These books of poetry and stories told in verse, by contemporary writers and literary luminaries of the past, speak to and celebrate Black children as well as tell some of the courageous and remarkable stories of their ancestors. Many are also available in e-book and audiobook formats to borrow from home.
 

Just Like Me  by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

There are all kinds of girls! Girls who feel happy, sad, scared, powerful; girls who love their bodies and girls who don't; country girls, city girls; girls who love their mom and girls who wish they had a daddy. With bright portraits in vibrant colors and unique patterns and fabrics, this book invites you to find yourself within its pages.

 

 

The Thing About Bees: A  Love Letter by Shabazz Larkin

A love poem from father to his two sons, and tribute to the bees that pollinate the foods we love to eat.

 

 

 

Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher Myers

In a picture book about self-esteem and growing up with an urban beat, Jeremy sets out to discover all the different people that make him who he is, including brother, son, writer, and runner.

 

 

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles; illustrated by Bryan Collier

A lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere reminds them how much they matter, that they have always mattered and they always will.

 

 

 

A Place Inside of Me : A Poem To Heal The Heart by Zetta Elliott; illustrated by Noa Denmon

The award-winning author of Bird presents an evocative story in verse that follows a poignant year in the life of a brown child whose community rallies for justice and peace in the aftermath of a police shooting.

 

 

 

Southwest Sunrise by Nikki Grimes; illustrated by Wendell Minor

Jayden expects to see nothing but brown his first morning in New Mexico, but after being surprised by colorful rocks, flowers, birds, and animals, he wonders if this place could become home.

 

 

Black Is A Rainbow Color by Angela Joy; illustrated by Ekua Holmes

A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this anthem about people, culture, history, and legacy that lives on.

 

 

 

Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem by Marilyn Nelson; notes and annotations by Pamela Espeland

Presents a collection of poems written to honor the life of Fortune, a slave in eighteenth-century Connecticut whose body was donated to science upon his death.

 

 

 

 

Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins; illustrated by Bryan Collier

A lyrical, empowering poem that celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young ones to dream big and achieve their goals.

 

 

 

African American Poetry edited by Arnold Rampersad and Marcellus Blount; illustrated by Karen Barbour

Presents a collection of poems by African American poets including Lucille Clifton, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks and Elizabeth Alexander.

 

 

Hip Hop Speaks To Children: A Celebration of Poetry With a Beat edited by Nikki Giovanni

Poetry can have both a rhyme and a rhythm. Sometimes it is obvious; sometimes it is hidden. But either way, make no mistake, poetry is as vibrant and exciting as it gets. And when you find yourself clapping your hands or tapping your feet, you know you've found poetry with a beat! More than 50 poems and an accompanying CD.

 

Words With Wings: A Treasury of African-American Poetry and Art selected by Belinda Rochelle

A stunning collection pairs twenty poems by distinguished African American poets with twenty works of art by acclaimed African American artists, including names such as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Jacob Lawrence.

 

 

The Blacker The Berry: Poems by Joyce Carol Thomas; illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Many shades of black are celebrated in this wonderful collection of poems and portraits as diverse skin colors are compared to beautiful things in and of the world, including rich black coffee and a bronze autumn leaf.

 

 

 

There is a Flower At the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me by Alice Walker; illustrated by Stefano Vitale 

A poem that captures the wonderful interaction between nature and humans with such verses as "There is a sky at the end of my eye seeing me" and "There is a sunrise at the edge of my skin praising me."

 

 

In The Hollow of Your Hand: Slave Lullabies by Alice McGill; pictures by Michael Cummings 

A collection of lullabies orally transmitted by African American slaves revealing their hardships and sorrows as well as soothing notes of well-being and belief in a better time to come.

 

The Entrance Place of Wonders: Poems of the Harlem Renaissance by Daphne Muse; illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb

Includes twenty transcendent poems by the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance and brief biographies of the poets.

 

 

 

Danitra Brown Leaves Town by Nikki Grimes; illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Recounts, in a series of poems and letters, Danitra's summer at her aunt's house in the country and her best friend Zuri's summer at home in town.

 

 

Blues Journey by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher Myers 

The African experience in America is celebrated with a soulful, affecting blues poem and powerful paintings that detail the long journey from the Middle Passage to life today.

 

Seeing Into Tomorrow by Richard Wright; biography and illustrations by Nina Crews

From watching a sunset to finding a beetle, Richard Wright's haiku puts everyday moments into focus. Paired with the photo-collage artwork of Nina Crews, Seeing into Tomorrow celebrates the lives of contemporary African American boys.

 

My Daddy Rules the World: Poems About Dads by Hope Anita Smith

Poems celebrating everyday examples of fatherly love include depictions ranging from banjo lessons and wrestling matches to kitchen haircuts and story time.

 

 

 

 

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought To Life by Ashley Bryan

Through paintings and poetry he imagines and interprets each person's life on the plantation, as well as the life their owner knew nothing about their dreams and pride in knowing that they were worth far more than an Overseer or Madam ever would guess.

 

 

I, Too, Am America by  Langston Hughes; illustrated by Bryan Collier

Presents the popular poem by one of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance, highlighting the courage and dignity of the African American Pullman porters in the early twentieth century.

 

 

 

Pass It On: African-American Poetry For Children selected by Wade Hudson; illustrated by Floyd Cooper

An illustrated collection of poetry by such Afro-American poets as Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Eloise Greenfield and Lucille Clifton.

 

 

 

The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children edited by Davida Adedjouma; illustrated by Gregory Christie 

An inspiring and enlightening collection of free verse, written by African American children, ranging in age from six to eight years old, explores and interprets their feelings about their heritage. 

 

 

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander; illustrated by Kadir Nelson

A love letter to black life in the United States, highlighting the unspeakable trauma of slavery; the faith and fire of the Civil Rights Movement; and the grit, passion and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes.

 

 

Middle Grades

Before The Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

ZJ's friends Ollie, Darry and Daniel help him cope when his father, a beloved professional football player, suffers severe headaches and memory loss that spell the end of his career.

 

 

 

 

 

Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott; illustrated by Loveis Wise

Inspired by the #SayHerName campaign launched by the African American Policy Forum, these poems pay tribute to victims of police brutality as well as the activists insisting that Black Lives Matter. Elliott engages poets from the past two centuries to create a chorus of voices celebrating the creativity, resilience, and courage of Black women and girls.

 

 

 

Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Michele Wood

Retells in verse form the story of Henry Brown, an enslaved man who escaped from Virginia having himself enclosed in a wooden box and shipped to freedom in Philadelphia.

 

 

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.