• Skip to footer
  • Skip to content
Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival

Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival

Supporting professional and emerging artists of African descent

  • Home
  • About
    • About The Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
    • Research & Data
    • Partners & Sponsors
    • Acknowledgements
  • Discover Our Books
    • I Am Loved by Nikki Giovanni & Ashley Bryan
    • The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones & Renee Watson & Illustrated by Nikkolas Smith
    • Black Is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy & Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
    • Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond & Illustrated by Daniel Minter
    • Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker & Illustrated by April Harrison
    • New Kid by Jerry Craft
    • Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
    • Discover Our Books (2021)
    • Discover Our Books (2020)
  • Educator’s Toolkit
    • Educator’s Toolkit
  • Press
    • In The News
    • Presskit
  • Donate

Welcome to the

Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival

EDUCATOR’S TOOLKIT

It is essential that we celebrate Black books and Black children’s book creators in our classrooms, libraries, and  homes. Dr. Krista Aronson of the Diverse Bookfinder outlines why in her video Black Books Matter. Below you  will find ways to engage with the books in this year’s Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival. We hope  these tools find their way into your exploration of African diaspora experience.  


ASHLEY BRYAN’S

BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD

Lesson Plans

Ashley Bryan’s ABCs of African American Poetry

Source: TeachingBooks.net

CHECK IT OUT

STEAM—for the ARTS—Poetry,
Storytelling, Song, and a Celebration of Our Shared
Humanity: The Creations of Ashley Bryan

Source: Simon & Schuster

CHECK IT OUT
Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan*
Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan*
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Beautiful Blackbird Show Claws Slide Dance
Beautiful Blackbird Show Claws Slide Dance
Play

Dance Activity:

Beautiful Blackbird Claws Slide Dance with Veeva Banga

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Beautiful Blackbird Beaks and Claws Craft
Beautiful Blackbird Beaks and Claws Craft
Play

Craft Activity: Beaks and Claws Craft

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival


Going Down Home with Daddy

Classroom Resources

Lesson Plan: Joseph’s Big Ride

Source: TeachingBooks.net

GEt REsources

Resources: Joseph’s Big Ride

Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books

Get Resources
Going Down Home With Daddy
Going Down Home With Daddy
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Mighty Family Tree Craft
Mighty Family Tree Craft
Play

Craft Activity:

A Mighty Family Tree Craft

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Art Activity:

Mighty Tree Craft

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival



Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration

Lesson Plans

So Tall Within

Source: TeachingBooks.net

CHECK IT OUT

Sojourner Truth and Equal Rights

Source: Simon & Schuster

CHECK IT OUT

So Tall Within

Source: Sojourner Truth Memorial

CHECK IT OUT
Magnificent Homespun Brown
Magnificent Homespun Brown
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: August 17th


CROWN: Ode to the Fresh Cut

Lesson Plans

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Source: Classroom Bookshelf

Get Lessons

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Source: TeachingBooks.net

GEt LEssons

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

Source: Responsive Reads

GEt Lessons
Crown : Read Aloud and Creator Interview
Crown : Read Aloud and Creator Interview
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: August 24th

Crown Activity : Shaping Your Own Crown
Crown Activity : Shaping Your Own Crown
Play

Art Activity:

Shaping Your Own Crown

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: August 24th

Movement Activity:

A Statue of You

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: August 24th


TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY

Classroom Resources

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Source: TeachingBooks.net

GEt Lessons

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Source: Disney Hyperion / Educators

GEt lessons

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Source: Disney Hyperion / Activity

get lessons
Tristan Read Aloud and Creator Interview
Tristan Read Aloud and Creator Interview
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: August 31st

Writing Activity:

Creating Characters

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival


THE RED PENCIL

Classroom Resources

Lesson Plan: The Red Pencil

Source: TeachingBooks.net

GEt lessons

Lesson Plan: The Red Pencil

Source: TeachingBooks.net

GEt lessons

Lesson Plan: The Red Pencil

Source: Classroom Bookshelf

GEt lessons

Resources: The Red Pencil

Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books

GEt lessons
The Red Pencil
The Red Pencil
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: September 7th

Writing Activity:

Object Writing: The Poetry of Things

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival


YOUR NAME IS A SONG

Classroom Resources

Hearing the Melodies of
Classmates with Your Name is a Song

Source: Classroom Bookshelf

GEt lessons

Lesson Plan

Source: Read Across America

GEt lessons

Lesson Plan & Family Discussion Guide

Source: The Innovation Press

GEt lessons

Name Pronunciation Guide

Source: Anti-Defamation League

GEt lessons

Resources: Your Name is a Song

Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books

GEt lessons
Your Name is a Song Read Aloud
Your Name is a Song Read Aloud
Play

Read Aloud:

Performance by the Community

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: September 14th

Art & Movement Activity:

Sing and Dance Your Name

Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival

Video Release: September 14th


Footer

info@indigoartsalliance.me

60 Cove Street
Portland, ME 04101

Donate
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Join Our Community

Copyright © 2023 Indigo Arts Alliance