Empowering Picture Books

This gorgeous picture book is a story of empowerment and affirmations written by actress and activist Grace Byers. As a biracial CODA (Child Of Deaf Adults), Grace was bullied throughout her childhood. This led her to write her first picture book to empower young girls to believing in themselves and being kind to others. I love the illustrations in this book!

From the duo that brought us Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, I Am Every Good Thing is about a confident Black narrator who is proud of himself and loves who he is. He deals with frustrations by never giving up and is adventurous, funny, and has big dreams. A must have book for every child (and adult!).

This book makes me cry every time I read it. The story is all about reminding readers to honor themselves and their emotions, empowering girls to be strong, courageous, and bold. And if this book doesn’t make you cry, read this article written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, You May Want to Marry My Husband, published in the New York Times on March 5, 2017.

I am a fan of every picture book that Bryan Collier illustrates, and All Because You Matter is no exception. The powerful words affirm to children everywhere that they matter in every stage of life, from their birth to first steps to growing up and becoming a teenager. Even in the midst of current events and the tragedies in our history, this book tells us that we matter in this moment.

In this lush book, a couple celebrates the arrival fo their baby. Before the world meets the new one, the family is on their babymoon, oohing and aahing over the newborn’s features and learning new things about this baby as they become a family. This is a lovely book to share with young readers to remind them of the joy at their arrival into the world.