Africa:

Alexander, Lloyd: The Fortune-Tellers, 1992 (4-8)
     • Cameroonian boy becomes a seer; rich portrait of daily life
Appiah, Sonia: Amoko and Efua Bear, 1988 (3-6)
     • Amoko loses her teddy bear; modern-day Ghana
Fairman, Tony: Bury My Bones but Keep My Words, 1992 (8+)
     • 13 traditional tales from Kenya, Botswana, Nigeria, Namibia, Gambia
Gershator, Phillis: The Iroko-Man: A Yoruba Folktale, 1994 (4-8)
     • infertile couple outwits Iroko-Man who promises them fertility at a price
Grifalconi, Ann: Flyaway Girl, 1992 (4-8)
     • Nsia deals with growing responsibility
Isadora, Rachel: At the Crossroads, 1991 (4-8)
     • South African children joyfully await visit of their fathers to shanty town
Kurtz, Jane: Fire on the Mountain, 1994 (6-10)
     • Ethiopian story: Alemayu teaches a rich man the meaning of courage
Leigh, Nila K.: Learning to Swim in Swaziland: A Child's-Eye View of a Southern African  Country, 1993 (6-10)
    • story and illustrations of life in Swaziland by an 8-year old American girl
Margolies, Barbara: Rehema's Journey: A Visit in Tanzania, 1990 (5-8)
 • a 9-year old Tanzanian girl travels with her father
Mollel, Tolowa M.: The Orphan Boy, 1990 (6+)
     • old African man finally has a son, Kilken
Naidoo, Beverly: Journey to Jo'burg: A South African Story, 1988 (9-12)
     • a journey of realization by two children from the countryside to the city
Naidoo, Beverly: Chain of Fire, 1993 (9-12)
     • two children join in a student demonstration
Williams, Karen Lynn: Galimoto, 1990 (4-8)
     • little Kondi of Malawi succeeds in making a push toy like the older boys
Wisniewski, David: Sundiata, Lion King of Mali, 1992 (6-10)
     • accurate depiction of the great Sundiata's victory over enemy

The Caribbean:

Agard, John: The Calypso Alphabet, 1989 (4-8)
     • alphabet from Anancy to zombie
Agard, John and Grace Nichols (Eds.): A Caribbean Dozen: Poems from Caribbean Poets,  1994 (6-12)
     • poets convey experiences of island childhoods
Berry, James: Ajeemah and his Son, 1992 (12+)
     • African man and his son are captured and sold into slavery
Bryan, Ashley: Turtle Knows Your Name, 1989 (3-8)
     • retelling of an old Caribbean tale
Gershator, Phillis: Rata-pata-scata-fata, 1994 (3-8)
     • Virgin Islands' boy does chores
Bryan, Ashley: The Dancing Granny, 1987 (5-10)
     • Anansi and Granny match wits
Carlstrom, Nancy White: Baby-O, 1992 (3-6)
     • family rides jitney to market
Gershator, Phillis: Tukama Tootles the Flute: A Tale from the Antilles, 1994 (4-8)
     • lazy Tukama gets into mischief
Gonzalez, Lucia M.: The Bossy Gallito/El Gallo de Bodas, 1994 (3-8)
     • pushy rooster goes to wedding of uncle
Gunning, Monica: Not a Copper Penny in Me House, 1993 (6-12)
     • poems and art
Hodge, Merle: For the Life of Laetitia, 1993 (10-14)
     • Lacey moves from village to town to attend school
Joseph, Lynn: Coconut Kind of Day: Island Poems (8-12)
     • poems of childhood by Trinidadian
Joseph, Lynn: A Wave in her Pocket: Stories from Trinidad, 1991 (8-12)
     • six folklore tales in dialect
Keens-Douglas, Richardo: La Diablesse and the Baby, 1994 (5-10)
     • phantom attempts to steal baby from grandmother
Keens-Douglas, Richardo: The Nutmeg Princess, 1992 (5-10)
     • adventures of boy and girl
Keller, Holly: Island Baby, 1992 (4-8)
     • Simon helps Pops nurse bird back to health
Lessac, Frané, (Ed.): Caribbean Canvas, 1987 (all ages)
     • poems and art depicting life in Caribbean
Lessac, Frané: The Little Island, 1984 (3-8)
     • paintings and text take us on tour of island
Linden, Ann Marie: One Smiling Grandma: A Caribbean Counting Book, 1992 (3-6)
     • counting rhyme and illustrations of island life
Mitchell, Rita Phillips: Hue Boy, 1992 (4-8)
     • short boy deals with his small size
Orr, Katherine: My Grandpa and the Sea, 1990 (5-9)
     • new technology threatens old fisherman's way of life
Philip, Marlene Nourbese: Harriet's Daughter, 1988 (12-16)
     • two adolescents deal with problems of life in Toronto's Caribbean community
Temple, Frances: Taste of Salt, 1994 (12-16)
     • Haitian Djo and Jeremie's stories of oppression under military dictatorship
Williams, Karen Lynn: Tap-Tap, 1994 (5-9)
     • market day in Haiti for Sasifi and her mother
Wolkstein, Diane: The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales, 1978 (10+)
     • authentic Haitian folktales

