Favorite African American Children's Book Authors

February recognizes Black History month in the United States. Many libraries, classrooms and families use this celebration as a good inspiration for introducing children to African American author's works that they will enjoy reading through out the year.

Bill Cosby, author of the Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers Series:

Along with being a comedian and television star, did you know that Bill Cosby is also a children's book author? There are seven books in the Little Bill series that is also a television show on Nick Jr.

These beginning-reader books are published by Scholastic and Oprah Book Club editions are published by Cartwheel. Little Bill books are excellent choices for children reading on the K-3 reading level and are fun read aloud story time books for ages 4 through 8. Little Bill books are approximately 40 pages long and are broken into two or three chapters.

Each Little Bill book centers on Little Bill, his family and friends. While the intergenerational stories include loving adults, it is the children who drive these stories, solve problems and draw valuable conclusions.

Titles in the Little Bill series by Bill Cosby:

Super-Fine Valentine

The Meanest Thing to Say

One Dark and Scary Night

The Best Way to Play

The Treasure Hunt

Money Trouble

Shipwreck Saturday

The Best Way to Play

To give you an example of the Little Bill series storylines, in The Best Way to Play, Little Bill and his friends are consumed by a Space Explorers television show and getting the Space Explorers Video game. They are trying all kinds of ideas to get the game. In the mean time they build a homemade spaceship and have so much fun playing with it that they discover that making their own fun is "the best way to play."

The Best Way to Play and The Meanest Thing to Say were both chosen as Oprah's Book Club books.

Super-Fine Valentine is an excellent choice for February as Little Bill struggles with making and giving a special Valentine to his school friend Mia at the school Valentine's Day party. Kids can really relate to Little Bill's mixed feelings.

Illustrator Varnette P. Honeywood:

Little Bill books are illustrated by artist Varnette P. Honeywood whose art work has been shown in collections throughout Africa and the United States as well as on adult and children's book jackets including Let's Get the Rhythm of the Band.

Little Bill books are a winning choice for introducing young children to the work of African American authors and illustrators. The dialogue, humor and simple kid-relatable themes make Little Bill books a favorite for young readers.

More favorite African American children's book authors include:

Ezra Jack Keats is the award winning author of many of children's books including The Snowy Day and Pet Show.

Lisa-Cline Ransome is the author of Satchell Paige, a favorite of baseball history fans.

Andrea Davis Pinkney is a New York Times best-selling author of African American biographies for children including Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuoso.

Sources:

Super-Fine Valentine by Bill Cosby

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/587817/black_history_month_lesson_plans_that.html?cat=4

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1506786/black_history_month_childrens_books.html?cat=4