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This book highlights the everyday experience of a young African American girl and her mother as they spend their special day together. The story follows their Saturday routine of going on library trips, story time, hair appointments, and a puppet show. When plans go awry, the focus shifts to the warmth of their relationship and how they find joy in simply being together. The book showcases everyday experiences that reflect real life for African American families without relying on stereotypes. Instead, it centers love, resilience, and the importance of family time. Mora’s text also uses rhythmic phrasing and repetition that mirrors spoken storytelling traditions, creating a natural flow that resonates with children. Through its focus on small, meaningful moments, Saturday provides a mirror for African American children to see their family routines valued in literature and a window for others to appreciate cultural richness in everyday life. It celebrates joy, patience, and connection.

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I was so excited to see Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry on the IMC list. We received this book as part of our Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library when my children were little and it was one of my daughter’s favorites. It centers on an African American father helping his daughter style her natural hair for a special occasion. This everyday experience reflects the real-life family dynamics of African American people and shows the important role that fathers play in their children’s lives. It is a celebration of the normalcy and beauty of African American family life which can be under-represented in children’s books. I love that the book celebrates natural Black hair since it is much a significant part of African American cultures and communities. The book shows the unique styles and textures of Black hair while also highlighting the time, patience, and love that is involved in caring for natural hair. It helps challenge the biased beauty standards that often marginalized natural African American hair. I also appreciated that the interactions and dialogue between the father and daughter reflects the rhythms of how African Americans speak. There is an affectionate tone between the two that rejects stereotypes or caricatures. The book captures important positive and empowering themes of love, self-acceptance, and pride in yourself while celebrating African American people.

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I think I Love My Hair is a great representative of a children’s book that is appropriate to share the struggles that African-Americans might face on a day-to-day basis. It goes through the way that the mother styles the daughter‘s hair and how the mom encourages her daughter to know that her hair has no limits and she can do what she pleases with her hair. Her mom also does affirmations, telling her that her hair is thick and soft and beautiful and curly. It also goes over parts of the sad truth that African-Americans deal with of being made fun of for their hair, but then it turns it around and shows that the teacher feels the complete opposite and wants the little girl to know that her hair is special and her Afro is beautiful and means a lot.

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My Hair is a Garden by Cozbi A. Cabrera, 2018

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This is a short children's book about a young girl who is bullied for her hair; she does not know what to do so she goes to her neighbors house. Her neighbors explains to her how best to wash, brush, and maintain her hair; she tells her "length doesn't matter... the health of your hair does". This book shows the far too often struggle that African American children face, their hair is different, they get made fun of for their hair. The young girl in the story gets called "a mess", and wears a hat to school everyday because she it scared to get picked on. From figuring out how to manage her hair, she becomes more confident, confidence is a feeling everyone should have from the beginning. I loved reading this book, and I feel it would be a wonderful but to add to any young classrooms' itinerary. Teaching young children about their differences, and that their differences are not only okay but wonderful, is so important. Allowing children to hear of others experiences can help them through their own experiences, and help them to be better to others. This book does a wonderful job at describing the experiences of many young African American children, and teaches that kindness, and self love are so very important.

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Sulwe is a children's picture book about a little girl who has dark skin and struggles with feelings of insecurity. In this book, colorism is the issue that is a form of prejudice within races that favors the lighter skin tones.

Not only does this book speak on colorism, but it also teaches self-acceptance, in which the children are encouraged to embrace their individuality.

Because her skin, "the color of midnight," is darker than that of her family and classmates, Sulwe, a young child, notices that she is being treated differently and excluded. She tries to grow lighter by rubbing her skin with an eraser, applying light cosmetics, and even eating light-colored meals. Her lighter-skinned sister is dubbed "Sunshine," "Ray," and "Beauty," but Sulwe is called "Blackie," "Darky," and "Night." "Sulwe felt hurt every time." "Dear Lord, why do I look like midnight when my mother looks like dawn?" is the first line of her prayer for lighter skin. "Brightness is not in your skin... Brightness is just who you are," her mother explains, explaining that her name means "star." She adds, "Your heart and mind are where true beauty originates. It starts with your perception of yourself, not that of others. She is taken back to the beginning of Time, when Night and Day were sisters, when a star enters her room that night and carries her through the sky. She learns from the star that every day is split among light and dark, each with its own worth and beauty. Sulwe awakens with a fresh understanding of her own beauty and brilliance.

