Genre: Children's 3-6
Published: February 28, 2023
Pages: 32
ABC Black History and Me presents 26 historical concepts, events, and people—from A to Z—that are important in Black American history.
From A is for Advocate to Z is for Zest, each letter of the alphabet is paired with inspirational historical concepts in this 9x9-inch board book. Along with the upbeat, rhyming text covering both well-known and more obscure topics, are colorful illustrations that promote an excitement and curiosity about Black American history. Covering trailblazers from A to Z but also chronologically, this book features a visual timeline with additional information for more in-depth learning on the people, places, and events discussed. From Harriet Tubman and Fanny Jackson Coppin to Amanda Gorman and Ketanji Brown Jackson, ABC Black History and Me covers more than 170 years in a short board book appropriate for the little ones. This book is not only perfect for getting toddlers comfortable with their ABCs, but also for reflecting on how we are all affected by this history and how even the youngest of children will affect the future.
With age-appropriate concepts and visuals, ABC Black History and Me is a perfect discussion starter for the whole family. Even adults will find something to learn in this board book!
The ABC for Me series presents a world of possibilities from A to Z and everything in between! For all little kids with big dreams, the endearing illustrations and mindful concepts in this series pair each letter of the alphabet with words that promote big dreams, inclusion, acceptance, healthy living, and other key concepts important to emotional well-being. Other books in this series include:
- ABC Love (2017)
- ABC What Can She Be? (2018)
- ABC Let’s Celebrate You & Me (2021)
- ABC Bedtime (2022)
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.
This was a rhyming book that went through several notable achievements and contributions from Black Americans (at least I think they were all Americans). I'm personally not familiar with all of them, which means this book designed for young children can easily lead to me learning some new things too. The rhymes flowed really well and never felt forced, which is always a plus for me.
The illustrations in this book were colorful and varied, showing us the various people being discussed. The names of the notable Black Americans felt almost hidden, without actually being hidden, kind of like watermarks almost. They weren't always in the same spot on the page, and it made the book feel a little more interactive trying to find them for each person mentioned.
It was a quick read with each page only have a couple lines of text to relate to the letter featured. It's a book that I could definitely read a few times, especially since the rhymes flowed so well. It's definitely a great book to read to your child, especially during Black History Month. Overall I give it 4.98 out of 5 stars. - Katie
Queenbe Monyei is a digital artist and gif creator. After graduating from UCLA, she worked abroad as a teacher in the UK, Istanbul, Denmark, and Germany while honing her craft as an illustrator. She also illustrated and published a children’s book called The Magic String. After teaching for several years, she worked on a design team as a vector illustrator before transitioning into freelancing. She is passionate about drawing marginalized groups in everyday situations through the use of bold colors, hoping to shed light on their humanity. Her art has been featured on Flow Magazine, GIPHY, The Cartoon Network, HGTV, Givingli, Mary Young, and on prints available from Target.
I read a book on Black American and Caribbean histrory, a novel, that I really liked, called Black Cake. It was fun.
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