The true story of Black activist Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone celebrates Black joy and inspires children to see their dreams blossom. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that many Americans had never heard of the holiday that represents the nation's creed of "freedom for all."

Every year, Opal looked forward to the Juneteenth picnic--a drumming, dancing, delicious party. She knew from Granddaddy Zak's stories that Juneteenth celebrated the day the freedom news of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation finally sailed into Texas in 1865--over two years after the president had declared it! But Opal didn't always see freedom in her Texas town. Then one Juneteenth day when Opal was twelve years old, an angry crowd burned down her brand-new home. This wasn't freedom at all. She had to do something! Opal Lee spent the rest of her life speaking up for equality and unity. She became a teacher, a charity worker, and a community leader. At the age of 89, she walked from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C., in an effort to gain national recognition for Juneteenth.

Through the story of Opal Lee's determination and persistence, children ages 4 to 8 will learn:

• all people are created equal
• the power of bravery and using your voice for change
• the history of Juneteenth, or Freedom Day, and what it means today
• no one is free unless everyone is free
• fighting for a dream is worth every difficulty

Featuring the illustrations of New York Times bestselling illustrator Keturah A. Bobo (I am Enough), Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free celebrates the life and legacy of a modern-day Black leader while sharing a message of hope, unity, joy, and strength.

In his eagerly anticipated debut as author-illustrator, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honoree Christian Robinson brings young readers on a playful, imaginative journey into another world.

What if you
encountered another perspective?
Discovered another world?
Met another you?

What might you do?

*Ships in 7-10 business day*

Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.

*Ships in 7-10 Business Days*

A beautiful story inspired by Mae Jemison, the first African American Woman to travel in space.

When Little Mae was a child, she dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering.

Little Mae is a girl with big dreams, a supportive loving family, unbounded passion, and all the right stuff to dance among the stars. Against all odds, she will overcome any obstacle to become an astronaut one day.

This cheerful love-your-body picture book for preschoolers is an exuberant read-aloud with bright and friendly illustrations to pore over.
 
From the acclaimed creator of Dancing at the Pity Party and Roaring Softly, this picture book is a pure celebration of all the different human bodies that exist in the world. Highlighting the various skin tones, body shapes, and hair types is just the beginning in this truly inclusive book. With its joyful illustrations and encouraging refrain, it will instill body acceptance and confidence in the youngest of readers. “My body, your body, every different kind of body! All of them are good bodies! BODIES ARE COOL!”

A lift-the-flap book about the animals, plants, and fungi that live in trees, written by pioneering tree scientist Nalini Nadkarni.

A single tree can be home to hundreds of different species. This joyous book highlights some of the best tree habitats in the world, with plenty of fun things for young readers to spot in each stunning illustration by Kendra Binney. After spying a creature hidden in the foliage they can lift a flap to learn more about it.

The book includes famous trees like coast redwoods and ancient oaks, as well as some species kids might be less familiar with–like the dragon blood tree of Yemen! They will meet swinging orangutans in the dipterocarp trees of Asia, witness elephants drinking from wells inside the baobab trees of Africa, and spy some sleepy koalas in the eucalyptus trees of Australia. The Tree of Life also looks at the importance of these giants on human societies, such as the Hindu festivals that take place among the roots of the Indian banyan.

By the end of the book kids will have a new-found appreciation for the role trees play in ecosystems all over the world.

Perfect for back-to-school, this empowering and joyous picture book shows kids the importance of loving your name, having pride in your culture, and standing up for yourself.

Nigerian American sisters Chichi and Didi are ready for the first day of school! But after Chichi is teased for her "different" name, she comes home feeling discouraged.

Daddy and Mama tell the sisters the stories behind their names, helping Chichi return to school with her head held high.

Inspired by the childhood experiences of real-life sisters Peace Amadi and Ndidi Amadi, Chichi and Didi Love Their Names will teach readers:

* to be curious about the origin and meanings of their own names
* the importance of identity and saying names correctly
* the beauty in celebrating difference and taking pride in uniqueness

Inspired by Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day?, these joyous portraits of Black men engaged in everyday life celebrate the deep roots and rich cultures of African American communities.

