Picture Books Celebrating Black History Month

This February marks the 50th anniversary of Black History Month. In 1976, President Gerald Ford established Black History Month to bring attention to the contributions of Black Americans and address the historical exclusions of Black Americans from mainstream history lessons. In 1986, the United States Congress passed a law to formally establish Black History Month. It all started one hundred years ago in 1926 when Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. 

These illustrated biographies highlight the contributions of three unique African Americans who played important roles in the struggle for equality in America.  

Carter Reads the Newspaper by Deborah Hopkinson; Illustrated by Don Tate

Carter G. Woodson was born in Virginia after the Civil War. Both of his parents had been born into slavery. Since slaves were not taught to read, Carter read newspaper articles to his father. Because Carter spent most of his time working on a farm he only attended school for four months each year. As a teenager Carter worked in a coal mine. He discovered books written by African American authors while working with a Civil War veteran named Oliver Jones. Mr. Jones provided books and newspapers for the miners and even created a reading room in his home. Once again, it was Carter’s job to read the newspaper out loud to others. When the miners had questions, Carter searched the newspapers for answers. At age twenty, Carter began high school which he completed in only two years. He went on to college, became a teacher, and earned two advanced degrees. 

Carter loved learning about history but wondered why the lessons rarely mentioned African Americans. Because he questioned the absence of stories about African Americans in United States history classes and he founded the first Black History Week in 1926, Carter G. Woodson is known as the father of Black History.  

Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina by Lea Lyon and A. LaFaye; Illustrated by Jessica Gibson

Have you ever heard of the bookmobile ballerina? 

As a child, Sylvia Townsend watched ballet dancers performing on television and longed to learn to do leaps and twirls herself. Her family couldn’t afford expensive dancing lessons so she visited the bookmobile in her town to find books about dancing. Determined to be a dancer, she made her own ballet barre, practiced ballet positions and steps, and taught dance moves to children in her neighborhood which earned her the nickname Bookmobile Ballerina. When Sylvia performed in her school talent show, one dancer suggested Sylvia audition for a well-known Russian ballet teacher. Even though Sylvia had never taken a dance class before, Madame Sawicka was so impressed with her performance that she offered to giver her free dance lessons. As an adult, Sylvia Townsend created her own dance company and opened her own school—the Art of Ballet School of Dance. 

To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights by Angela Dalton; Illustrated by Lauren Semmer In the 1960s Black actresses typically only played the roles of servants on television. Things changed in 1966 when Nichelle Nichols was cast as Lieutenant Uhura on the popular television show Star Trek and created one of the most memorable characters in science fiction.

When she was growing up, Nichelle loved performing, singing, and dancing. Her groundbreaking role on the television show Star Trek did not please everyone and at one low point Nichelle felt so discouraged that she told the producer she was going to leave the show. A chance meeting with Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and hearing how much he and other African Americans felt when they watched Nichelle crossing the galaxy as Uhura inspired her to change her mind and return to the set. Nichelle Nichols was a true trailblazer off screen, too. In real life she worked with NASA to recruit candidates, particularly women and minorities, interested in the venturing into space.

Discover more children's books about African Americans on our African American Culture Picture Books booklist.

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist

Sharon Forks Library

The Secret Science of Goodnight Moon: More Than Just a Bedtime Story

For generations of families, Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon has been the ultimate signal that the day is done. Its rhythmic, repetitive text is designed to soothe children. We recently learned  that this childhood staple has a superpower many of us never realized.

A patron at Post Road Library shared that after her mother lost her hearing, she underwent cochlear implant surgery. To navigate the challenging process of relearning how to hear and speak, she chose a nostalgic classic as her primary textbook: Goodnight Moon.

Why? Because this simple story contains nearly every phoneme (the distinct units of sound) in the English language.

The Librarian’s Deep Dive: 

Inspired by this story, I did some digging. It turns out this isn't just a library legend! My research led me to a fascinating phonological map created by a linguist at the University of Michigan named John Lawler.

While the original website had vanished from the live internet, I was able to “time travel” to find it. By using the Wayback Machine, a digital archive of the internet, I recovered the data that confirms how the specific word choices in the book cover the vast spectrum of English sounds. The map can be found here. 

This discovery highlights two things we love at FCPL:

The Versatility of our Collection

A book in our Children’s Department is not just for children; it can be a vital tool for an adult navigating a medical recovery, or even learning a new language!

Digital Literacy

Finding archived information like the phonological map is exactly what our staff loves to help with.

Margaret Wise Brown is also the author of many other children’s books that we have available for you to check out right here at FCPL! Browse through our collection of Margaret Wise Brown’s books here.

If you are looking for a specific resource that seems to have disappeared from the internet, or if you're interested in learning how to use tools like the Wayback Machine on our Public Access Computers (PACs), just ask! Whether it's for speech practice, research, or nostalgia, we’re always here to help you find the right words.

Kara Nitschke Tessendorf

Youth Specialist 

Post Road Library

Winter Reads by Mood

Cold nights can feel dark and long, perfect for cozying up with a good book. Whether you’re in the mood for a bone-chilling thriller or a fluffy romance, here are some recommended winter reads. 

Chiller Thrillers 

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

This chilling thriller is set during a snow storm, making it the perfect winter read. A true-crime writer encounters a mysterious lost child while researching a crime that occurred in the same house years before. As they’re stuck inside due to the snow, the story slowly weaves together and the reader uncovers stories about the past and present. 

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Another thriller set in the winter season, this suspense novel is about an isolated father and daughter living in the woods. When their annual supply drop doesn’t arrive, the father has to confront ghosts from his past and debate their hidden existence while the threat of winter looms on the horizon. 

Classics By The Fire

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

A perfect classic for cold nights, Wuthering Heights explores themes of tormented love, revenge, and destruction while set on the bleak moors of Yorkshire. The dark setting and captivating story will keep readers entertained while lounging by the warm fire. 

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Filled with snow and magic, the timeless classic tells the story of the Pevensie children as they attempt to help Aslan break the curse and defeat the White Witch. This classic children’s novel is perfect for the cold as the land of Narnia is stuck in a permanent winter.

Cozy Romance

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree 

This popular book blends fantasy and lighthearted romance, keeping readers warm and cozy in winter months. Viv, a retired adventurer, buys a coffee shop. A host of lovable characters help her build her dream cafe, including the cute barista she hires. 

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston 

Part contemporary and part paranormal romance, The Dead Romantics is a heartwarming love story perfect for reading when you’re warm and comfortable under a blanket. The story focuses on a ghostwriter who can literally see ghosts as she navigates through grief and newfound love at the same time. 

Winter Fantasy

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

This atmospheric fantasy novel is magical and intimate, ideal for reading on a long, cold night when you just want to stay home. After Adelin LaRue makes a deal with a dark god, she is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets, though in exchange she gets to live forever. The book is heartbreaking and beautifully written, contemplating what it means to live and die. 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy is set in a wintery, cold land based on Russia. The novel features lots of ice and snow as Alina Starkov reveals her Grisha powers and travels to the winter court in order to train with the mysterious and powerful Darkling. Darkness looms over the land as she discovers hidden secrets about the Grisha. 

Interested in reading the titles above? They are all in our collection! Use your library card to check one out or put one on hold today.

Britt Poteet

Youth Specialist

Hampton Park Library