The theme for this year’s Black History Month is African Americans and Labor. Let’s explore how African Americans have worked to help shape the world! From hardworking laborers and skilled professionals to community organizers and creative thinkers, Black people have played pivotal roles in the development of families, communities, and entire nations. This year’s theme highlights how Black American efforts—both paid and unpaid, skilled and unskilled—have left a lasting impact on history. Through the books featured in this space this month, children can discover the important contributions of Black people in areas such as education, agriculture, industry, and social justice. This week, get ready to dig into books where Black children take center stage — and are not sidekicks —  tackling real-life challenges and celebrating the power of work, family, and community!

Ages 0-3

Brown Boy Brown Boy What Can You Be? (Author: Ameshia Arthur.) A little boy shares the many things that he can grow up to do.

One Love. (Author: Cedelia Marley. Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton.) This book illustrates the Bob Marley song, One Love, and tells the story of a little girl bringing her community together to create a garden that helps to transform the neighborhood.

I, Too, Sing America. (Author: Langston Hughes. Illustrator: Katie Crumpton) This illustration of Langston Hughes’s poem, I, Too, shows a boy works hard and shows that he, too, is part of America.

Ages 3-7

Little Daymond Learns to Earn. (Author: Daymond John. Illustrator: Nicole Miles.) Little Daymond and his friends learn to work together to start a business. 

Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah! (Author: Flora Ekpe-Idang. Illustrator: Bennie Buatsie) A girl works with her friends to bring her helpful invention to life and create her own business.

Do You Know Them? (Author: Shana Keller. Illustrator: Laura Freeman.) Soon after the Civil War, a young girl works different jobs to save up enough money to buy a newspaper ad to help her find her family separated during slavery and war.

Jamal’s Busy Day. (Author: Wade Hudson. Illustrator: George Ford) Like his busy parents, a little boy shows that he also has a job - school - and has a busy day. 

Maybe I’ll be an Architect. (Author: Tanilr Bettenhausen. Illustrator: Ira Baykovska.) A little girl shows how she can pursue different career paths, but deep down, she really wants to be an architect.

Freedom Braids. (Author: Monique Duncan. Illustrator: Oboh Moses) Attempting to escape from slavery and forced labor, a child works with other women to braid maps to freedom in their hair.

Gary & the Great Inventors. (Author: Akura Marshall. Illustrator: Adriel Meka) While the family does its laundry, the twin brothers learn about and are inspired by Thomas Jennings, the first African-American to hold a patent.

I Want to Be a Doctor. (Author: Laura Driscoll. Illustrator: Catalina Echeverri.) A little boy injures his foot. While in the hospital, his big sister learns about different types of doctors.

More Than a Princess. (Author: Delanda Coleman & Terrence Coleman. Illustrator: Beatrice Mello) A princess learns from her fairy godmother that if she works hard, there are many things that she can do in the sciences, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Farmer John’s Big Lessons: In Community. (Author: Dietrich Fluellen. Illustrator: Hallinson Pulido.) After his farm burns down, a farmer learns that the years he gave seeds to his neighbors grew into a community that would help him rebuild.

My Doctor Looks Like Me. (Author: Dr. Emily D. Woolcock. Illustrator: Sanjay Vijayaverl) After his friends laugh at him for his dream of becoming a doctor, a little boy meets his new doctor who looks just like him and learns that his dream is indeed possible. (Version with a girl and woman doctor: My Doctor Looks Like Me.)

Brown Girl Brown Boy What Could You Be? (Author: Temika S. Edwards.  Illustrator: Pearly L.) A little girl and boy share about different professions to answer the question about what they can be when they grow up.)