Celebrate Black History Month Books in Chinese and English

ByBetty Choi, MD
11 Comments
20 Important children's books to celebrate Black History Month in Chinese and English

Although my children are Asian and learning Chinese, books celebrating Black heroes and regular kids are relevant to everyone. Since we’re raising bilingual children, we’re excited to share the best books for Black History Month in Chinese and English for your home and school.

Most of these Black History Month picture books have Mandarin Chinese narration via Luka Reading Robot, YouTube, and Ximalaya. I hope you can find them at your library or favorite bookstore!

Black history month picture books for kids in Chinese and English

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Best books for Black History Month and all year

This review of Black History Month books is grouped into three categories:

  1. Biography-based English and Chinese picture books about Black trailblazers in art, music, sports, and science.
  2. Books about black American leaders in Civil Rights.
  3. Everyday stories with Black protagonists.

Black History Month books about trailblazers in art, music, sports, and science

These children’s books are all about black joy! Kid-friendly prose and colorful illustrations introduce the inspiring biographies of talented Black Americans in modern history.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream / 鞋子里的盐 / 鞋子裡的鹽

Chinese Black History Month book for kids about Michael Jordan
鞋子里的盐 / 鞋子裡的鹽 Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

This heartwarming Black History Month book reveals the journey of famous basketball legend Michael Jordan, who almost gave up on his childhood dreams. His parents taught him patience, faith, and determination, which he credits as the foundation of his superstar success.

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat / 发光的孩子

发光的孩子 Radiant Child - The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat made a significant impact on the arts during his short life. Born in Brooklyn, he was influenced by museum trips with his Puerto Rican mother and listening to jazz music with his Haitian father. He became known for his unique, collage-style paintings. This Black history book shows that art doesn’t need to follow strict rules or stay neatly inside the lines to be beautiful.

The Girl with a Mind for Math / 有數學頭腦的女孩：工程師瑞‧蒙特固的故事

有數學頭腦的女孩：工程師瑞‧蒙特固的故事 / The Girl with a Mind for Math

Raye Montague was an engineer and gifted mathematician who overcame racism and sexism throughout her career. For decades, she kept her accomplishments a secret, but eventually she was recognized for contributions in naval ship design.

The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath / 眼光獨到的女孩: 派翠西亞‧巴斯醫師的故事

眼光獨到的女孩: 派翠西亞‧巴斯醫師的故事 The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath

This inspiring Black History Month book is based on Dr. Patricia Bath’s true story. Dr. Patricia Bath is an ophthalmologist, laser scientist, and inventor who pursued her talent and dreams while facing racism. Like “The Girl with a Mind for Math,” this Black history book rhymes in English.

Trombone Shorty / 长号矮子

Trombone Shorty / 长号矮子

This Black history book celebrates Troy Andrews, a Grammy-nominated musician who grew up in New Orleans. He dreamed of becoming a musician as a child, so he and his friends created their own instruments and played together. Eventually, he discovered a big, old, beat-up trombone and became a jazz star.

Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa / 和平树 / 和平樹

和平树 / 和平樹 Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa - Chinese picture book

This Black History Month book celebrates Wangari Maathai, an environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner. As a child, Wangari’s hometown in Kenya was filled with trees. As an adult, she is devastated by the forests being destroyed. She begins to plant trees, and her passion for activism grows.

  • English edition: Amazon
  • Simplified or Traditional Chinese: China Sprout
  • Mandarin narration: Luka Robot

The Water Princess / 水公主

水公主 / The Water Princess

With stunning illustrations and poetic text, we learn about activist and supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood experience of working hard to collect clean water. The book ends with real photographs of children in Africa collecting water. This is one of my daughter’s favorite picture books.

Black History Month children’s books about civil rights leaders

These children’s books celebrate brave Black Americans during enslavement and the Civil Rights movement.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. / 我有一个梦想

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. / 我有一个梦想

我有一个梦想 begins during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood when he sees a “WHITE ONLY” sign with his mother and learns about segregation. Growing up, Dr. King attended church and realized that God loves everyone the same. He becomes a minister like his father and feels hope for the future. The book takes us through his peaceful protests and “I Have a Dream” speech and ends with his unfortunate death.

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave / 陶工戴夫：藝術家，詩人，奴隸

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave / 陶工戴夫：藝術家，詩人，奴隸

This Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King award-winning book celebrates the life of Dave Drake. Known as “Dave the Potter,” he carved beautiful poems in pottery during his enslavement.

An Apple for Harriet Tubman / 自由的苹果

自由的苹果 An Apple for Harriet Tubman

In the 1800s, Harriet Tubman spent long hours picking apples, but her enslavers forbid her from enjoying the fruits of her unpaid labor. Through the atrocious hardships, she was determined to be free and grow her own apple trees. Eventually, she escaped to the North and repeatedly risked her life to return and lead many African Americans to freedom. Content warning: Some pages in this book have illustrations that suggest whipping.

Henry’s Freedom Box / 亨利的自由之箱

Henry's Freedom Box / 亨利的自由之箱

This Black History Month book is based on the true story of Henry “Box” Brown. Henry was a father who lost his beloved children when they are sold to enslavement. With the help of friends, brave Henry escapes to freedom by mailing himself in a crate to the North.

Working Cotton /摘棉花

Working Cotton /摘棉花 Black History Month Book

The Caldecott Honor Book, Working Cotton, reflects on author Sherley Anne Williams’ childhood life, laboring in the fields. The illustrations show the family strenuously picking cotton during hot, harsh days.

