NBHE Book List

National Black Home Educators

Recommended Book List

Reading aloud is a door into your child’s heart… walk through it daily   Joyce Burges

 

How to Lose Your Cookie Money, written by Valerie Wilson Wesley

This is not part of the Girl Scout Law but it should be: a Girl Scout never ever loses her cookie money. She always keeps it in a safe place, like in a box, in her sock drawer or something like that. She should never take it out unless to count it or to add more money to it. And take it from, Willimena Thomas, Girl Scout: under no circumstance did she think she would ever spend hers until…

 

The Gold Cadillac, written by Mildred D. Taylor–

Lois and Wilma’s father has a brand-new gold Cadillac, and Lois is looking forward to riding in it all the way form Ohio to Mississippi. But in the rural South there are no admiring glances for the shiny new car—only suspicion and anger for the black man behind the wheel. For the first time in their lives, Lois and her sister know what its like to feel scared because of the color of their skin.

 

A Salute To Historic Black Women, arranged by EMPAK Publishing Company–

This book contains all famous black women who contributed to making our lives better by standing up for what was right.

 

Addy an American Girl- Short stories, written by Connie Porter–

Follow Addy Walker as she faces different stages of growing up with her family in Philadelphia after the Civil War.

 

I Love My Hair! Written by Natasha A. Tarpley–

A gracefully told story…Together, author and artist impart a reassuring message about the importance of self-acceptance.

 

Pretty Brown Face, written by Andrea and Brian Pinkney-

A book for sons and dads to enjoy at anytime or day of the week.

 

Frannie’s Flower, written by Ida DeLage-

When Frannie’s Grandmother surprises her with a flower for her birthday, Frannie learns the importance of caring for flowers.

 

Black Scientist & Inventors- Volume 2, arranged by EMPAK Publishing Company–

Follow world famous Black Scientist and Inventors as they make discoveries.

 

Martin Luther King, JR.-Civil Rights Leader, written by Robert Jakoubek–

King leads thousands of civil rights demonstrators on the last leg of their 1965 march in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery.

 

Heritage Kids- Bessie Coleman, arranged by EMPAK Publishing Company-

Showing children about the importance of knowing where you came from is the object of the Heritage kids mini-series books.

 

Psalm Twenty-Three, illustrated by Tim Ladwig–

The text of the familiar Psalm comparing God to a loving shepherd accompanies illustrations which show the world of love and fear faced by an urban African-American family.

 

Roberto Clemente- Young Baseball Hero, written by Louis Sabin-

A biography of the great Puerto Rican-born baseball player.

 

Famous Figures of the Civil War Era, written by Norma Jean Lutz-

The contributions of Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Fredrick Douglass are shared.

 

Then Darkness Fled- The Liberating Wisdom of Booker T. Washington, written by Stephen Mansfield- 

This biography of Booker T. Washington goes from his slavery days to the building of Tuskegee Institute.

 

Defeat of the Ghost Riders-Mary McLeod Bethune, written by Dave and Neta Jackson-

When the Key family moved to Florida everything seemed to be looking up. They were moving to a new house, and youngest daughter, Celeste, was going to school and learning things – what could go wrong? They were happy. But, was it to last?

 

Honey, I Love- And Other Poems, written by Eloise Greenfield-

Sixteen poems tell of love and the simple joys of everyday life as seen through the eyes of a child: playing with a friend or keeping Mama company till Daddy gets home.

 

My Doll Keshia, written by Eloise Greenfield–

A short story about a little girl and her doll shows them playing games and spending the day together. 

 

Meet Maya Angelou, written by Valerie Spain–

Maya Angelou spent her childhood moving between two homes. She was often lonely, and both lives were hard, but with time and a new friend Maya began to share her thoughts and feelings with other people – Recommended for ages 15 and up.

 

Julian, Secret Agent; and Julian, Dream Doctor, written by Ann Cameron-

Join young Julian and his friends as they solve mysteries and try to find the perfect gift.

 

The Friendship, written by Mildred D. Taylor– Cassie Logan and her brothers have been warned never to go to the Wallace store, so they know to expect trouble there. What they don’t expect is to hear a black elderly man, daring to call the white storekeeper by his first name. The year is 1933, the place is Mississippi, and any child knows that some things just aren’t done.

