Foodie Picture Books to Celebrate Black History Month

These 6 books highlight Black stories and Black authors that focus on the importance of food, particularly fresh food made with love. We recommend purchasing these books from Black owned bookstores or borrowing them from your local library. Alternatively, we included links to read out loud videos for most of these books for those who prefer to hear stories.   

1. Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie 

This lyrical and beautifully illustrated book highlights how special it is to grow food and how plants help to keep the body healthy. Edna, the main character, explores the land that she and her family grow food on. From sassafras, to cherries, to apples, Edna enjoys picking food and learning about them. 

Purchase this book from The Lit.Bar, a Black owned bookstore.

Prefer to listen to books? You can watch a read out loud of the book here.

2. Soul Food Sunday 

Soul Food Sunday is a story of a grandson learning how to cook macaroni and cheese, greens, and a variety of meats from his grandmother. Our favorite part of this book is seeing how excited and proud the grandson looks after every task he accomplishes.

Purchase this book from The Lit.Bar, a Black owned bookstore. 

Prefer to listen to books? You can watch a read out loud of the book here.

3. My Hands Tell A Story
”My Hands Tell A Story” by Kelley Starling Lyons is about a little girl named Zoe who bakes bread with her Grandmother. Through bread making, Zoe admires her grandmother’s skillful baking hands and soon learns that her grandmother’s hands represent stories of her grandmother’s life. 

Purchase this book from The Lit.Bar, a Black owned bookstore.

Prefer to listen to books? You can watch a read out loud of the book here.

4. All The Yummy Foods: A Children’s Healthy Eating Adventure

Phoenyx takes the readers on a journey to discover how fun food, including fruits and vegetables, can be. This positive and educational book is known to make young readers laugh and is filled with bright and bold drawings. 

Purchase this book from The Lit.Bar, a Black owned bookstore.

5. Can I Play with my Food?

“Can I Play with my Food?” is a bright and easy read for young readers. Through food and science, two sisters explore where food comes from and  different experiments you can do with food, including baking! 

Purchase this book from The Lit.Bar, a Black owned bookstore.

6. Pies From Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained The Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito

This beautifully illustrated book highlights the story of Georgia Gilmore, a chef and activist who used cooking to feed the civil rights movement. This book highlights her role in helping the Montgomery Bus Boycott achieve its goal.

Purchase this book from The Lit.Bar, a Black owned bookstore.

Prefer to listen to books? You can watch a read out loud of the book here.