School Library Journal has proudly partnered with We Are Kid Lit Collective to share and promote the group’s 11th annual summer reading recommendations. In the next couple of weeks, SLJ will publish individual posts featuring their recommendations of board books, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and young adult titles.

We Are Kid Lit Collective (wtpsite.wordpress.com) is pleased to present our 11th annual summer reading list. At a time of great upheaval and uncertainty, we remain committed to uplifting titles written or illustrated by BIPOC creators. As in previous years, we have sought out books that explore the intersections of these identities through stories that invite readers to celebrate, question, imagine, hope, and explore. Diversity in our list extends from characters, authors, and countries of origin to publishers, genres, and formats. Each book on the list has been carefully selected, discussed, and vetted by two or more members.

AHMED, Aisha. Sumaya Solves the Woodpecker Problem. illus. by Hamnah Rizwan. (Sumaya Solves It). Capstone/Picture Window. 2025. ISBN 9780756587987.
Sumaya sees a woodpecker in her backyard pecking a tree and she worries that it might hurt its beak. Since she likes science and solving problems, she figures out ways to help the bird.

BANDALI, Zain. Mei Boyhnd. illus. by Jani Balakumar. Annick. 2024. ISBN 9781773217932.
Tehzeeb loves creating and refining his henna technique, until his uncle tells him that mehndi is a skill for girls and women. Tehzeeb wonders—is he the wrong kind of boy?

COLATO LAÍNEZ, René. Let’s Play in the Park/Juguemos en el parque. illus. by Nomar Perez. (My Friend/Mi amigo: Bk. 3). Holiday House. 2024. ISBN 9780823453818. BL
José and Joe are friends who enjoy spending time together at the park. The simple, bilingual text showcases the different things friends can do outdoors, from riding bikes to playing baseball, no matter the languages they speak.

CREWS, Nina. I’m Not Small. Greenwillow. 2022. ISBN 9780063058262.
A child is “big” enough to go outside to play, where he encounters different animals and their various sizes. But when his mother checks in, the proudly “big” boy is glad to be small enough to still be picked up at the end of a good day.

DUMOND-DESIR, Samanka. Best Friends. illus. by Christina Oyebade. (Liline and Pepper). Paw Prints. 2023. ISBN 9781223187778.
Liline is jumping rope outside when suddenly she hears a noise from a furry feline. After trying to find the cat’s family, Liline and her family keep her and name her Pepper. Liline and Pepper soon become best friends as they explore together. The English edition has Haitian Creole sprinkled throughout; the book is also available as a Haitian Creole/English bilingual edition.

FARUQI, Saadia. Ali the Great and the Market Mishap. illus. by Debby Rahmalia. Capstone/Picture Window. 2023. ISBN 9781666393873.
When all the snacks have run out, Dada and Ali decide to go to the nearby South Asian market to pick up a few things. They strap young Fatah into his stroller and bring him along. But Fatah soon climbs free and wanders the store on his own. Where will Ali find him?

MENSAH, Bernard. Rise of the Green Flame. illus. by Natasha Nayo. (Kwame’s Magic Quest: Bk. 1). Scholastic. 2024. ISBN 9781338843293.
In this high-energy title, Kwame finally gets to attend Nkonyaa School where he’ll learn and develop his magic. He’s excited, but when his classmates begin using their magic, there’s nothing appearing for him, except signs that things aren’t going well. But Kwame seems to be in the right place for answers and adventure.

WELLS, Stacy. Tana Cooks to Say Thanks. illus. by Maria Gabriela Gama. (Tana Cooks). Capstone/Picture Window. 2024. ISBN 9781484695487.
Second grader Tana wants to show appreciation for school workers by gifting them with delicious treats, so she works with classmates to cook up some goodies. A lemon cupcake recipe is appended.  
 

Sam Bloom is the children’s collection development librarian at Lane (OH) Public Library. Edith Campbell is a librarian at Indiana State University. Ariana Sani Hussain is a teacher librarian at the Blake School, Hopkins, MN. Sujei Lugo is a children’s librarian at the Boston Public Library and an independent researcher. Lyn Miller-Lachmann is an award-winning author and translator of children’s books. Sonia Alejandra Rodríguez is a professor of English at LaGuardia Community College (CUNY).