Preschool Books for Black History Month
February is here and it is the perfect time to introduce your little one to preschool books for Black History Month. The books we’ve selected highlight important Black figures in history and some were even written by those who’ve made history, themselves!
Your preschooler will appreciate that the books below are hardcover, with the perfect amount of text per page, and feature colorful illustrations which will hold their interest! Keep these books in rotation and celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans to our country, all year long.
1. Black Is a Rainbow Color
This is one of our favorite preschool books for Black History Month. This rhyming book opens with a little girl sitting on a front porch coloring a rainbow. She states, “my color is black…and there’s no black in rainbows.” The rest of the book talks about what black is, and makes multiple references to Black history i.e. “the robe on Thurgood’s back”; “the man who gave the world his dream”, “birds in cages that sing”, and more. The illustrations in this book are bursting with color.
At the end of the book, the authors shares a personal story she experienced with her young children during their first Black History Month lesson. She also includes a playlist, historical references to Black history and culture. Grab this book!
2. Bunheads
Our next recommended preschool books for Black History Month was written by Misty Copeland- the first Black female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. This story walks us through a little girl’s introduction to dance class. The reader is guided through various ballet steps, the story of Coppelia, auditioning for a part, practicing over and over again, and finally, performing on opening night! The illustrations are done in mostly bronze hues, which allows the reader to really focus on the dancers. This book is probably more appropriate for a lower elementary student, but if you have a preschooler interested in dance, they will love this book!
3. A Neighborhood Walk, A Musical Journey
Our next favorite preschool books for Black History Month was written by Pilar Winter Hill – the first Black major prize winner in an international violin competition. The story takes the reader for a walk with a little girl and her mother on the way to the farmer’s market. They encounter various musicians along the way – a saxophonist on the street corner; drummers in the subway station; a flautist; a cellist and more! The little girl is drawn to the sounds of the music she hears and the reader is introduced to words like ‘tempo’. This book would be perfect for your music-loving preschooler!
4. Who Was Jackie Robinson?
Another one of our favorite preschool books for Black History Month is ‘Who Was Jackie Robinson?’. This book tells the story of Jackie Robinson as a youth and presents several examples of unequal treatment Black people faced due to their race. You see Jackie enter adulthood, rise to greatness on the baseball field and then focus his attention on advocating for equal rights for Black people. The last page is a beautiful summary of Jackie Robinson’s life, better understood by a lower elementary student.
5. A Children’s Anthem
Our final pick for preschool books for Black History Month was written by Amanda Gorman – the first National Youth Poet Laureate. It features a confident young girl with a guitar. She makes powerful statements such as, “I don’t fear change coming; and so I sing along”; “I use my strengths and my smarts; take a knee to make a stand”. The guitar accompanies the girl as she helps others within her community. Toward the end of the book the little girl makes a statement our children should always remember: “I am just what the world needs.”
Have younger children? Click here for the must-read baby books and toddler books for Black History Month.
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