African / African American

Kadir Nelson is the author and illustrator of Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. In about 100 pages, Nelson provides an overview from the Revolutionary War to the election of Barack Obama.

Nonfiction Children's Books - "Portraits of African-American Heroes" by Tonya Boldon, with full-page portraits by Ansel Pitcairn, contains three-page biographies and a portrait of 20 remarkable African American men and women, from abolitionist and author Frederick Douglass in the nineteenth century and artist Jacob Lawrence in the twentieth...

Martin's Big Words, a picture book by Doreen Rappaport, with dramatic illustrations by Bryan Collier, is about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Learn about the winners of the 2011 Coretta Scott King Book Awards, whose award winners are African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Over the years, Jerry Pinkney has gained a reputation as both a fine artist and as an award winning illustrator of children's books. Pinkney's body of work has tended to focus on multicultural and African American themes.

"Faraway Home" is a gem. Both the text by Jane Kurtz and the watercolors by E.B. Lewis are exceptional. Both the words and the artwork clearly express the poignancy of being far from home (in this case Ethiopia), while at the same time celebrating the home that comes with a loving family.

Julius Lester's picture book, "John Henry," is based on the African American folk ballad "John Henry." In 1990, the book, which was illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, was recognized as a Caldecott Honor Book for the excellence of its illustrations.

Andrea Davis Pinkney's "Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters" is geared to upper elementary and middle school age children. It covers the lives of ten women, the injustices they fought against, and their accomplishments.

Books about African American freedom fighters that every Amercian should know about, including Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ruby Bridges, and Ida B. Wells.

Five Kwanzaa books, from a contemporary folktale to an excellent introduction to how African-American families celebrate Kwanzaa.

This booklist of children's books for elementary and middle school students by African-American authors and illustrators comes from the Harford County Public Library in Maryland. It includes cover art.

Use the online database to find children's books, CDs, and other resources that give an accurate view of Africa.

An annotated list from the Seattle Public Library's that includes cover art summaries of children's books of fiction and nonfiction about African Americans and Africa.

An excellent, annotated recommended reading list of picture books, fiction, poetry, and nonfiction from The Horn Book Web site.

Random House provides cover art, book summaries, and teacher's guides for a number of African American children's books that would make good topics of study.

Learn about the winners of the 2011 Coretta Scott King Book Awards, which honor African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are important annual children's book awards that honor African American authors and African American illustrators. Here is information about the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, the current winners, and the Coretta Scott King Book Award winners and Honor Books for previous years.