 Well-known holidays like Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving mark November, but did you know that November is National Family Caregivers Month too? Data from the National Alliance for Caregiving shows that more than 65 million Americans serve as family caregivers for family members with an illness or disability. Check out this essential round-up of 8 Black children’s books celebrating, appreciating, and highlighting family caregivers.  Last Stop on Market Street takes us on a trip with a young boy named CJ and his Nana’s to the soup kitchen. During this trip, CJ becomes aware of how their life circumstances differ from those around him. When these thoughts cause CJ to wish that he lived differently, his Nana is there to help teach him to see the beauty in their surroundings and to appreciate what they do have.  "My Brother Charlie" follows a young sister as she lives with her twin brother who has autism. He experiences some challenges communicating with words, and his family learns essential lessons about love, tolerance, hope and togetherness.  Thank you, Omu! shows us how important our communities are by teleporting us to a little girl named Omu’s kitchen; where she’s making a big pot of red stew. Omu’s cooking is so magnificent that the aroma from her stew wafts right out the window and to everyone in the neighborhood. Omu shares her stew with all of her neighbors, but when she goes to make her own bowl, her pot is empty. Before she has a chance to be saddened by this, her neighbors return with their own home cooked meals to share with her.  This book allows us to visit many different families and shows us how different family dynamics can look. From Mommy, Daddy, Aunt, or Granny, "Who Takes Care of You?" shows appreciation towards all the different caretakers in a child's life.  Daddy’s Arms is told from the perspective of a boy with a wild imagination who loves being in his fathers arms, but not just because he feels safety and strength radiating from them, but because he envisions his father’s arms as mountains he can climb and trees that he can hang from. This book celebrates Black fathers and shows the power of a dad’s loving presence in his child’s life.  Taking place in the 1920s, Uncle Jed’s Barbershop invites us to meet Sarah Jean and her Uncle Jed, the only black barber in the county. Uncle Jed dreams of opening up his own barbershop, but when unforeseen circumstances like Sarah Jean’s emergency operation and the great depression hit, Uncle Jed’s dream appears to move farther from reality.  Grandma’s Hand’s follows the life of Shonda; a girl that’s navigating not only the loss of her mother but also, the loss of her friends now that she must move away to live with her grandma. This book takes us on Shonda’s journey of coping, but also takes time to show appreciation for grandparents that have chosen to step up as caretakers.  When Alvina’s parents go away on Holiday, Alvina’s 2 grandma’s move in to take care of her. What seemed like an amazing idea at first, quickly takes a turn for the worse when Granny Vero, who is from the Caribbean, and Granny Rose, who is from England, vie for the chance to be in charge. My Two Grannies teaches us the importance of accepting and celebrating our differences while showing us just how diverse one family can be.
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August 2024
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