In celebration of Black History Month, picture books that highlight Black joy are powerful tools for both representation and inspiration. Rather than centering only on traumatic Black history or the Civil Rights Movement, make sure you bring Black joy into your Black History Month lessons this year. Teachers, parents, and caregivers have an incredible opportunity to center and celebrate joy during Black History Month.

These books beautifully capture the vibrancy and resilience of Black communities, showcasing moments of happiness, creativity, and everyday triumphs. By promoting Black joy in literature, these picture books not only entertain young readers, but also foster a sense of pride and understanding of diverse Black experiences.

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, teacher, educator, or someone who shapes little minds, these picture books will contribute to a more inclusive narrative, encouraging empathy and appreciation for the richness of Black culture and history.

Let’s dive in.

1. Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon

Magnificent Homespun Brown is an exploration of the natural world and family bonds through the eyes of young, mixed-race heroines – a living, breathing, dazzlingly multifaceted, exuberant masterpiece, firmly grounded in a sense of self-worth and belonging. This is a story – a poem, a song, a celebration – about feeling at home in one’s own beloved skin.

2. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights 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. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present.

3. Oona by Kelly DiPucchio

Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure…and often find trouble instead. Messy trouble. Tricky trouble. Even shark-related trouble. That’s never stopped them before, though!

After all, no proper treasure hunt is without some adventure. But when the grandest treasure yet is stuck in a deep, dark rift, Oona’s not sure if she can dive right in. What might be waiting for her in those unknown waters?This comical and heartfelt picture book is a winning celebration of invention, creativity, and friendship. With gorgeous underwater scenes and a crowd-pleasing tale, this is one little mermaid who is here to make a splash!

4. Red Shoes by  Karen English

Malika is delighted when Nana surprises her with a beautiful new pair of red shoes! And with a click-clack-click and a swish, swish, swish, Malika wears her wonderful new shoes everywhere she goes. But one day, the shoes begin to pinch Malika's toes. And alas, they don't let her forget that her feet have grown! Soon Malika and Nana are off to the Rare Finds Resale Shop, where the shoes can be resold – so another little girl can enjoy them!

Who will be the next to wear the red shoes? Malika wonders.

Then Inna Ziya buys the shoes, and readers follow the shoes all the way across the world to Africa, where Amina, another little girl, who has fasted her first time for Ramadan is about to get an amazing gift!

5. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes

The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.

​​​​​​​A fresh cut makes boys fly.

This wonderful book is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.

6. Time for Kenny by Brian Pinkney

Time for Kenny to get up and enjoy the day with his family! In four deceptively simple stories, Brian Pinkney guides readers through a young child’s day. First, Kenny must get dressed. Maybe he can wear his mom’s shoes? And his grandpa’s hat seems to fit perfectly on his head. Luckily, with the help of his family, Kenny is finally set to go. Then he must overcome his fear of the monstrous vacuum cleaner, learn to play soccer with his big sister, and – after all that fun – get ready for bedtime.

Time for Kenny is simple, direct, and pitch-perfect for emerging readers. This vibrant, family-oriented picture book is full of boundless energy, action, and unlimited love.

7. Brown Baby Lullaby by Tameka Fryer Brown

From sunset to bedtime, two parents lovingly care for their beautiful baby: first, they play outside, then it is time for dinner and a bath, and finally a warm snuggle before bed. Precious and heartfelt, this story is a true celebration of the love shared between parent and child – and the actions that say "I love you."

With Spanish words sprinkled throughout and featuring warm art by New York Times-bestselling and NAACP-Award-winning illustrator AG Ford, Brown Baby Lullaby is an illustrated lullaby featuring a busy, independent, beloved brown baby being prepared for bedtime.

8. Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins

Six-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier brings this classic, inspirational poem to life, written by poet Useni Eugene Perkins.

Hey black child,

Do you know who you are?

Who really are? Do you know you can be

What you want to be

If you try to be

What you can be?

This lyrical, empowering poem celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young people to dream big and achieve their goals.

9. I Am Enough by Grace Byers

This gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another comes from Empire actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer artist Keturah A. Bobo.

We are all here for a purpose. We are more than enough. We just need to believe it.

A refreshing mantra of believing in yourself, I Am Enough instills in young readers the pertinent reminder that they are worthy of love, including from themselves.

10. I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes

In another wonderful book by Derrick Barnes, the confident Black narrator is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and no doubt he'll see them through – as he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's so often misunderstood and called what he is not.

I am a nonstop ball of energy. Powerful and full of light. I am a go-getter. A difference maker. A leader.

So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you – and shows you – who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!

11. Black Is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy

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

Red is a rainbow color.

Green sits next to blue.

Yellow, orange, violet, indigo,

They are rainbow colors, too, but

My color is black . . .

And there’s no BLACK in rainbows.

From the wheels of a bicycle to the robe on Thurgood Marshall's back, Black surrounds our lives. It is a color to simply describe some of our favorite things, but it also evokes a deeper sentiment about the incredible people who helped change the world and a community that continues to grow and thrive.

12. Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union

Inspired by the eagerly awaited birth of her daughter, Kaavia James Union Wade, New York Times bestselling author and award-winning actress Gabrielle Union pens a festive and universal love letter from parents to little ones, perfect for welcoming a baby to the party of life!

Welcome to the Party is an upbeat celebration of new life that you’ll want to enjoy with your tiny guest of honor over and over again.

Want even more social justice resources? 

This is just the start! There are so many great diverse picture books to use with young learners. For many more diverse kids' book recommendations, grab our Big List of Diverse Picture Books.

Want to diversify your Black History Month lessons? Grab our Checklist for an Inclusive Black History Month.