I'm Young, Gifted, and Black

Ages 0 to 2

A new boardbook edition of the phenomenal Young Gifted and Black aimed at babies and preschoolers, bringing together 20 Black icons from the past and present in a celebration of achievement. 

Introduce your baby or preschooler to Black history, culture, and achievement with this new board book edition of Young, Gifted, and Black, designed especially for the youngest generation. Includes a mirror at the back so young dreamers can see themselves next to their heroes.

Meet 20 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement—a collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire, and empower the next generation of changemakers. Jamia Wilson has carefully curated this range of black icons and the book is stylishly brought together by Andrea Pippins’ colorful and celebratory illustrations.

Written in the spirit of Nina Simone’s song “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” this vibrant book is a perfect introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes. Meet figureheads, leaders, and pioneers such as Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and athletes like Zadie Smith and Serena Williams.

All children deserve to see themselves represented positively in the books they read. Highlighting the talent and contributions of black leaders and changemakers from around the world, readers of all backgrounds will be empowered to discover what they too can achieve. Strong, courageous, talented, and diverse, these extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream…whatever it may be.

Praise for the hardback edition:

“...to be revisited again and again…The candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resist…” –The New York Times

“...diverse collection of iconic figures…vibrantly illustrated…beautifully crafted volume…” –Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“…exuberant…exquisitely designed…a launching point for more discoveries.” –School Library Journal, Starred Review

“A luminous and diverse tribute to black movers and shakers across the centuries.” –Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Jamia Wilson is the executive director and publisher of the Feminist Press. An activist and writer, Wilson has contributed to New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Today Show, CNN, BBC, Teen Vogue, Elle, Refinery 29, Rookie and The Guardian. She is the author of Young Gifted and Black, Step Into Your Power, and Big Ideas for Young Thinkers; a co-author of Road Map for Revolutionaries; and wrote the introduction and oral history to Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World.Andrea Pippins is an illustrator, designer, and author who has a passion for creating images that reflect what she wants to see in art, media, and pop culture. Her vision is to empower people of color with tools and inspiration to create and tell their own stories. She is the best-selling creator of the coloring book I Love My Hair and the interactive journal Becoming Me. Her clients include O: The Oprah Magazine, Scoop Magazine, Family Circle, The Huffington Post, Bustle, Free People, Lincoln Center, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Andrea is based in Stockholm, Sweden.