The Best Children’s Books of All Time – NAACP Image Award
Outstanding Literary Work – Children
A listing of the best children’s books of all time is not complete without books that celebrate black voices. The NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work honors works crafted by Black authors that highlight excellence in our communities. The NAACP Image Award children’s literature category has been awarded since 1996. The first book being ‘Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales and True Tales” by Virginia Hamilton (1995). It was in the 2000s that awards were given annually. The following children’s books were nominated in 2021.
2021 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Literary Work – Nominees:
- I Promise – LeBron James
- Just Like a Mama – Alice Faye Duncan
- Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice – Nikki Grimes
- She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm – Katheryn Russell – Brown
- The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver – Gene Barretta
Here is a summary of the children’s books on this list:
I Promise – LeBron James
Goodreads Summary: LeBron James’ “I Promise” is a lively and inspiring picture book that reminds us that tomorrow’s success starts with the promises we make to ourselves and our community today.
Featuring James’s upbeat, rhyming text and vibrant illustrations perfectly crafted for a diverse audience by New York Times bestselling artist Nina Mata, this book has the power to inspire all children and families to be their best.
Perfect for shared reading in and out of the classroom, I Promise is also a great gift for graduation, birthdays, and other occasions.
Just Like a Mama – Alice Faye Duncan
Goodreads Summary: Carol Olivia Clementine lives with Mama Rose. Mama Rose is tender and sweet—everything a child could wish for in a parent. But she is also as stern and demanding as any good parent should be. In the midst of their happy home, Carol Olivia Clementine misses her mother and father. While she longs to be with them, she also learns to embrace the love that is present. Mama Rose becomes her “home.” And Carol Olivia Clementine concludes that she loves Mama Rose “just like a mama.”
This sweet read-aloud is, on the surface, all about the everyday home life a caregiver makes for her young charge: Mama Rose teaches Carol Olivia Clementine how to ride a bike, clean her room, tell time. A deeper look reveals the patience, intention, and care a child receives in the arms of a mother whose blood is not her blood, but whose bond is so deep, so unconditional, that it creates the perfect conditions for a child to feel safe, successful, and deeply loved.
Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice – Nikki Grimes
Goodreads Summary: Discover the story of a young daughter of immigrants who would grow up to be the first woman, first Black person, and first South Asian American ever elected Vice President of the United States in this picture book biography of Kamala Harris.
When Kamala Harris was young, she often accompanied her parents to civil rights marches—so many, in fact, that when her mother asked a frustrated Kamala what she wanted, the young girl responded with: “Freedom!”
As Kamala grew from a small girl in Oakland to a senator running for president, it was this long-fostered belief in freedom and justice for all people that shaped her into the inspiring figure she is today. From fighting for the use of a soccer field in middle school to fighting for the people of her home state in Congress, Senator Harris used her voice to speak up for what she believed in and for those who were otherwise unheard. And now this dedication has led her all the way to being elected Vice President of the United States.
She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm – Katheryn Russell – Brown
Goodreads Summary: A timely, inspiring picture book biography of the dynamic twentieth-century educator, activist, and politician Shirley Chisholm. Even as a young child growing up in the 1920s, Shirley Chisholm was a leader. At the age of three, older children were already following her lead in their Brooklyn neighborhood.
As a student at Brooklyn College, Shirley could outtalk anyone who opposed her on the debate team. After graduating, she used her voice and leadership to fight for educational change. In community groups, she stood up for the rights of women and minorities. Her small stature and fiery determination often took people by surprise. But they listened.
In 1964, Shirley took her voice and leadership to politics, becoming the first Black woman elected to the New York State Assembly, and in 1968, the first Black woman elected to Congress. Then in 1972, she became the first Black woman to seek the presidency of the United States. She pushed for laws that helped women, children, students, poor people, farm workers, Native people, and others who were often ignored. She fought for healthcare. She spoke up for military veterans. She spoke out against war
Shirley Chisholm, a woman of many firsts, was an unforgettable political trailblazer, a candidate of the people and catalyst of change who opened the door for women in the political arena and for the first Black president of the United States.
The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver – Gene Barretta
Goodreads Summary: When George Washington Carver was just a young child, he had a secret: a garden of his own.
Here, he rolled dirt between his fingers to check if plants needed more rain or sun. He protected roots through harsh winters, so plants could be reborn in the spring. He trimmed flowers, spread soil, studied life cycles. And it was in this very place that George’s love of nature sprouted into something so much more—his future.
Gene Barretta’s moving words and Frank Morrison’s beautiful paintings tell the inspiring life and history of George Washington Carver, from a baby born into slavery to celebrated botanist, scientist, and inventor. His passion and determination are the seeds to this lasting story about triumph over hardship—a tale that begins in a secret garden.
and the winner of the 2021 NAACP Image Awards:
See below for a full list of winners:
Are you looking for more lists like this? Make sure to check out our other infographics.
Trying to find more time in your day to read-aloud awesome books like this with your children? Check out this blog post for actionable tips.
Have you seen our coloring book highlighting Black Heroes? Check it out here.
❤️ Quinn
