workers' rights and protested the terrible working conditions of the early 1900s. This picture book concentrates on her 1930 Children's March and the focus on the child labor issue give this book special appeal to young readers. Use this as a readaloud to introduce Women's History Month or units about labor or workers' rights.

No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon's Battle for Women's Rights in Japan by Jeff Gottesfeld, illustrated by Shiella Witanto. Grades 2-5. Creston Books, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. Beate Sirota Gordon was an immigrant to Japan, arriving there as a child with her Jewish family after tensions rose in their European home. She noticed that women were not equal with men - some wives even walked three steps behind their husbands in public. After attending college in the United States during WWII, Perkins was hired by the US military as a translator and ended up being involved in developing Japan's new constitution after the war. She made sure that women's rights were explicitly laid out, using her seat at the table to accomplish what many Japanese women had been forbidden to do. When she returned to Japan much later in life, she was hailed as a hero. This is a powerful story about a woman using her privilege to accomplish positive change for other women.

 

The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins and her New Deal for America by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Alexandra Bye. Grades 2-5. Atheneum, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. You've heard of FDR, but have you ever heard of Frances Perkins? Perkins was a shy girl who grew up wanting to protect and help people. She found her voice and used it to speak out against unfair labor practices and was eventually hired by FDR as his Secretary of Labor. She helped develop the New Deal of the 1930s with many programs that helped protect Americans, like Social Security and getting people back to work. In determined text and with quotable stylized sections that emphasize quotes from Perkins and her inspirational grandmother, this is a book that shows that women can bring about change.

Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom by Teresa Robeson, illustrated by Rebecca Huang. Grades 2-5. Sterling, 2019. Review copy provided by my local library. This wonderful biography, picture book winner of the 2020 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, introduces Wu Chien Shiung, a Chinese-American physicist whose work and discoveries helped several men win Nobel Prizes, although she was never credited or awarded herself. It's especially appropriate for highlighting during Women's History Month since Wu's contributions to science were hidden for so long.

 

What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?: The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jones by Chris Barton, illustrated by Ekua Holmes. Grades 2-5. Beach Lane Books, 2018. Review copy provided by my local library. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan took her big voice to law school and the Texas State Senate, and then to Congress where she used voice to speak out against injustice. It has bright, textured illustrations and a chorus that repeatedly asks "What do you do with a voice like that?" to move the narrative forward. In a world where young girls are still not sure that they can be leaders, this is a much-needed book to show that women can lead and make a difference.

Six New Picture Books to Celebrate African American History Month

How are you celebrating African American History Month this year? Reading or sharing a book is a great way to celebrate and today I'm highlighting six new picture books that would make great choices for reading with a child or putting on display at your library.

Big Papa and the Time Machine by Daniel Bernstrom, illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Ages 5-8. Harper, 2020. When a little boy is nervous to start school, his grandfather not only tells him to be brave, but takes him back in his time machine to show him moments in his own life where he had to be brave. With whimsical illustrations and stirring words, this is a heartfelt tribute to everyday triumphs and the enduring love of family.

Brave. Black. First.: 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World by Cheryl Hudson, illustrated by Erin K. Robinson. Grades 3-7. Crown, 2020. Each spread in this new collective biography features an influential African American woman with a portrait and a brief biography. This book is published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison. Grades 2-5. Here's another great choice if you're looking for collective biographies. This one features African American men. With cute illustrations, this one skews a bit younger than Hudson's collection above. Harrison has published several similar collective biographies to check out: Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History and Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World. 

Mamie on the Mound: A Woman in Baseball's Negro Leagues by Leah Henderson. Grades 1-4. Capstone, 2020. Finally! A picture book biography of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, African American baseball player who played in the Negro Leagues (yes, with the boys!) for three years in the 1950s. Sprightly text matches a sprightly personality in this biography that's perfect for young sports fans and women's history. Chapter book readers may also be interested in Michelle Y. Green's A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, which was published in 2004 and is a great read.

Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome. Grades 1-5. A girl and her family make their way north via the "Overground Railroad" as part of the Great Migration in the 1930s. In free verse poem and with striking mixed media illustrations, the Ransomes portray this journey, taken by so many, in a hopeful tone. I love the play on the Underground Railroad in the title; this book would make a great compliment to any book you're reading about the Underground Railroad since it portrays another era of history that is maybe less talked about.

 

Patricia's Vision: The Doctor Who Saved Sight by Michelle Lord, illustrated by Alleana Harris. Grades 1-5. Sterling, 2020. This handsome picture book biography depicts the life and innovation of Dr. Patricia Bath, an opthamologist who invented laser treatment for cataracts. This book not only celebrates an achievement by an African American inventor, it celebrates a successful women in a STEM field. This is a great story to know.