The death of author, activist, and feminist critic bell hooks on December 15 struck me as too soon, and wholly unexpected. Writing at the intersection of politics, race, gender, and class, hooks leaves us with a prolific body of work that also includes children's books. Her books for children feature pithy text and colorful illustrations, which make them particularly well suited for toddlers and preschoolers. However, to borrow a turn of phrase from hooks herself, picture books are for everyone. 

There are books about feeling your feelings, even the grumpy ones.

There are books about loving the texture of your hair. 

There are books celebrating the bond between a child and her parents. 

There are books about loving being a boy. 

And there are books about looking beyond the skin to see what's within.