Source: Purchased from the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum
Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra L. Pinkney
Genre: Children's Books, Picture Books, Board Books, Culture
Illustrator: Miles C. Pinkney
Buy it: Amazon
Description:
I am Black / I am Unique / I am the creamy white frost in vanilla ice cream / and the milky smooth brown in a chocolate bar...Now that I've got Baby J, I've re-entered the world of children's books. Baby J doesn't love reading time :( but I'm loving some of these books and I want to share some of our finds. Any recommendations are appreciated!
Using simple poetic language and stunning photographs, Sandra and Myles Pinkney have created a remarkable book of affirmation for African-American children. Photographic portraits and striking descriptions of varied skin tones, hair texture, and eye color convey a strong sense of pride in a unique heritage. A joyous celebration of the rich diversity among African-Americans.
Hubby and I went to the Civil Rights in Museum in Birmingham and discovered this book. I had to grab it to add to Baby J's bookshelf. He might be too young to understand but we see lots of questions from him (and others) in the future. My hubby was always asked the question, "So...what are you?" and he was always very frustrated by the questions and others were always confused by his answer.
I love love LOVE this book! The pictures are photographs and even I was surprised--and delighted--at the diversity. The words are simple and encourages acceptance. I felt the goal was to normalize differences and I think this could help all children regardless of race. There is another book by this author called "I am Latino: The Beauty in Me." Even though Baby J isn't Latino, I think it would be a great conversation starter about diversity and acceptance. Plus, I want to avoid embarrassing questions from inquisitive toddlers as much as I can.
Are there any other children's books that emphasize acceptance that I should add to our bookshelf? Let me know!
