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By now, I’m sure you know how much I love a good roundup + especially when it comes to children’s books. There is nothing more magical than escaping into a book and experiencing, learning, growing within it. And although that is very true for my experiences reading, it is one that I hope to pass onto my kids–the joy of reading. I have been slowly collecting a beautiful library of books for my children that I hope one day can be passed on to their children–gulp, even just typing that makes me a bit weepy and I want time to slow down, just a tad. February is the month of love and it is Black History Month + a roundup of our favourite books is coming at cha! I bought most of these books from Amazon or from Indigo/Chapters but I am very confident you can get these (and more beautiful books!) at your local library!
Each season/holiday I decorate our book wall (it used to be a mere shelfie!) with new books to match that season or holiday–and I’m excited to share our updated Valentines + Black History Month book roundup! Oh, and our book wall is made using IKEA “picture” ledges–we have the white ones, obvi, but ugh they have these really beautiful natural wood ones this year and I’m obsessed with them.
ANYWAY.
Any chance I have to celebrate love, I’m there. Valentines is such a fun + wonderful way to deck the house in pinks and reds, read about love + enjoy a treat or two (my personal favs are homemade festive poptarts and mini baked cake donuts…definitely KETO, right? ha!).
While we celebrate Valentines and love throughout this month, February is also Black History Month. I have very fond memories of beautiful dances and showcases performed at my arts high school in celebration of this month + I think it is important to shine a light and celebrate the achievements of black people throughout our history.
As a woman and a mother, I do not have all the answers + I’ll be the first to say, I am definitely not the most educated on all the things–but I will say this: it is my role as a mother (dare I say, my duty) to ensure that my children are inclusive, my children are kind, and my children celebrate the differences + the similarities of others. It is my responsibility to raise beautiful and intelligent adults who are compassionate, who are aware, and who can help others. So, with that being said–over the last few years we have started to collect books for February that spread love + kindness and celebrate BHM to increase our family’s cultural awareness and appreciation.
You can browse our past Valentines book roundup + you’ll notice how slowly we curate our collection! Much like making a house into a home, the same applies to a curated book wall. Repeat after me: I don’t need all of these books immediately or at all, really. I mean, yes, they’re beautiful + wonderful but girl, we do not need to go into debt to create memories, show love, or celebrate the unique + diverse cultures around us. Okay?! I share this because I have been on the opposite side of the blog/social post and have allowed myself to think I was “less than” or I’d compare myself/my marriage/my house/my kids/everything all because I didn’t have the thing or things that others did. This is bananas. Don’t do this. I share these books to inspire you to create memories and celebrate diversity with your family through reading! And like I mentioned above, your local library is a great resource!
Here are some of our NEW favourites:
Mirabel’s Missing Valentines
Words and Your Heart
Love the Earth
We love the LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG DREAMS books + we have a handful of them including Audrey Hepburn + Coco Chanel–but we’re loving Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali, and Martin Luther King JR books. Maya Angelou, Harriet Tubman, and Ella Fitzgerald will be making their way onto our shelves soon. Oh, and there’s one for David Attenborough + I can’t wait to snag that for George’s Easter basket…
LITTLE LEGENDS + LITTLE LEADERS books
Are you fans of the would you rather game!? We have a Christmas edition of this book + I literally just ordered the Valentines one because this book is so much fun! The conversations that have come from these books are hilarious and sometimes, very intense. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
I hope this inspires and encourages you to celebrate through books + please let me know if I am missing any of your favourite Valentines or BHM books! I’d love to add them to my list + our collection. XO