WELCOME TO THE 7TH ANNUAL

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2026 Beautiful Blackbird Festival Books

Book cover of "Beautiful Blackbird" by Ashley Bryan, featuring a black bird with spread wings, colorful rays, and a medal emblem in the bottom right corner.

Featured Masterpiece of 2026

Ashley Bryan's Beautiful Blackbird

Adapted and illustrated by Ashley Bryan, Beautiful Blackbird is a Coretta Scott King Award–winning tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia. Featuring Bryan’s iconic cut-paper artwork, readers of all ages are able to explore the appreciation of one’s own heritage and beauty.
A Tribute to Ashley Bryan
Black Books Matter with Dr. Krista Aronson

Featured Masterpieces

Discover the Featured
Books from 2026

Book cover of "Beautiful Blackbird" by Ashley Bryan, featuring a black bird with spread wings, colorful rays, and a medal emblem in the bottom right corner.

Beautiful Blackbird
by Ashley Bryan
Winner of the Coretta Scott King
Book Award for Illustration 

Explore Beautiful Blackbird
Three children stand under a tree with a girl in traditional dress sitting on a branch above them. The book title “Fibbed” and author “Elizabeth Agyemang” are displayed.

Fibbed
by Elizabeth Agyemang

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Illustrated cover of “Hairstory” showing a smiling child with braided hair spread out, set against a light, artistic background. Book credits appear at the top.

Hairstory
by Sope Martins
Illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu

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Three children and a dog run along a wooden dock in a waterside village; the book title reads “KOROBÁ: The Case of the Missing Kolo” by Alaba Onajin.

Korobá: The Case of the Missing Kolo
by Àlàbá Ònájìn

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Colorful illustration of a person in a boat on waves, pointing at the sky. Text reads: “sail away, poems by Langston Hughes, art by Ashley Bryan.”.

Sail Away
by Langston Hughes
illustrated by Ashley Bryan

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A person with goggles and a snorkel swims underwater; the text reads “The Deepest Blue,” with writing credits for Shauntay Grant and illustration by Daniel Miulter.

The Deepest Blue
by Shauntay Grant
Illustrated by Daniel Minter

The Deepest Blue
A young girl with curly hair sits at a cluttered desk, smiling at a hovering robot in a glowing, futuristic room. The book cover reads “The Girl and The Robot.”.

The Girl and The Robot
by Oz Rodriguez 
Illustrated by Claribel A. Ortega

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Illustrated cover of “Saturday” by Oge Mora shows a woman and a child holding hands, walking joyfully together through a colorful cityscape.

Saturday
by Oge Mora

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Colorful book cover featuring a stylized owl on a crescent moon, surrounded by geometric patterns. Title: “The Night Has Ears: African Proverbs” by Ashley Bryan.

The Night Has Ears: African Proverbs
by Ashley Bryan

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