Have you ever wondered . . .
What do brothas do all day?
Brothas drive. Brothas dance. Brothas work. Brothas listen. And brothas love.

Scarry’s now-classic book, first published in 1968, is a richly illustrated guide to the places, jobs, and activities that defined the daily lives of grown-ups. Author-illustrator Ajuan Mance created What Do Brothas Do All Day?, like Scarry, in response to children’s innate curiosity about the activities and experiences of others, but also to meet the longing many kids have for characters and communities that look and feel like the people and places they know.

This joyous reflection of real Black men and boys engaged in everyday life is a gift for Black kids who rarely see themselves reflected in the pages of a book and an affirmation of their world and the people who populate it. From grocery shopping and waiting for a trim at the barbershop to singing, dancing, and laughing with friends, Mance captures the beauty in the ordinary, affirming the enduring strength of the Black community.

DIVERSE BOOKS FOR KIDS: This picture book features real Black men the author has observed in the world—everyday people, not models or stereotypes. One fan describes it as "just a rainbow of Black men, a beautiful rainbow of Black men."

LIBRARIAN LOVE: What Do Brothas Do All Day? began as an all-ages zine, but the author began to conceive of it as a children's book after being approached by two children's librarians.

INSPIRED BY A CLASSIC: As the author notes in the book, "I first encountered Richard Scarry’s work in the early 1970s when I was about six years old. The world of adults, with its grocery lists, PTA meetings, shopping trips, and dinner parties, seemed both tantalizingly exotic and impossibly complex. Today, those same descriptors can be applied to the ways that many people of all ages perceive Black men."

AN INVITATION: The book ends with an invitation, perhaps even a call to action: What will you do today?

Perfect for:

• Parents and grandparents seeking engaging read-aloud and read-along picture books
• Teachers and librarians looking for books featuring Black communities
• Gift for readers of Jacqueline Woodson, Kwame Alexander, Cedella Marley, and Derrick Barnes books
• Fans of Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day?

Dear Black Girl
You teach the world
The power of creativity
Just by being yourself

Celebrate the creativity, bravery, dreams, and laughter of Black girls with this purposeful, powerful text from poet and author Mahogany L. Browne. With lush, bright illustrations from artist Sawyer Cloud, this picture book is perfect for honoring big milestones and finding joy in everyday moments―a heartwarming and jubilant love letter to Black girls everywhere.

An excellent choice for Father's Day gifting! From literary powerhouse and Coretta Scott King Honor- and Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritance Varian Johnson and New York Times bestselling illustrator Reggie Brown comes a heartwarming father-son story about the importance of stepping up...and finding time to play.

Elijah can't wait to take his brand-new kite for its first flight! But with a new baby in the family, Daddy has to work this weekend. Elijah finds a clever way to help out and pitch in with his family while also reminding his dad how to still have a little fun.

Beloved children's book author, Varian Johnson’s debut picture book highlights the fun journey of a young child building his confidence as he steps up into the big kid role, specifically as the little big man of the house.

The perfect gift or Father's Day!

Baby’s loud. Baby’s messy. Sometimes Baby really smells. Maybe Baby just doesn’t know the rules? Good thing it’s big sister time—she can show Baby how to be the best baby ever!

Told through the eyes of a big sister,this charming hardcover picture book empowers older siblings by showing them that they have very important roles to play in introducing their family’s new baby to the world.

From cleaning up messes to learning to share, big sister will teach the new baby everything any baby needs to know. After all, big sister was a baby once, too—and she was really good at it. 

It’s Big Sister Time! shows every girl how awesome it is being a big sister. Because as we all know, being a sister RULES!

A young Black girl overcomes self-doubt and embraces her unique superhero princess identity in this energetic and empowering book from the author of I Will Swim Next Time.

Halima can't decide who to dress up as for her friend's birthday party. Should she be a princess like Elsa, or a sort-of superhero like Pippi Longstocking? "You can't be either," her friends tell her, "because you don't look like them."

