Published in February of this year, the incredible and inspirational Dear Black Girls by Shanice Nicole and Kezna Dalz is a love letter to Black girls worldwide. A special thanks to FOLDKids who included this book in their summer reading list which put it on my radar.

Dear Black Girls began as a spoken word poem, a message from Shanice Nicole to all the Black girls just like her. A message of pride and love and support. She talks about the beauty of their skin, their hair, their facial features and how all of those things connect them to their ancestors. It’s a message to dream big that all readers can grasp and understand. It’s also a message of self love. Shanice Nicole has created moving words to remind girls that they are worthy of love and filled with beauty no matter what. She also reminds all readers to speak their dreams. When we speak our dreams it sends them into the world and we become open to receive the path towards those dreams.

If you are a teacher or a librarian, this is a vital book to have in your collection. To ensure readers feel seen and encourage them to love themselves just as they are, especially Black girls.

The illustrations by Kezna Dalz breathe life into the gorgeous words of the story. No two people in this story are the same as Kezna embraces the differences that fill the world with beauty. Through the illustrations, all Black girls will see someone who looks like them. Maybe they wear a hijab, maybe they wear their hair natural, maybe they are in a wheelchair. 

Finally, I love the size of this book. It’s the perfect size for hands big and small making it easy to pick off the shelf and carry around