Picture Books That Celebrate Caribbean Heritage
by Naima Jasmine Russell
Quick — how many Caribbean islands can your child name? If it’s one or none, then get ready to celebrate Caribbean Heritage Month this June. This is the perfect time to introduce young readers to the Caribbean’s cultures, histories, and vibrant landscapes through picture books — no passport required. Whether you’re a parent trying to keep your kids entertained or a teacher looking to spice up your classroom collection, these books bring the Caribbean’s rhythm, flavor, and heart to your lap.
Here are 10 books that introduce young readers to the Caribbean through music, food, history, geography, and folktales.
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Picture Books About Caribbean Music:
Calypso, salsa, reggae, dancehall, soca, merengue, chutney… I could go on. Many music genres were born in the Caribbean, and it’s best to grab your reader and dance to each one.
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Marley and the Family Band
Available from:Tracey Baptiste and Cedella Marley, daughter of icon Bob Marley, craft a joyful and vibrant story of community, family, and the power of music. Marley has just moved from Jamaica to Delaware and is determined to help her and her siblings make new friends. She decides to hold an outdoor concert for the neighborhood until a downpour washes away her plans. With some elbow grease and the kindness of her new neighbors, Marley and her family don’t let the rain stop the music.
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Angélica and la Güira
Available from:Summer vacation is over, and Angélica and her family must return home from the Dominican Republic. Before she goes back, Abuelito passes down a family heirloom: a güira. The güira, a cylindrical metal percussion instrument, is challenging to play, and back home in New York City, Angélica struggles to find a place where she and her güira are welcomed. Undaunted, she plays it on the street outside her home in Washington Heights and discovers the güira’s superpower is bringing the community together. This gem is published in English and Spanish.
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Picture Books About Caribbean History
Most kids think history is boring, but when they learn it through picture books and from another child’s perspective, it becomes tangible and relatable.
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Windrush Child: The Tale of a Caribbean Child Who Faced a New Horizon
Available from:Ever since learning about the Windrush generation last year, I’ve been fascinated by the mass migration of thousands of people who left the islands and sailed to Great Britain aboard the Empire Windrush between 1948 and 1971. Centering on one courageous child, poet John Agard gives a unique perspective to the hard goodbyes, lengthy voyages, and changing landscapes that gave birth to the hope and optimism of half a million immigrants.
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Tía Fortuna’s New Home
Available from:Estrella Tía Fortuna once lived in Havana, Cuba, but moved to Miami to escape the Cuban revolution. Now, Tía Fortuna must give up her beloved home again, but this time, she is moving to an assisted living facility. As she packs her most meaningful things, she shares stories of her Sephardic Jewish and Cuban heritage with her niece. In this beautiful intergenerational story, Estrella learns that home is where your family is.
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Picture Books About Caribbean Nature
The Caribbean is a hotspot for biodiversity, with lush tropical rainforests, green mountains, and vibrant coral reefs. Exploring ecosystems like seagrass beds, mangroves, and tide pools will help readers develop a respect for and willingness to protect nature.
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The Silver Shadow
Available from:The sun is high, the tide is out, and the tide pools at the beach captivate a little girl. Soon, she finds a baby shark stranded in the shallows and, with a boldness she didn’t know she had, protects the shark until the tide comes and washes her back out to sea. Mariesa Dulak’s gorgeous illustrations bathe this poetic tale of compassion for living creatures in colorful light.
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Picture Books About Caribbean Geography
Exploring maps of the Caribbean helps young readers develop better spatial thinking. It helps them visualize their location relative to the islands, their distance, and how wide or small they are. Overall, it strengthens their understanding of the world around them.
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Across the Bay
Available from:Carlitos lives with his family across the bay from Old San Juan in Cataño. Although his life is cozy and generally happy, Carlitos longs to know more about his estranged father. With Papi’s photo in hand, Carlitos takes the ferry to San Juan in search of his father. Beautiful illustrations capture the love and pride for this Puerto Rican city and the emotional journey of a little boy trying to fill a void.
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Picture Books About Caribbean Folklore
African, Creole, Asian, Indigenous American, European, and Indian cultures influence Caribbean heritage. Young readers will find the blend of folk characters like Mami Wata, Anansi, duppy, and Papa Bois into traditional stories fascinating.
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The Secret Footprints
Available from:In this folktale from the author's childhood, ciguapas are creatures with backwards feet who live in underwater caves. A young ciquapa named Guapa emerges from the water at night to hunt for food. Her curiosity draws her to a house where she explores the clothes hanging on the line. In her boldness, she returns the next night but trips, falls, and is captured by a little boy she tricks into letting her escape. While grateful for her freedom, she resolves never to get too close to humans again.
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Picture Books About Caribbean Food
Get young readers interested in new cultures through their bellies! Sample new fruits, fish, and recipes popular on the islands like jerk chicken, conch fritters, curry goat, Jamaican patties, and rice and peas. Yum!
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Faruq and the Wiri Wiri: A Celebration of Family and Food
Available from:Boys can learn to cook too! Faruq loves Ajee’s cooking as much as he loves her, but when he tries to explore his culinary aspirations, he’s shooed out of the kitchen and told to focus on his studies to be a doctor. When Ajee gets too sick to cook, Faruq and his neighbor, Mrs. Joseph, take over the kitchen. Pouring love and passion into the dishes, he challenges gender stereotypes in his family and changes the course of his future.
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Picture Books About Caribbean Festivals
Along with Junkanoo, Carnival is the most popular Caribbean festival. While each island does it differently, Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is the most incredible show on earth.
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Love, Lah-Lah
Available from:Carnival is a celebration of freedom, resistance, and creativity, and is celebrated on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. In this vibrant and joyful tribute to the festival, Lah Lah wakes up early, ready to experience all that Carnival has to offer — dancing to soca in the streets, waving to the King and Queen of the parade, and taking in the performances onstage at the route. Author and soca artist Nailah Blackman dedicates this book to her grandfather and the creator of soca music, Ras Shorty I.
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Picture Book Conversation Starters About the Caribbean
Books that feature a slice-of-life story serve as a window and mirror into another culture and help start age-appropriate conversations with readers. By learning about unique experiences in a culture, readers can compare and contrast how they may be similar and different from the characters in a story.
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Patchwork Prince
Available from:Drawing from his childhood, author Baptiste Paul shares an uplifting story about self-pride, resourcefulness, and found treasure. A queen (mom) and her little prince (her son) search through fabric scraps from the wealthy garment factories. By laying out, cutting, and stitching together those scraps, the prince’s mother gives new life to the material, making clothes fit for royalty. While this story is triumphant in tone, older children will wonder why the wealthy factory owners burn the scraps instead of donating them to impoverished people. An author’s note in the back of the book addresses this issue, making this book an excellent conversation starter.
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