African American Christmas Books We Love

African American Christmas Books We Love | Heritage Mom

source: https://heritagemom.com/index.php/2020/12/02/african-american-christmas-books-we-love/

I am not sure whether to break out in a version of "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" or "Deck the Halls" because this list is both: all of our favorites for Christmastime. Each morning during December, we finish up our family time with a Christmas-themed picture book. Some of them are beloved traditional books that you are likely to find on any great list, but some of them are lesser-known books featuring families that look a lot like my own, and those are the ones I want to share with you today. As always, we have a little of this and a little of that, mixed together in just the right way.

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Our Christmas book collection grows each year, and our favorites shift as we make room on the holiday shelf for newbies mixed with the older titles. Many of these were published before I ever had my first baby, but the authors and illustrators somehow knew just what my family would someday need. After reading what we love most about each book, I hope some of our favorite African American Christmas books will become new friends for your kiddos:

Silent Night: Beautiful illustrations of a brown-skinned Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus and multicultural angels paired with a beloved Christmas carol⁣ make this a rare book that I was excited to add to our shelves. Amazing Peace: Maya Angelou's poem about people of all kinds and religious beliefs coming together in peace along with a CD of her reading it is a throwback from the 2005 White House Tree Lighting Ceremony where she read the original poem to music from the U.S. Navy Band. Mim's Christmas Jam: A tale of two children separated from their father as he dug the NYC subway in the early 1900s⁣. This is not a traditional Christmas story as much of it focuses on the father's experiences, but it is one of my favorites. I love that the workers are depicted a diverse group of men (historically accurate) and that the recipe for Mim's jam is included. O Christmas Tree: This West Indies story about a boy and his quest for the Christmas tree of his dreams is an addition that I appreciate for the story itself and for the cultural education it provides. Jackie's Gift: This is a true story about Jackie Robinson, his Jewish neighbors, a mishap, and a surprising solution. Written by Robinson's daughter and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, one of our favorite illustrators.⁣ I Got the Christmas Spirit: This is a simple book and a very quick read, but I love it all the same because it's fun, and the adorable afro puffs add some "big hair" flair to our shelves. Grace at Christmas: Though she is hesitant at first, Grace ultimately learns the value of hospitality when her family hosts strangers for the holiday. This book is part of a series of books by Mary Hoffman: Amazing Grace, Starring Grace, Boundless Grace, etc. so there are titles to last all year if your children enjoy "meeting" Grace. The Little Match Girl: This is a traditional Hans Christian Andersen story illustrated by African American artist, Jerry Pinkney. The characters in this book are not Black, but I included it here because the pictures are exquisite, and Pinkney is another one of our favorites. ⁣

Christmas Gif': This book is different than all of the others because it is not a picture book. First published in 1963, Christmas Gif' is a collection of poems, stories, songs, and plantation recipes written by and about African-Americans. "Born of a desire to share literature of the black experience with children," this book is one we read bits and pieces from each year rather than read cover to cover. I have learned just as much from this book as my children have. I don't mind it at all, but I want to call out that some of the pieces are written in Black Vernacular English (just like the Golden Slippers poetry book I recommended) which can be hard for some people to read. The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll: This is a sweet story by one of our all-time favorite authors, Patricia McKissack with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney. Two of our loves in one book is a special delight!⁣ Taking place during the Great Depression, this books demonstrates the value of relationships over things. An Angel Just Like Me: A familiar tale of a little boy on a quest for a Christmas tree angel that looks like him. This book touches upon something many brown-skinned children wonder about since angels are usually depicted as white. The Nutracker in Harlem: Admittedly, I do not absolutely love this retelling of the Nutcracker, however, I do love the book itself because of the illustrations. Sometimes it's important for kids to literally see themselves and people like them on the page, and I find value in making those images readily available in my home.

I hope your children find a new friend among my family's favorites. Please leave your favorite Christmas books in the comments! I'd love to check them out. Merry Christmas, my friends.

You can find me on Instagram at @heritagemomblog. See you there!

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