This book is so valuable to the nature of prejudice, even within races, and to teach our children to love themselves for what they have to offer. I love this nook and the message it portrays to our youth. The illustrations really speak to the emotions being portrayed in the words as the story is being told.

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I personally love this little book. I read it to both of my children right before they went into kindergarten and they loved it! The King of Kindergarten highlights the everyday experiences of a young African American boy as he starts his first day of kindergarten, he starts his day feeling joyful and empowered. This story also shows a strong family, who is supportive and loving. Having a supportive set of parents or just a supportive parent makes all the difference. They made him feel confident and proud, he felt like royalty before stepping into kindergarten. Throughout the book readers will see him enjoying learning, making friends and loving his teacher, allowing all children to feel connected to his experiences. The book also shows students of all races and backgrounds playing together showing kindness and friendship. The young boy blossoms with pride, joy and confidence, reminding readers that all children no matter their age, race or gender deserve to feel valued and celebrated at school and feel like kings and queens of kindergarten!

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ABIYOYO by Pete Seeger's Storysong  Illustrated by Micheal Hays

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ABIYOYO by Pete Seeger's Storysong  Illustrated by Micheal Hays

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In this town no one wanted to hear the little boy play his ukulele. The father would often scare the town folk. He like to make things disappear. But one day a great big fearsome giant came into town his name was Abiyoyo. He scared the town people so that ran and hid. Who could stop the giant then came the little boy with his ukulele. The music from the ukulele had but a spell on the giant. With the help for the boy's father magic wand the giant disappeared, This book to me helped children learn the everyone is needed .

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By the same author as I Believe I Can, this gorgeous book is a lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another. In the book, it makes a point to mention that we are all here for a purpose, we are more than enough, and we just need to believe it. I feel this book empowers African American children to have self-confidence in who they are and how they look, even if it's different than their peers. The book tells children that they are beautiful exactly how they are, and they do not need to change or become someone else; they fit in because they are more than enough. It captures an important and positive theme of self-love, acceptance, and pride in celebrating them. It's a great book for all in a lesson of diversity and self-worth.

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Ada Twist, Scientist (2016) written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts

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Ada Twist, Scientist is a book that explores young Ada Twist, a young girl who wants to know everything about the world. Ada has been asking questions like, "why?", "how?", and "what?" since she was three. After hypothesizing where a rancid smell was coming from her family chooses to embrace her and all her questions and brush up on some topics and give her the time and space to explore, wonder, and solve! This book, alongside Andrea Beaty's other books Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer have since been adapted into a Netflix show! As future educators and child development professionals, we understand how important representation is in literacy and media for young children. Inclusive literature and media not only shows racially and ethnically diverse characters, but it shows girls being in male - dominated fields, and characters defying gender roles and stereotypes. Much of our dreams and aspirations as young children come from the television and books we consume. Seeing a young, black girl as a scientist is that representation that all young girls and all black children needs.

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The Queen of Kindergarten (2022) Derrick Barnes

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I really enjoy the illustrations and overall creativity in this book. This book captures the everyday experiences of a young African American girl on her first day of school in kindergarten. This story showcases common routines such as getting dressed, meeting the teacher, and making new friends; all children can relate to. What makes it special is how these moments are filled with warmth, confidence, and pride in culture. MJ’s mother crowns her with a tiara and reminds her that a “queen” is kind, helpful, and brightens every room she enters no matter the color of her skin. This message transforms a typical experience into one that boosts self-esteem and gives a sense of purpose.The book also highlights the experiences of African American people by joyfully representing family, culture, and identity. MJ’s natural hair, her mother’s encouraging words, and the vibrant illustrations all celebrate African American beauty and strength in daily life. I love how this book empowers African American children by portraying them as confident and eager to learn. From my classroom experiences, I’ve seen how stories like this help kids view themselves as capable and valued. It’s a fantastic read-aloud that encourages pride, kindness, and a sense of belonging for all students.

