51风流

If you鈥檙e like me, you might have a soft spot for the books you grew up with; Good Night Moon, Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Giving Tree. The classics are great, but 2020 offers a whole new wave of insightful, cultural, and fun books to enjoy with budding readers.听

Ready to take a chance on something new? We鈥檝e rounded up a few of our favorite recent books by talented authors and illustrators of color. Their #OwnVoices听perspectives offer a uniquely personal experience to the stories and illustrations they share.

Check out these can鈥檛 miss reads from authors/illustrators of color

Vanessa Brantley-Newton, author and illustrator of

This book is a collection of poems celebrating all types of girls, each with their own hopes, dreams, and feelings. Vanessa鈥檚 rhythmic prose and gorgeous illustrations bring each girl鈥檚 unique personality into focus, inspiring readers of all ages.

Vanessa is also the author of Grandma鈥檚 Purse. She听illustrated well-known works such as The King of Kindergarten, by Derrick Barnes, and A Night Out with Mama, written by Academy Award-nominated actress Quvenzhan茅 Wallis. Her 听shares, 鈥淲hen [Vanessa] read Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, it was the first time she saw herself in a children鈥檚 book. It was a defining moment in her life, and has made her into the artist she is today. As an illustrator, she includes children of all ethnic backgrounds in her stories and artwork. She wants all children to see their unique experiences reflected in the books they read, so they can feel the same sense of empowerment and recognition she experienced as a young reader.鈥�

Oge Mora, author and illustrator of

A 2019 Caldecott Honor Book

Winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award

This richly illustrated book tells the story of a generous woman named Omu. One night, while听 cooking herself dinner, she receives some unexpected visitors. Her response will warm your heart. Readers will love following along to see the power of gratitude.

Oge Mora also 听Saturday and The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read and illustrated听. Oge grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with an Illustration degree. Per her , she’s a fan of all things colorful, patterned, or collaged, and she enjoys creating warm stories that .

Christian Robinson, author and illustrator of

In his first book, well-known illustrator Christian Robinson takes readers on a creative, thought-provoking adventure to another world. The book, which has no words,听uses vivid pictures to depict the main character, a young girl, discovering unique passageways that lead her to a startling discovery.

Christian has also illustrated the #1 New York Times bestseller听,听written by Matt de la Pe帽a. This book won a Caldecott Honor, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and the Newbery Medal. Additionally, Christian illustrated听Gaston and Antoinette听written by Kelly DiPucchio. His new book, ,听comes out on May 5, 2020. From Christian鈥檚 , 鈥淒rawing became a way to make space for himself and to create the kind of world he wanted to see.鈥�

Juana Martinez-Neal, author and illustrator of

A 2019 Caldecott Honor Book

Juana Martinez-Neal鈥檚 debut picture book introduces Alma, a little girl with a very long name. This heart-warming tale invites readers to follow along as Alma learns where her name comes from, and gets the chance to make it her own.

Martinez-Neal has also illustrated titles such as听听written by Beth Ferry (to be released in May 2020) and听,听written by Kevin Noble Maillard. Per her ,听Juana grew up and studied painting in Lima, Peru, and now lives with her family in Scottsdale, Arizona. 听that, 鈥渢he essence of ALMA, which has autobiographical elements, is we are everyone that came before us, and at the same time, we are uniquely ourselves.鈥�

Ibtihaj Muhammad, author of

Ibtihaj Muhammad, Olympic medalist and social justice activist, partners with S.K. Ali to joyfully reveal the bond between Faizah and her older sister Asiya, as Asiya navigates her first day of hijab at their school. Together, the sisters face adversity and emerge prouder than ever of who they are.

Muhammad is a 听five-time Senior World medalist and World Champion. In 2016, Ibtihaj became the first American woman to compete in the Olympics in hijab. Ibtihaj was a 3-time All American at Duke University where she graduated with a dual major in International Relations and African Studies.

 

Which one of these amazing books will you pick up first?