This Bestselling Book About Black History Should Be On Every Kid's Bookshelf
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Black history is American history, this month and every month. And there’s no better way to introduce kids to each Black triumph and tragedy than with this New York Times-bestselling children’s book: The ABCs of Black History.
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There’s a good reason why this book not only landed on the NYT’s bestseller list, but is also an Amazon bestseller — we cannot say enough about the amazing combination of rich prose and vibrant illustrations. Award-winning poet Rio Cortez and illustrator Lauren Semmer teamed up to create magic on each page, and The ABCs of Black History is absolutely captivating.
Written in rhyme, the engaging and lyrical text weaves its way throughout even the darkest parts of Black history with grace. The Times review says that “… Cortez leads readers on a journey through Black life that acknowledges pain and struggle while building confidence with examples of triumph. It’s a tricky maneuver when writing for children, but Cortez pulls it off.”
The ABCs of Black History
The letter E, for example, says this: “E is for explore, to study a place: like Matthew Henson, the Arctic; Mae Jemison, space.” On the next page, it says, “E is for education, for expanding the mind, like Ruby Bridges, Linda Brown, the Little Rock Nine — the first Black children in all-white schools, they opened the doors and challenged the rules.”
To get kids even further immersed in these important lessons in Black history, there’s a glossary at the back of the book where each letter is explained in-depth, with historical and cultural context that’s easy to understand.
From the Black Lives Matter movement to the Harlem Renaissance, from Zora Neale Hurston to Malcolm X, The ABCs of Black History is a stunning tribute to Black life, legacy, and culture — and an absolute must-have for every kid’s bookshelf.
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