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Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry is a book that highlights the everyday experiences, language variation, and cultural pride of African American people through a warm and relatable story about family and self-expression. The book is about a father learning to style his daughter's hair, which reflects a familiar experience in many black families, where hair care is bonding, creative, and a sense of cultural pride. The story's narration follows the speech pattern and affectionate language that feels authentic to African American communities. By portraying natural hair as something to embrace, this book challenges stereotypes and affirms that black hair and black identity is beautiful and should be celebrated. I believe this book is a positive representation of family life, language, love, and honors the everyday realities of African American culture in an uplifting and authentic way.

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This story shows how African American pepole dream big and strive for greatness. It's not often that African American people, we can often see how odds are stacked against them, but having the strength and courage to accomplish their goals can speak volumes. In this story we see how Eve is discouraged about being told a woman can't be president, to having faith that anything is possible because she sees that Kamala is on the brink of making history and inspiring African American people everywhere.

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How Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Showcases Everyday Experiences 

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How Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut Showcases Everyday Experiences 

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Highlights everyday African American life by centering a familiar, culturally meaningful routine by going to the barbershop. The book shows the barbershop as a community space where Black boys and men connect, talk, joke, and build confidence. Through its expressive, rhythmic language, the book incorporates African American English features in a respectful, authentic way, capturing the voice, cadence, and cultural pride of the community. The vibrant illustrations emphasize the joy, empowerment, and self-expression that come with a new haircut, while also reflecting the social bonds, traditions, and shared experiences that make the barbershop a cornerstone of African American culture. By focusing on an ordinary moment filled with cultural significance, the book offers readers insight into daily life, language, and identity within African American communities.

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In I Am Enough, the book showcases everyday experiences of African American people, primarily through its inclusive illustrations and empowering themes rooted in the author's personal background. The narrator is an African American girl heroine. While the book's message is universal, the bold title "I Am Enough" paired with the image of a young girl of color on the cover sets a specific tone of strength and self-acceptance that implicitly addresses the societal challenges related to race and self-worth that African American individuals often face.

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Last Stop On Market Street By Matt DE LA Pena

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This is a book that shows diversity beyond just skin color, but it opens up diversity to physical differences as well. It showcases that you must see the world in all of its beauty. It encourages relationships and the sense of acceptance. I love this book because it causes the child to pause and tap into their senses being in tune with senses keeps humanity alive. It opens dialogue for communication and understanding of diversity in all shapes, sizes, and color.

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The Day You Begin Jacqueline Woodson, 2018

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This book showcases a little girl's feelings when she doesn’t look like anyone else in the room. She feels too different, but learns that being different is what makes you unique, and finds the courage to connect with others and feel less alone. This book tells a beautiful and relatable story that can help children feel less invisible and also brings attention to our wonderful differences that make us who we are.

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The ABCs of Black History By Rio Cortez. Illustrated by Rio Cortez and Lauren Semmer. Published December 8, 2020

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The ABCs of Black History shows everyday parts of African American life by highlighting things like music, family, celebrations, and important heroes. The writing is fun and rhythmic and reflects the way many Black communities tell stories and share traditions. Each letter teaches something connected to African American culture, such as art, courage, pride, or powerful moments from history. The pictures also show real-life details like different skin tones, hairstyles, and clothing. These are things that many Black children can see in their own families. The book honors both famous people and regular everyday experiences, showing that Black history is made by all kinds of people. It gives African American children a positive mirror of themselves and helps other children learn about the culture in a respectful way.

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Beautiful You, Beautiful Me (2022) Written by Tasha Spillett-Sumner, Illustrated by Salini Perera 

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Beautiful You, Beautiful Me is a sweet story about a little girl named Izzy and her mama. When Izzy realized that she didn’t match her mama (look the same), she was disappointed. She wanted to be just like her mama. Izzy and her mama have different skin colors, hair types, and eye colors. Throughout the story, the mama reminds Izzy that she’s beautiful just the way she is. She said, “You’re part of me, and I’m part of you. I’m beautiful like me, and you’re beautiful like you.” By the end of the story, Izzy realized that it’s okay to look different. She is unique and beautiful just like her mama. Izzy said, “Not all mamas and babies match. But they still belong to one another.” This book can help African American children work through the struggles and emotions they might face after realizing they look different from family members and friends. It reminds children that it’s okay to look different, because everyone is beautifully made.