Mama assures Halima can be whoever she wants to be, and together they discover more strong, brave women to look up to. Can Halima find the confidence to become her own unique superhero princess?

Heartfelt and uplifting, Halima's story encourages pride and self-expression in young readers, and introduces them to inspiring women of colour from around the world. African-diaspora mother Emily Joof is the author of I Will Swim Next Time. Åsa Gilland's vibrant and lively illustrations are full of fun.

Since life first arose on Earth, nearly all dinosaurs, mammals, insects, and birds that have ever existed have gone extinct. In this voicy, full-color illustrated encyclopedia, hear from the animals themselves what happened to them!

If your species happens to be alive right now, you should feel very lucky.

You probably know about the downfall of the dinosaurs and how the dodo bird met its doom. But you might not have heard about the other weird and wonderful creatures throughout the eons that just didn’t make it.

But that doesn’t mean all these stories are sad; extinction is just a part of the long, long history of life on Earth. And some of the ways these species died out are actually pretty silly . . .

In this fully illustrated encyclopedia, you’ll hear from the creatures who have faced extinction throughout the years—and learn what survival of the fittest means for those on evolution’s bad side.

Nearly a million copies sold in Japan!

*Ships/ready for pick-up in 7-10 business days*

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and the luminaries he inspired.

Back in the day, there was a heckuva party, a jam, for a word-making man. The King of Letters. Langston Hughes. His ABCs became drums, bumping jumping thumping like a heart the size of the whole country. They sent some people yelling and others, his word-children, to write their own glory.

Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, and more came be-bopping to recite poems at their hero’s feet at that heckuva party at the Schomberg Library, dancing boom da boom, stepping and stomping, all in praise and love for Langston, world-mending word man. Oh, yeah, there was hoopla in Harlem, for its Renaissance man. A party for Langston.

*ships in 7-10 business days

As a little boy grows into a bigger boy, ready to take on the world, he first must have that very difficult conversation far too familiar to so many Black and Brown Americans in this gentle and ultimately hopeful picture book.

Jay’s most favorite things are hanging out with his pals, getting kisses from Grandma, riding in his dad’s cool car, and getting measured by his mom with pencil marks on the wall. But as those height marks inch upward, Grandpa warns Jay about being in too big a group with his friends, Grandma worries others won’t see him as quite so cute now that he’s older, and Dad has to tell Jay how to act if the police ever pull them over.

And Jay just wants to be a kid.

All Black and Brown kids get The Talk—the talk that could mean the difference between life and death in a racist world. Told in an age-appropriate fashion, with a perfect pause for parents to insert their own discussions with their children to accompany prompting illustrations, The Talk is a gently honest and sensitive starting point for this far-too-necessary conversation, for Black children, Brown children, and for ALL children. Because you can’t make change without knowing what needs changing.

Make music with this hands-on introduction to the four instrument families: drums, horns, strings, and voice in this new board book series by a world-renown music educator.

What do a set of bongos, a tambourine, and a cooking pot have in common? They are all drums! This first introduction to instruments in the drum family begins with a simple explanation of what defines a drum. Young readers are then invited on a global exploration of a variety of percussive instruments and are encouraged to find drums of their own in the world around them.
 
Each title in the THIS IS MUSIC series features an interactive novelty musical element that invites the reader to "play" the book!

The celebrated author of Ezra Jack Keats Award winner Nell Plants a Tree and a Caldecott Honor artist come together for a poetic picture book introduction to Juneteenth and its origin.

Oh, how you would dance! How you would sing! How you would celebrate!

With lyrical text from Anne Wynter and radiant artwork from Jerome Pumphrey, this poetic picture book explains the history behind Juneteenth celebrations. So Many Years simultaneously acknowledges the history of slavery in the US as well as the astonishing Black resilience that has led to an enduring legacy of Black joy.

Each book pre-ordered with Kindred Stories will include a signed custom bookplate from Tabitha Brown. You must order prior to the book's on-sale date of January 19, 2027.  Available while supplies last.

