Without hesitation, I’m boldly proclaiming the novel-in-verse One Big Open Sky as one of my top picks for 2024. In this captivating story, eleven-year-old Lettie and her family join a caravan of Black homesteaders on a months-long journey from Mississippi to Nebraska. Author Lesa Cline-Ransome provides an incredibly authentic portrayal of fictive kinship bonds within […] The post One Big Open Sky: Black Homesteaders first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post One Big Open Sky: Black Homesteaders appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

Nearly every genre of American music has been influenced by or has roots in African American music, and these picture books of Black musicians will help children (and their parents and teachers) learn about the rhythms, sounds, and trailblazers of Black music. Much like Black visual artists, these musicians have amazing life histories that informed […] The post Picture Books of Black Musicians first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Picture Books of Black Musicians appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

Viva Durant is an ordinary teenager who becomes an amateur detective while visiting her grandmother in New Orleans. In the series opener, she investigates an article claiming that a secret treasure map is hidden in the words of the hand-clapping rhyme “Miss Mary Mack.” Viva’s most recent adventure was just released, and I’m thrilled to […] The post Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

A few years ago, I shared 17 Picture Books Featuring Black Artists, which are still some of my favorite children’s books about Black artists. Since then, many more artist books have been published, and I’ve been introduced to others I missed the first time, so I’m updating the list with a fresh batch of winning […] The post Children’s Books About Black Artists first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Children’s Books About Black Artists appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

I need more books like I need a hole in my head, yet… I continue to purchase them. Part of my excuse is that I’m homeschooling four children, and that legitimately requires a ton of books. We rely extensively on our local library to borrow books, but I also deeply value our home library. I […] The post Library Book Sale Haul first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Library Book Sale Haul appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

I adore poetry, and in recent years, I’ve clung to Black verse novels for myself, my children, and the kiddos in my book club. Narrative poetry is growing in popularity, and for good reason. The format lends itself to creative writing at its best, and the authors who are trying their hand at it are […] The post Black Verse Novels for Young People first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Black Verse Novels for Young People appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

Attending an HBCU changed my life, and the new book HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience reminded me of how profound the experience was. ⁣⁣Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are lifelines where Black students are educated and nurtured in an environment that isn’t duplicated ANYWHERE within American society. ⁣⁣It’s a wondrous, […] The post HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

If I had a dollar for every time someone tells me that race shouldn’t matter when it comes to choosing children’s books, I’d be writing this post from the porch of my exotic villa in some warm oceanfront locale. But instead, I’m typing away on a turbulent plane ride as I try to remain focused […] The post Why Race Matters in Children’s Literature first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Why Race Matters in Children’s Literature appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

My Tweeners book club (4th and 5th grade boys and girls) recently read Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas, and everyone loved it. The Heritage Book Club has been going strong since 2017, and it’s been an incredible experience. If you’d like to know more, you can read How to Start a Book Club and […] The post Book Club Notes: Nic Blake and the Remarkables first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Book Club Notes: Nic Blake and the Remarkables appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more

Viva Durant is an ordinary teenager who becomes an amateur detective while visiting her grandmother in New Orleans. In the series opener, she investigates an article claiming that a secret treasure map is hidden in the words of the hand-clapping rhyme “Miss Mary Mack.” Viva’s most recent adventure was just released, and I’m thrilled to […] The post Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball first appeared on Heritage Mom. The post Viva Durant and the Mystery at the Masquerade Ball appeared first on Heritage Mom ..read more