I’m a Black Mom Raising an Afro-Latina Kid—These Are 8 Books I Read to Her During Black History Month (2024)

It’s nearly Black History Month (BHM), a time to highlight the achievements of members of the African diaspora. As a Black woman, this month has personal significance. Growing up, my parents always encouraged me to research many Black historical figures during school projects, but it wasn’t until I was much older that I realized many people, regardless of race, don’t know much about Black history beyond Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Janice Robinson-Celeste, MBA an early childhood specialist and CEO of Successful Black Parenting, says that BHM “serves as an opportunity to educate people from all backgrounds about the substantial contributions of Black individuals throughout history,” ultimately contributing to a “more informed and united citizenry, which is crucial for the entire country's and its children's success on the global stage.”

Now that I’m a mom to an Afro-Latina kindergartener, I find it so important that she has connections to her roots. I prioritize stories of Black joy when I talk about her cultures; Black tragedy and trauma have been the predominant narrative in entertainment content for decades, but we’re so much more than that.

With these nuances in mind, I selected eight age-appropriate stories of Black excellence, joy, and history to read during BHM and beyond, including several picks that my daughter loves.

The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers

It’s nearly impossible to touch on Black history without being honest about the painful past, but it can still be done in a way that gives agency to the culture and highlights the positive. The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers is a story that gives background on how this new federal holiday came to be.

For those unfamiliar, Juneteenth represents the day (June 19th, 1865) when the last enslaved person in Texas was informed that they were free after the Civil War ended in April 1865. Let that time lag sink in.

To buy: The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers $6 (was $8); amazon.com

The Story of Rap

Hip-hop is a living history of how Black culture influences style, music (like the rap genre), and even language. A favorite of my 5-year-old early reader, this Missy Elliot-endorsed board book tells how this underground musical force originated in the Bronx in New York City, eventually becoming an international staple that continues to influence the world.

The cute rhyming text and the vibrant, adorable illustrations in The Story of Rap make it a simple and cute early reading book that hip-hop heads and music lovers of all backgrounds can enjoy.

To buy: The Story of Rap from $8 (was $9); amazon.com and bookshop.com

Don’t Touch My Hair!

Thankfully, I’ve never had someone offensively try to stick their hands in my hair without asking, but people try to do it to my daughter all the time. Don’t Touch My Hair! discusses the nuances of Black hair while also teaching the importance of agency and consent, lessons that apply to everyone.

At a time when legislation like the Crown Act is needed to prevent discrimination against natural hairstyles in academic and professional settings, this book emphasizes that beauty standards aren’t uniform. And, hair that grows up instead of down—or is super duper curly like my little one's—may be fascinating to look at but isn’t an invitation for unwanted hands.

To buy: Don’t Touch My Hair! from $7 (was from $9); amazon.com and bookshop.com

Little People, Big Dreams: Amanda Gorman

Learning about historical figures of years gone by is fantastic, but it’s important to remind kids that Black history isn’t just dusty books—it’s happening in real-time. I’m a huge fan of the Little People, Big Dreams book series because they touch on a ton of amazing figures from past and present across races and ethnicities, including this story about Amanda Gorman, the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate.

However, this series offers tons (and I do mean tons!) of historical figures to choose from. In our home, we have the books on Maya Angelou, Muhammad Ali, RuPaul, Frida Kahlo, and Kamala Harris, to name a few. An added bonus is that when the historical figure has a difficult past (like Maya Angelou or Frida Kahlo), it’s handled in an age-appropriate way.

To buy: Little People, Big Dreams: Amanda Gorman $9; amazon.com

Diversity to Me/La Diversidad Para Mi

The African diaspora includes vast racial and geographic diversity, including Latin America. On my Afro-Latina daughter’s paternal side of the family, there is visible diversity within the Puerto Rican community across her countless titis, tíos, primos, abuelos, and bisabuelas.

Contrary to the casting choices of many novelas, there’s no one uniform look for Latinos. This book underscores this through a low-stress lesson on diversity as seen on the streets of London with a visibly dark-skinned Latina main character. Plus, since I’m currently focused on boosting my daughter’s Spanish language skills, I appreciate that this book is bilingual.

To buy: Diversity to Me/La Diversidad Para Mi $12; amazon.com

Ada Twist, Scientist

Encouraging Black joy and excellence doesn’t always have to come through a history lesson. Instead, Ada Twist is just one of the many fictional characters in The Questioneers book series. This book emphasizes STEM and STEAM, and it highlights how women belong in science-backed fields alongside their male peers. Plus, with her dark skin and adorable afro puffs, Ada herself applies to BIPOCs too—specifically future Black hypothesizers, scientists, and inventors.

To buy: Ada Twist, Scientist from $11 (was $20); amazon.com and bookshop.com

The Blacker the Berry

Sadly, many Black children are made to feel less-than simply because they have dark skin or coily hair, thanks to the lingering effects of colonialism and colorism (and curlism, a word I coined myself—because it’s 2024 and we’re still trying to dismantle the “good hair” debate).

Colorism and hair discrimination are worldwide issues in various Hispanic and Asian communities, not just the Black community. The Blacker the Berry is a simple book of poetry that highlights how every skin tone is beautiful and unique and doesn’t correlate to a person’s intrinsic value. Additionally, this book is a Coretta Scott King Award-winning title.

To buy: The Blacker the Berry from $7; amazon.com and bookshop.com

Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition

If you haven’t watched this book’s namesake movie, I highly recommend you do. These four female Black mathematicians were responsible for the formulas and programs that helped NASA beat the Soviet Union during the Space Race, put Neil Armstrong on the moon, and helped John Glenn orbit around the Earth.

In short, Black achievements also underpin American achievements, and NASA wouldn’t be NASA without them. Meanwhile, Katherine Johnson is still alive today—inspiring a whole new generation of STEAM learners.

To buy: Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition from $8 (was from $10); amazon.com and bookshop.com

More Black History Month Resources for Parents:

• The 20 Best Toys That Encourage Black Excellence
• 14 Must-Read Black History Books for Kids
• Alternate Summer Reading List: Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Antiracist Book Recommendations