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BEAUTIFUL BLACK BOY

Name: BEAUTIFUL BLACK BOY
Author: Sophia Robinson
ISBN: 9781338864649

by Sophia Robinson ; illustrated by Ken Daley ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 7, 2026

A vibrant, joyful ode to Black boyhood and self-love.

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Inspired by the soothing words she whispered to her baby son, Robinson has crafted a lyrical series of affirmations centered on the beauty, brilliance, and potential of Black boys.

Each spread delivers a concise declaration: “Beautiful Black Boy, / You are imaginative. / Believe in the impossible. Dream big.” The text is simple but purposeful, presenting qualities such as strength, hope, and resilience with clarity and pride. Robinson’s rhythmic phrasing reads like a mantra, encouraging readers to internalize the message. Daley’s vibrant illustrations amplify the book’s joyful spirit. Each spread features a different boy; the children depicted vary in complexion, body type, hair texture, and personal style, highlighting the rich diversity of Black childhood. Saturated colors, expressive brushstrokes, and energetic shapes create a sense of motion and celebration. Words swirl through the backgrounds, embedded into the artwork. The boys’ faces radiate wonder and confidence, their upward gazes suggesting imagination and limitless possibility. Robinson’s message will resonate. Each affirmation feels like a spoken blessing meant to be read aloud and repeated. The result is both tender and empowering, a book that shows young readers they are seen, valued, and loved.

A vibrant, joyful ode to Black boyhood and self-love. (author’s and illustrator’s notes) (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: April 7, 2026

ISBN: 9781338864649

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: April 20, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)