America’s Mom, New York Times bestselling author, NAACP Award-winning personality, Emmy-winning host, and actress Tabitha Brown, is back with a heartwarming children’s book about hope, faith, and the beauty of the unseen.

Young Tabitha makes a wish, but she can’t see it. So, she wonders if wishes are real and what makes them come true…

That’s when Tab and Mama spend a day in the park, and she soon realizes that wishes—like most of the world’s invisible delights—come to life with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of love.

The #1 New York Times bestselling team behind Hello There, Sunshine, Tabitha Brown and Olivia Duchess, returns with a beautiful lyrical story, that will remind children everywhere about the magic of a single wish. 

• Beautiful lyricism paired with stunning artwork: the lush rhymes and artwork will please tiny readers who are fans of Tabitha’s previous books, as well as children’s books by Emily Winfield Martin and Joanna Gaines.
• Follow up to a New York Times bestseller: you can expect the same quality of storytime from the dynamic duo who brought you the bestseller, Hello There, Sunshine!
• Great lullaby for bedtime: with its soothing rhythm and starry scenes, this is a perfect pick for anytime, but especially for bedtime reading sessions.
• A light message about God’s love: littles will learn about how God’s love, faith, and prayer all have to do with wish fulfillment.

An affirming picture book that celebrates the brilliance and power of brown and Black boys to achieve their dreams, from poet and activist Leslé Honoré and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Keturah A. Bobo.

My brown boy laughs like a song,
rhythm like rain, soft and strong.
He holds the power to be
so bold, so magically free.

Moving verse by poet and activist Leslé Honoré and exuberant art by #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Keturah A. Bobo come together in a joyful ode to the creativity, courage, and kindness of brown and Black boys. A companion title to Brown Girl, Brown Girl, this timeless picture book encourages young readers to be expansive, emotional, brilliant—whoever they want to be.

Praise for Brown Girl, Brown Girl, also by Leslé Honoré:
✭ "Warmly, brilliantly welcoming—and not to be missed." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

De la autora del bestseller #1 del New York Times ¡Solo pregunta!, llega un cuento dulce y potente sobre cómo serte fiel a ti mismo y brillar con toda tu luz. Esta edición en español de ¡Solo brilla! pregunta: ¿Cómo ayudarás a los demás a brillar?

Había una vez una niña que creció en Puerto Rico con un don increíble: era capaz de ayudar a brillar a todos los que la rodeaban. Escuchaba y comprendía a los demás, trabajaba duro y sacaba a relucir la belleza interior de cada persona que conocía.

En este cuento inspirado por el don de su madre de ayudar a los demás a hallar su luz interna, la jueza de la Corte Suprema Sonia Sotomayor les demuestra a los lectores que ayudar a otros es iluminar el mundo entero.

Con ilustraciones por la galardonada artista Jacqueline Alcántara, ¡Solo brilla! ayudará a los lectores a hallar su propia luz interna—y a reconocer la misma en los demás.

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Just Ask! comes a sweet and powerful story about being true to yourself and shining your brightest. This Spanish edition of Just Shine! asks: How will you help people shine?

There once was a little girl who grew up in Puerto Rico with an incredible ability—she was able to make everyone around her shine. She listened, she understood, she worked hard, and she brought out the beauty in each person she met.

In a story inspired by her mother’s ability to help people see their own brilliance, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor shows readers how helping others shine makes the whole world brighter.

With art by award-winning illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara, Just Shine! will help readers find their own inner glow—and recognize that glow in those around them.

Get out your shovels and fossil brushes for this delightful Step 2 reader following a family's search for fossils!

Ava loves rocks! But what she really really loves are fossils! Ava and her family are on a mission to dig up some fossils. They dig in their backyard, in the park, and by the creek but still no fossils. But Ava will not give up! The family head out to the beach for one more fossil hunting adventure! Will Ava finally be able to dig up her very own fossil?

