Reading is an essential skill for young children. It can chart a course for school success. Without this ability, children are likely to be unsuccessful and drop out of school. In this article, the authors focus on the use of Authentic African American children's literature to support literacy development, help unite the home and school environments, and share positive cultural images and help provide context for African American children. They also discuss the importance of authenticity in children's literature and offer early childhood educators resource lists and Web sites about African American children's literature. Furthermore, the authors discuss the benefits of authentic children's literature. All children benefit from books free of stereotypes. (Contains a list of 45 resources and 4 online resources.)