I've been spending some time putting together a small collection of children's books for our son. He's only four weeks old, but our household likes to read, so we are readying our home for one more reader. On nights when he gets a little fussy, I pull one of the books off the shelf to read to him. The most recent one I read was Black Boy Magic by Tex Stanly.
As I read this book, celebrations of Black history, identity, and culture are being blatantly and intentionally limited. And yet, there are still beautiful celebrations present in books like this one. Black Boy Magic has gorgeous illustrations and lyrical language on every page. It's a lovely way of pushing back against negative messaging about young Black men and boys.
I look forward to flipping through the pages of this book again and again with our son when he is able to read and understand the words and appreciate the story for what it is: a love letter to boys who might not otherwise know their own beauty, magic, and power.
If you would like to read this book for yourself, here are a few places to find it:
Image Description: A young Black boy with a cloud-like afro. He has a soft, hopeful smile on his face. Stars are scattered across the background. His golden freckles resemble stars as well. The title, Black Boy Magic, runs across the top of his head in playful, block letters.
Credit: Image taken from Amazon Book Listing
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