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

Here's a humorous picture book that shows the ways in which we are all different... and how that's really cool! The kid-friendly text and vibrant illustrations explore external and internal similarities and differences through comparisons of animals, objects, and people. A perfect gift for children ages 4-8.

Do you know there's something totally cool about each of us? We're different in all kinds of ways... fun and wonderful ways!

We can be different on the outside, like a red apple and a yellow apple. But we can also be as different as apples and dogs, with different shapes, sizes, and colors.

We can be different on the inside too! We can have different emotions, different dreams, and different ways of expressing ourselves.

There are so many ways we can be different. But it’s not only okay… it’s totally cool!

With Camey Yeh’s warm text, comical comparisons, and quirky illustrations, We’re Different and It’s Totally Cool! is the perfect read-aloud book that celebrates everyone's uniqueness and all the ways we are fabulously different—inside and out!

Paletero Man meets Fry Bread in this vibrant and cheerful ode to platanos, the star of Dominican cuisine, written by award-winning poet Lissette Norman and illustrated by Sara Palacios.

Platanos are Yesenia’s favorite food. They can be sweet and sugary, or salty and savory. And they’re a part of almost every meal her Dominican family makes. 

Stop by her apartment and find out why platanos go with everything—especially love!

___

Los plátanos son la comida favorita de Yesenia. Pueden ser dulces y azucarados o salados y sabrosos. Y son parte de casi todas las comidas que prepara su familia dominicana.

Pasa por su apartamento y descubre por qué los plátanos van con todo, ¡especialmente con el amor!

From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland comes an illustrated nonfiction collection celebrating dancers of color who have influenced her on and off the stage.

As a young girl living in a motel with her mother and her five siblings, Misty Copeland didn’t have a lot of exposure to ballet or prominent dancers. She was sixteen when she saw a black ballerina on a magazine cover for the first time. The experience emboldened Misty and told her that she wasn’t alone—and her dream wasn’t impossible.

In the years since, Misty has only learned more about the trailblazing women who made her own success possible by pushing back against repression and racism with their talent and tenacity. Misty brings these women’s stories to a new generation of readers and gives them the recognition they deserve.

With an introduction from Misty about the legacy these women have had on dance and on her career itself, this book delves into the lives and careers of women of color who fundamentally changed the landscape of American ballet from the early 20th century to today.

An urban bedtime romp from debut author Anne Wynter and Caldecott Honoree Oge Mora.

Everybody in the red brick building was asleep.

Until . . .

WaaaAAH!

Rraak! Wake up!

Pitter patter STOMP!

Weeyoooweeeeyooooo!!!!

A chain reaction of noises wakes several children (and a cat) living in an apartment building. But it’s late into the night, so despite the disturbances, one by one, the building’s inhabitants return to their beds—this time, with a new set of sounds to lull them to sleep.

This timeless bedtime picture book features diverse characters and a rhythm so perfect that it’ll prepare little readers for slumber themselves.

*ships in 7-10 business days

Rainy summer days are no match for a little astronaut who builds the perfect rocket ship for an indoor space adventure to another galaxy, where the sky is his only limit!

A stormy afternoon and an order from Mom to stay inside are no match for this little dreamer, who uses everyday household items a rocket chair, a cardboard box, an old dish rag, and a super-duper imagination - to whip up a trip around the universe he won't soon forget.

My Rainy Day Rocket Ship is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the imagination of Black boys who use their beautiful minds to transform the mundane into the extraordinary, dream out loud, and boldly go where their sky is the only limit.

Celebrate the release of While We're Here with Anne Wynter!

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, April 11 @ 12 PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St #2, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to let us know you're coming or RSVP WITH BOOK to secure your copy of While We're Here.

Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne Wynter is the author of numerous board books and picture books, including So Many Years, Everybody in the Red Brick Building, and Nell Plants a Tree, which won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Golden Kite Award and was selected as the 2023 Texas Great Read. Originally from Houston, Texas, Anne currently lives in Austin, Texas, with her family. To learn more or say hello, visit annewynter.com.