African Heritage or Diaspora:

Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn: The Barber's Cutting Edge, 1994 (5-8)
     • young boy and wise barber
Bunting, Eve: Smoky Night, 1994 (8+)
     • L.A. riots after Rodney King verdict
Feelings, Tom: Soul Looks Back in Wonder, 1993 (8+)
     • poems and illustrations
Thomas, Joyce Carol: Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea, 1993 (8+)
     • poems and illustrations
Hamilton, Virginia: Many Thousand Gone, 1993 (8-14)
     • history of U.S slaves' flights to freedom
Hamilton, Virginia: The People Could Fly, 1985 (8-14)
     • African-American folktales
Hamilton, Virginia: Drylongso, 1992 (8-12)
     • young diviner in drought-stricken Mississippi of 1970's
Hill, Lawrence: Trials and Triumphs: The Story of African-Canadians, 1993 (10-16)
     • history and contributions of Black Canadians
Hoffman, Mary: Amazing Grace, 1991 (4-8)
     • Grace gets to play a dramatic role traditionally played by whites
Hopkinson, Deborah: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, 1993 (6-10)
     • role of a quilt in Underground Railroad
Hudson, Wade (Ed.): Pass It On: African-American Poetry for Children, 1993 (6-10)
      • poems and illustrations
Johnson, Angela: Toning the Sweep, 1993 (10-16)
     • dealing with death
Johnson, Angela: The Leaving Morning, 1992 (4-7)
     • children moving from their neighbourhood
Lauture, Denize: Father and Son, 1992 (all ages)
     • Haitian poet describes father-son relation in verse
Lawrence, Jacob: The Great Migration: An American Story, 1993 8-12)
     • 60 paintings by great artist depicting migration of African-Americans from the south to the north in 1940-41
McKissack, Patricia C.: The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural, 1992 (9-12)
     • scary tales told in U.S. Black history context
McKissack, Patricia C.: Mirandy and Brother Wind, 1988 (6-10)
     • book and audio-cassette: Mirandy seeks out a special dance partner
Mitchell, Margeree King: Uncle Jed's Barbershop, 1993 (7-10)
     • southern family life: Uncle Jed struggles to open his own barbershop
Myers, Walter Dean: Brown Angels, 1993 (all ages)
     • antique photos and poetry celebrating childhood and love
Paulsen, Gary: Nightjohn, 1993 (12+)
     • the risks and rewards of U.S. slaves learning to read
Polacco, Patricia: Mrs Katz and Tush, 1992 (5-9)
     • Black child befriends old Jewish neighbour
Ringgold, Faith: Dinner at Aunt Connie's, 1993 (5-9)
     • storyquilt artist's portraits speak to children about accomplishments of historical figures
Ringgold, Faith: Tar Beach, 1991 (4-8)
     • storyquilt artist's quilt portrays fantasy of Harlem child
Ringgold, Faith: Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky, 1992 (4-8)
    • life of Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman
Sadlier, Rosemary: Leading the Way: Black Women in Canada, 1994 (12+)
     • achievements of five remarkable African-canadian women
San Souci, Robert: Sukey and the Mermaid, 1992 (4-9)
     • Cinderella tale of South Carolina
Winter, Jeanette: Follow the Drinking Gourd, 1988 (5-9)
     • flight to freedom via Underground Railroad; words/music to song
Woodson, Jacqueline: Last Summer with Maizon, 1992 (10-14)
     • two 11-year old Brooklyn girls
Woodson, Jacqueline: Maizon at Blue Hill, 1992 (10-14)
     • Maizon goes to an exclusive boarding school
Yarbrough, Camille: Cornrows, 1979 (5-10)
     • braids tell about the wearer's tribe, class, religion

* Bibliography

Paula Kezwer: Worlds of Wonder: Resources for Multicultural Children's Literature, 1995
Rochman, Hazel: Against Borders: Promoting Books for a Multicultural World, 1993 (especially good selections for teens)
Rollock, Barbara: Black Authors and Illustrators of Children's Books: a Biographical Dictionary, 1988