Finding African history picture books has not been easy. It’s difficult to find age-appropriate literature that teaches my children about African kingdoms and other aspects of the continent’s rich history, but I’m always on the lookout. I’ve shared several African & African American Resources for Early Modern History in the past, and I’m excited to add to add new ones to the mix.

The Our Ancestories series is a colorful collection of stories on pre-colonial African legends. The company also provides engaging activities for kids to explore specific African cultures. Their vision is to nudge the world towards a point where:

• There is an avid learning culture for African history.
• People of African descent are at least as exposed to African history as we are to Western history. (Read about my experience with this in Ghana)
• Africans look more to our history as we pave a way for the future.
• Legends that make up African history are mainstream and are introduced to children across the globe.

Our books aim to empower children by sharing the untold stories of African legends and correcting the widespread ignorance about Africa’s rich history. We believe in presenting a more complete and nuanced view of the continent through captivating children’s literature.

Ekiuwa Aire, Author of Our Ancestories books

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using these African history picture book links at no additional cost to you.

The Our Ancestories Series

Idia of the Benin Kingdom: This empowering story takes readers on a beautifully illustrated journey to the 1500s in ancient Africa. Readers are captivated as they watch Idia transform herself from the young and curious daughter of a village warrior to becoming the Queen of the Kingdom of Benin. This book imagines what her childhood may have been like and shares the story of this well-loved and successful African queen in a way that is relatable to young readers.

Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba: This is the true story of a girl who had a difficult birth but became the Queen of two ancient African kingdoms. Revered for her wisdom, courage, and strength, Njinga became a dominant political figure in Angola in the 1600s.

Imhotep of Ancient Kemet: NEW! Imhotep had the ability to see through difficult problems and was often trying new techniques and experiments. He had many talents, and as an architect, Imhotep designed the step pyramid at Sakkara – one of the most incredible structures in ancient history. In the pages of this book, you’ll discover the Egypt known to Imhotep, as he grows from a curious young man into one of the most successful, intelligent, and well-known men in ancient Egypt.

Sunjata of the Mande Empire: NEW! This story is an adaptation of an epic poem that jali poets have told since the 13th century. It tells of a young boy overcoming self-doubt and becoming the founder of the Mandé Empire, one of the richest empires in African and Malian history.

I recently had the exciting opportunity to speak with Ekiuwa Aire, author of the Our Ancestories series. She’s a Nigerian-Canadian cultural connector who is passionate about building a love and knowledge of African history and culture with all kids, and I’d like to share a bit of what we discussed:

Why did you decide to write these books?

I began my venture in 2018 with a mission to introduce my daughters (then 3 and 5) to the rich culture and heritage of my homeland, Benin. While searching for children’s books on African history, I was disappointed to find that there were few resources available for young children. I knew I had to do something to change this.

And I’m so thankful for the work that you’re doing! How do you choose your topics?

I was inspired by the strong and influential women in my culture, leading me to write a children’s book about Queen Idia of the Benin Kingdom first. My goal is to showcase characters who achieved great things or went through experiences that today’s kids can relate to.

Ekiuwa is filling a deep gap in children’s publishing while blessing so many kids in homes and classrooms everywhere. Please support her beautiful work.

For more resources on teaching about the beauty of African and African American culture, please visit us on Instagram. Ekiuwa can be found at @our_ancestories, and I’m @heritagemomblog. We hope to see you there soon!