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Girls Like Me by Valerie Thompkins is a wonderful book for this topic. It is an empowering book that introduces the idea of STEM to little girls beautifully. This book shows diverse female-led roles in the STEM world, and is inspiring. The book has lots of different characters, and invites the child reading to embrace their interests, dream big, and follow their passions no matter what. This book showcases every day experiences and positive representations of African American girls by portraying them in a wide range of roles and personality traits, such as brave, smart, kind, creative, and powerful. The book really hones in on self-affirmations by repeating phrases like, "Girls like me are smart." It also shows everyday environments authentically, reflecting African American spaces and experiences without polarizing them. It shows cultural details like taking care of your hair routine, colorful rooms and homes, ways of dressing, etc. My favorite part of this book is how it flawlessly promotes a sense of pride and belonging for children who see themselves in this book.

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Vashti Harrison's illustration of Matthew A. Cherry's Hair Love honors African American families and daily life. The narrative centers on routines, problem solving skills, and the loving relationships between parents and children as it follows a young girl learning to style her hair with her father's assistance. The images accurately portray everyday life and ethnic hair customs, while the text uses language patterns that are comfortable and avoid stereotypes. This book offers windows of other readers to comprehend and value various cultural customs, as well as mirrors for African American children to see their experiences reflected. Teachers may utilize Hair Love to help young children develop vocabulary oral language, and social emotional skills while fostering conversations about identity, family, and personal hygiene products.

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I chose this book because it portrays the experiences African Americans face daily. The book features illustrations of children with diverse skin tones and abilities, encouraging self-love, acceptance, and rejecting negative stereotypes. Characters are shown in everyday situations, celebrating both their beauty and strength. I appreciate the empowering language, serving as a mirror for Black children to see themselves, feel valued, and understand that they are enough through positive imagery. The book highlights ordinary moments, from playing to simply existing, allowing children to connect with these experiences. It is a must-read that teaches children to value themselves regardless of skin color.

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Saturday is about an everyday day in the life of a mother and her daughter. The story follows them as they go through their Saturday plans together, dealing with small frustrations and disappointments along the way. The book highlights family relationships, routines, and emotions that are relatable to many children, allowing African American characters to be represented in a normal, everyday context rather than through stereotypes or historical hardship.

The language used in the book reflects natural conversations between a parent and child, which helps make the characters feel realistic and familiar. The dialogue and interactions show warmth, care, and resilience in a way that feels genuine and accessible to young readers. I like this book because it shows African American characters simply living their lives, solving problems, and supporting each other. It serves as a mirror for children who may see their own families and routines reflected in the story, and as a window for other children to see experiences that may include the same everyday joys and challenges as their own.

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This book showcases the everyday experiences of African American people by highlighting real Black women who began as children with dreams and interests that are relatable to all kids. The book uses warm, encouraging language and positive affirmations that reflect family and community support. Its illustrations celebrate diversity in skin tones, hairstyles, careers, and settings, showing African American excellence as a natural part of everyday life. This helps affirm identity, build pride, and allow children to see themselves reflected in meaningful and empowering ways.

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It showcases everyday experiences through a story about a mother and her child. The book does a great job of showing us the natural dialogue between one another and expressing emotions between both of them. It shows the readers/children their family life being full of love, connections, frustrations, and lived experiences.

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This book shows an important moment in African American history by focusing on everyday people and their feelings on Juneteenth. It shares the experience of freedom through simple language and powerful images, helping children understand what life was like for African American families during that time. The story honors African American voices and experiences in a respectful way and helps children learn about history through real people and emotions, not stereotypes.I would use this book to help children talk about feelings, history, and new words like freedom, celebrate, and community. From my experience, children respond well to books that talk about real events and emotions. This book supports children’s engagement in reading by encouraging discussion, questions, and connections to ideas like fairness, family, and celebration.