The Inaugural Black Children’s Book Week

The Inaugural Black Children’s Book Week is taking place in Phoenix from Feb. 23 to March 1, 2025. This inaugural, weeklong celebration shines a spotlight on local Arizona Black authors and their contributions to children’s literature. This provides an opportunity to engage local students, families and communities in the power of storytelling and literacy.

Dr. Neal Lester, Founding Director of Project Humanities at ASU, and Erica Maxwell, Chair of Black Children’s Book Week Phoenix 2025, joined “Arizona Horizon” to talk about the event.

Throughout the week, participating Black authors are visiting local schools to engage with students, share their stories and excite and inspire the next generation of readers.

This event is being held in conjunction with the Black Children’s Book Week global celebration. Events promote and celebrate Black authors, illustrators, publishers, businesspeople, community advocates, librarians, educators and students.

“Veronica Chapman founded this in 2022,” Maxwell explained. “It has been on my radar as a local children’s author and decided this year, we’re going to celebrate, a global celebration of Black children and of those that ensure that children are seeing themselves in our books and also media that also represents Black children.”

They did their kickoff on Sunday, and it was essentially a meet-and-greet for the authors. There is a lot of family activities, games, and giveaways.

“Arizona Horizon” has featured several Black children’s book authors, including Erica Maxwell herself. Watch her episode about her book “Beauty With a Birthmark” here. We also featured author Absalon White, Jr. who created a comic book titled “Instant” that features a black main character. Learn more about him and his work here. Additionally, check out this list of books to celebrate Black History Month from PBS for Parents.

“There are about ten local authors who are writing for and about young black children and youth, and we’ve got book readings going on at one of the elementary schools going on this week,” said Dr. Neal Lesterand.