 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears, written by Jump at the Sun Fairy-tale Classics-

Dive into your favorite fairy-tale adventure, starring Goldilocks and the Three Bears, who learn about hard work, sharing, and good manners in this timeless retelling.

 

The Adventure of Papa Lemon’s Little Wanderers- Books 1, 2, & 3, written by Lehman Riley–

Join the Little Wanderers as they set off on their adventures to war, slavery, and to meet the famous Dr. King.

 

Walking the Road to Freedom, written by Jeri Ferris-

This book traces the life of the Black woman orator who spoke out against slavery throughout New England and the Midwest. Recommended for ages 11 and up.

 

Miss Tizzy, written Libba Moore Gray-

Miss Tizzy wears a purple hat with a white flower in it. She lives in a pink house with an overgrown garden. Parents may think her peculiar, but the children love her. When Miss Tizzy becomes ill the children know just what to do to make her feel missed and loved.

 

Phoebe and The General, written by Judith Berry Griffin-

When Phoebe and her father hear of a dangerous plan to assassinate General George Washington they must race to save his life.

 

Adventure in the Caribbean, written by Stacy Towle Morgan-

On a trip with their family Hope and Annie meet a young girl named Zoe. When the girls find a map, they can only hope the treasure is not too far.

 

Sojourner Truth- Ain’t  I a Woman, written by Patricia C. McKissack-

From her days as a slave to her glorious speech on womanhood, Sojourner Truth is someone every woman should read about.

 

At Her Majesty’s Request-An African Princess In Victorian England, written by Walter Dean Myers-

After watching her parents murdered before her eyes, Sara was sure to be next until a kind man rescued her. He brought her to England where Sara could never have imagined living, at her Majesty’s request.

 

The Trials of Phillis Wheatley, written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.-

“Electric, exciting, convincing, provocative, challenging…Mr. Gates gives black literature room to breathe…like great novels that force us to view the world differently, Mr. Gate’s compelling study suggests new ways of seeing.”

 

Baby High, Baby Low, written by Stella Blackstone-

This is a fun book of baby pictures with a story to accompany it.

 

A Bus of our Own, written by Freddi Williams Evans–

It was hard for Mable Jeans and her friends to go to school. They had no bus to ride. Some even walked two miles to get to school. It was about time they had a bus of their own.

 

Mama Elizabeti, written by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen–

This book is a splendid celebration of life and the power of a child’s imagination.

 

Papa’s Mark, written by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert–

The day for blacks to vote is coming up soon and Simms knows how much his papa wants to vote, so he is determined to teach him to write before that day.

 

Brown Angels, written by Walter Dean Myers–

This is an album of pictures and verse.

 

Quinnie Blue, written by Dinah Johnson–

A young girl imagines what childhood was like for her grandmother.

 

How I play Golf, written by Tiger Woods, and The Editors of Golf Digest-

Tiger Woods explains the game of golf, and how he plays it.

 

In Our Own Image, written by Patrik Henry Bass and Karen Pugh-

This is an important void-filling work that belongs on the shelf next to the family album.

 

Vision of Beauty- The story of Sara Breedlove Walker, written by Kathryn Lasky-

“This impressive picture book will delight young readers as it gives them a sense of this remarkable woman and the times in which she lived.”

 

Just Like Josh Gibson, written by Angela Johnson-

The story goes…Grandmama could hit the ball a mile, catch anything that was thrown, and go everything else-just like Josh Gibson.

 

A Voice of Her Own- The Story of Phillis Wheatley, Slave Poet, written by Kathryn Lasky-

The biography on Phillis Wheatley portrays her journey to becoming a poet.

 

Enid Book series- Books 1, 2, 3, & 4, written by Cynthia G. Williams-

Join Enid and her friends as they grow up finding adventure lurking around every corner.

 

Chains, written by Laurie Halse Anderson- This book tells the story of a young girl named Isabel who is stolen from her family and sold as a slave to a Loyalist family in New York during the  American Revolutionary War. Isabel becomes a spy for the revolutionaries and through her experience learns the meaning true freedom.    

 

Forge – written by Laurie Halse Anderson – (sequel to Chains) This book tells the story of Curzon, the young boy who helped Isabel to become a spy.  Curzon is an escaped slave who fights for the revolutionaries and endures the winter at Valley Forge.