Everyday stories for Black History Month

Although the following stories are fiction, we appreciate the relatable curiosity, joy, disappointment, and range of emotions. These realistic books are uplifting for Black History Month and all year round.

下雪天 / The Snowy Day

下雪天 The Snowy Day Chinese and English picture books for Black History Month by Ezra Jack Keats
下雪天 The Snowy Day

This Caldecott Medal book is cute and relatable. It features a child who experiences the magic of the first snowfall, footprints, and snow angels. Published in 1962, it was one of the first children’s books about Black joy. The big font in both language editions makes reading more accessible.

Ada Twist, Scientist / 阿达想当科学家 / 我做得到! 小科學家艾達

Ada Twist, Scientist / 阿达想当科学家 / 我做得到! 小科學家艾達

Inspired by scientists Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this New York Times best-selling book celebrates black joy. Ada is determined to explore her many questions through science experiments, but they don’t always go as planned. Over time, she learns about the power of perseverance and curiosity.

NOTE: 阿达, the simplified Chinese translation of Ada, is slang for “idiot” in previous Taiwanese and southern Chinese regions. As language evolved, this vernacular became less prevalent in younger generations. The traditional Chinese translation, 艾達, is neutral.

Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me / 等爸爸来敲门

Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me / 等爸爸来敲门

Every morning, a little boy looks forward to waking up from his dad’s knock on his door. One day, the knock doesn’t come. He doesn’t know if or when his father will return. He writes a letter, longing for his father’s presence.

A few months later, his father confirms that he cannot return. But the dad encourages the child to depend on himself and to knock open new doors to near dreams, even though he can’t be together.

Peter’s Chair / 彼得的椅子

Peter's Chair / 彼得的椅子

This sweet book celebrates a Black family preparing for a new sibling. Peter’s baby sister will be born soon, so his father paints all of Peter’s baby furniture pink. Peter is upset, runs off with his dog, and hides in his house, but he learns to love his sister.

Last Stop on Market Street / 市场街最后一站

Last Stop on Market Street children's book

This book about gratitude is heartwarming in English and Chinese. While riding a bus from church to a soup kitchen, a little boy asks his grandmother about their circumstances, like why they don’t have a car or iPod. Grandma’s heartwarming answers help children see the positive and cultivate a thankful heart.

The Paper Boy / 小报童 / 送報男孩

送報男孩 The Paperboy children's book

This gorgeous Caldecott Honor-winning picture book celebrates the peace of a little boy’s morning job with his puppy companion. When everyone else is asleep, the boy and his pet wake up early to deliver newspapers—a calming, invigorating routine.

Hi, Cat! / 嗨，小猫 / 嗨！小貓

Hi, Cat! / 嗨，小猫 / 嗨！小貓

A little boy, Archie, catches the attention of a stray cat, who follows him around. When the cat ruins an important show, Archie becomes frustrated with the cat. As they spend more time together, Archie discovers a new friendship.

What are your favorite picture books for celebrating Black History Month?

If you get these books, please share your favorites in the comments below! I hope these recommendations can bring your family new insight and experiences!

More diverse picture books for kids in Chinese and English

Best Asian American Picture Books for AAPI Heritage Month

100 Picture Books That Celebrate Asians in English and Chinese

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Best Picture Books for Women’s History Month in Chinese and English

Chinese and English books about Thanksgiving and Native Americans

Thanksgiving and Native American Picture Books for Kids

Hispanic Heritage Month Books in English, Spanish, Chinese

Inspiring Books for Hispanic Heritage Month in Chinese, English, Spanish

Betty Choi, MD

Dr. Betty Choi is a Harvard-trained pediatrician and mother on a mission to connect families through language and play. Chalk Academy was inspired by her trials and triumphs with relearning a heritage language and raising bilingual children in a monolingual community. Dr. Choi's advice has been featured in PBS, CNN, Parents, Healthline, and The Atlantic.

11 Comments

  1. Hi, Betty, thank you very much for this great list! I followed your recommendations and ordered a lot of them from JD. These stories about black people are fascinating for my 7-year-old boy. Last year at Kinder, he learned about Martin Luthern King at school with his English teacher too. I am happy to read to him about MLK in Chinese.

    Reply

    1. Hi Vivian! So glad that your son is learning about MLK in school and that you were able to find many of these books on JD! Thanks for taking the time to comment; it’s great to hear from you!

      Reply

  2. Love your posts as I’m a new mama and don’t have much knowledge on most things. Getting great information and ideas here

    Reply

    1. Hi Ada! Thanks so much for taking the time to write. I’m glad to hear the post is helpful! I have to credit a lot of great Black teacher mamas who inspired me to put together this post!

      Reply

  3. I love Peace Tree 和平樹

    Reply

  4. Thank you so much for your blog and book recommendations! I haven’t bought any books that has some diversity in it, most of our books were hand me downs and haven’t seen any diversity in them as well. These would be great to start.

    Reply
  5. Sarah Nguyen says:

    Thanks for curating this list of books, and also taking the time to provide links to Traditional Chinese versions. I’m going to buy a bunch of these!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sarah! Thanks for the kind note! I’m glad that you were able to find books for your family!

      Reply

  6. These are wonderful resources! It’s fantastic that they also come with audio narration for a full immersive experience =)

    Reply
  7. Cathy Phan says:

    Thank you for sharing these great resources! I love your blog and it’s helpful for me during shelter in place and coming up with activities for my two children for Chinese immersion.

    Reply

    1. Hi Cathy! Thank you for taking the time to write! I’m so glad to hear the ideas and resources have been helpful for your family! 🙂 Please let me know if I can help with anything else!

      Reply

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