Black History Month 2022: 13 best children’s books with empowering black characters

Inspired by a real boy, Azani Runs highlights the energy children often have whilst they are awake. Aimed at children up to 11 years old, the book takes readers on a journey of the different places that Azani likes to run throughout his day and the different shoes he uses to run in. Many children will be able to see themselves in Azani, and parents can also resonate with the story. The book encourages creativity through an activity section for children to draw their family and what they get up to during the day. It gives them the space to create their own book, essentially.

Later is a fun take on two kids at home with their dad, waiting for their mum to come home from work. It highlights what kids get up to while mum is away and shows the special mum and child bond. From neighbours to Nan, several people knock on the family’s door. But nothing matches their excitement until their mum is home. The book injects hints of humour and also Caribbean phrases such as the Jamaican “wha gwaan” and creole greeting “sa ka fèt?”, referencing the day in the life of a Caribbean household. Aimed at children aged up to six, the colourful and warm illustrations and different descriptions used for each of the knocking sounds when someone’s at the door, give the story adventure and a curiosity to the reader as they wonder who is waiting on the doorstep.

Full of humour and featuring relatable West African cultural references, “there’s rice at home” is a phrase commonly used within Nigerian culture. This is the response that is given when Dámi and Ṣèyí ask their mum for food when they’re out.

Written by British-Nigerian Mayowa Precious Agbabiaka, There’s Rice At Home uses traditionally Nigerian names for the main characters to enhance cultural visibility. It is currently available in eight languages including Yoruba, Jamaican Patois, Swahili and more. The English translation is suitable for those up to nine-years-old, while the other language translations are for both children and adults to practice in their mother tongues.

As a heart-warming welcome to the book, Mayowa writes “I wrote this story for my future children, god-children and the kids who will not be related to me but will call me ‘aunty’ anyway. So that they can have books in their mother tongues that won‘t just be a translation of a story written by certain demographics, but one that they could genuinely relate to.”

Davina Hamilton first published Riley Can Be Anything, back in 2018 and has since gone onto create a series of books stemming from this. The book delivers an empowering message for young readers that they can pursue any career they want to when they’re older.

Suitable for four to ten-year-olds, the story explores the different professions that the protagonist, Riley, could be when he’s older. This is all prompted by his older cousin, Joe, asking him “Can you tell me, when you grow up, what are you going to be?”.

Kunda Kids is a black-owned publishing company founded by authors of Mansa Musa Builds a School, Louisa and Oladele Olafuyi. The book focuses on the main character, Mansa Musa, the loved leader of the Mali Empire and tells a fictional story of him building a school in his community.

It teaches generosity and the importance of helping others, and engages readers through the rhythmic rhyming sequences throughout the story, as well as the beautiful illustrations of exotic and royal scenery. This book is suitable for ages three to eight.

Written by V V Brown, Lily and The Magic Comb teaches the value of embracing your natural hair and the power there is in doing so. Lily, the main character, has “curly, brown hair” and is gifted a comb for her birthday that can teleport her to wherever she wants, by simply combing her locks.

As well as taking readers on an adventure, the book also possesses an encouraging message to children to embrace their natural tresses. Suitable for ages two to eight-years-old, the story has a particularly precious moment where Lily’s mother says “your curls are your crown for you to cherish and keep”.

Big Fat Daddy’s Soul Kitchen teaches children the history of Soul food in African American culture in the protagonist, Chef Big Fat Daddy’s kitchen. Written by Karl Gritton, this book offers fun, humour and rhymes, while simultaneously educating readers about soul food’s origins and the pioneering people who have contributed to it. Suitable for primary school age groups, from five to 11-year-olds, the book will have readers’ mouth-watering from the very first line: “The moment you enter, you’ll smell heaven on a plate; an array of amazing dishes, that will look AND taste great!”

Written by Kelly Eastmond-Jeffrey and illustrated by 10-year-old Sariyah, Lily Says No possesses a more serious, but nonetheless, necessary message, than most illustrated children’s books. Suitable for children aged six and up, Lily Says No is designed to help parents/guardians open up a dialogue with their children about sexual abuse and understand that they have authority over their bodies. It is written in a simple way through the eyes of the protagonist, Lily, a seven-year-old girl, and holds a gentle approach to this sensitive topic.

Written by actor Nathan Bryon, Look Up! follows the story of a young girl named Rocket, who aspires to become an astronaut. Aimed at ages between two and five-years-old, this book is a fascinating mix of interesting space facts and humour via the main character Rocket, and her relationship with her older brother, Jamal, who always seems to be on his phone. “Jamal says I’m called Rocket because I’ve got fiery breath” is a perfect line in the book that sums up their relationship. It’s an inspiring book for young girls aspiring to enter the STEM industry.

Written by musician and playwright Amyra Leon, Freedom We Sing’s animations are brought to life by illustrations of the plethora of characters singing and dancing. Touching on topics like asylum seeking, the book explores what freedom really means and looks like.

The story carries a rhythmite pace and the warm colours from the illustrations bring a sense of homeliness. It’s targeted at three to seven-year-olds and the opening line of the book sets a beautiful tone that resonates throughout the book: “Families of stars surround me, every constellation humming a different melody”.

Written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison and published under Penguin Random House, Little Leaders: Bold Women In Black History teaches the history of courageous pioneering women from the black community. Mary Seacole, Harriet Tubman and Josephine Baker are some of the many trailblazing women across varying industries mentioned in this book. Each female figure has a beautiful colourful illustration adjacent to an engaging bio of their story and the impact they had on the world.

Targeted at eight to 12-year-olds, this book educates young black girls about what other women from their community have done and consequently inspires them that they too can go on to do great things.

A celebration of empowerment, this light-hearted book is full of rhymes that has a simple, quick story with an empowering message. “This young black prince can” is the premise of the book and focuses on what the young protagonist gets up to in his day-to-day adventures. It encourages fun for other black boys out there too. Written by Melissa Mason, this book is suitable for newborns to four-year-olds.

Mums do a lot for their children and Isaiah’s Extraordinary Mum explores this in detail as the book shows what the main characters, Isaiah and his mum do together. From dancing together to prepping for nursery, Isaiah tells readers the adoration he has for his mum. The things that may seem ordinary to others, he sees as extraordinary. The illustrations of Isaiah’s brimming smile, brilliantly depict the overwhelming joy that Isaiah gets from being with his mum. The book is aimed at children aged two to six years old.