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Hot pot night! Written by Vincent Cheng
“Pot! Pot!” my kids sing from the couch. We’ve read this book so many times that before we turn the page to two children wincing over a pot of soup, we’re struck by the sad refrain: “No more cabbage. No more tofu.” But don’t worry. From start to finish, this is a fun book about coming together and participating as a community while sharing good food. I believe deeply in the concept that food brings people together, and I love that this book is set in a city apartment that many children can relate to. No one can resist the melodic and upbeat jingle of the lyrics.
Whose toe is that? Written by Jabari Asim, illustrated by Rouen Pham
I can definitely thank this book for teaching my kids how to say “toe”, one of their first favorite words. At first I kept picking up this book because it was so cute, but as soon as the kids found the gestures and words, they started asking for it over and over again. This rhyming board book incorporates the nursery rhyme “This Little Piggy” and uses parts of the body to encourage interaction. This book was inspired by the laughter of ticklish children, and I love books that celebrate dark skin. My kids love this book so much that they tried to eat the spine…
with leading color
A weekly newsletter focused on literature by and about people of color.
“Glow” by Ruth Forman, illustrations by Geneva Bowers
glow This is a poem created for the youngest readers and bedtime. My girls get serious zoomies when they know it’s time for some hay, so I appreciate a bedtime story that has a comforting, calming quality. Even I, after a fun-filled day, find comfort in the alliteration and vibrant pastoral illustrations of this board book about a young black boy going through a quiet bedtime ritual. This is another book that celebrates the beauty of dark skin.
Please Baby Please Written by: Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee, Illustrated by: Kadir Nelson
I like to ask kids, “Do you know who the author of this book is?” But they don’t care, they just want to enjoy the kindred spirit antics as she tests her mother’s patience and begs for every ounce of cooperation. The sly fairy-like expression on the cover perfectly conveys the playfulness of the story. Kadir Nelson’s illustrations fill my heart with laughter, from the sight of a baby baring his butt as he prepares to toss his dirty diaper into the toy box, like the unstoppable force behind a bath-time tsunami. It’s probably obvious that this is one of my personal favorites.
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