Alliah L.

Agostini

Children’s Author

Writer of Non-Fiction & Fiction

Travels from: Newark, NJ

“An important look at Juneteenth history, made accessible for young readers.” — Kirkus Reviews

Buffalo, NY native Alliah L. Agostini is an award-winning marketer who has marketed everything from iconic brands to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children’s literature. She writes and speaks to spread joy, truth, and to help more children see themselves reflected on the page.

Alliah is a widely sought-after speaker for audiences of all ages, and the author of several highly celebrated non-fiction and fiction children’s books that celebrate Black joy and truth. Her released and upcoming work includes The Juneteenth Cookbook, award-winning The Juneteenth Story, Junior Library Guild Selection BIG TUNE: Rise of the Dancehall Prince, an NYPL Best Book of 2023, Oprah Winfrey: A Little Golden Book Biography, Great Idea Malia, Scarecited on the First Day of School, No Cat Like Tac and more.

Ms. Agostini and her work have been featured widely in press, including Oprah Daily, Essence, The Washington Post, TheGrio, CNN, TODAY with Hoda and Jenna, Morning in America, NPR, Good Housekeeping, and Book Riot. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children, and has an A.B. and an M.B.A. from Harvard.

Alliah L.'s Featured Titles

The Ten Tins

HarperCollins |

October 20, 2026

Children’s

Shiny blue cookie tins promise a delicious bite. But what’s inside this one? A sewing kit? Old photos? Shiny car keys?

From Teta to Nai Nai, none of the grown-ups seem to know that tins are for cookies! Will this group of friends ever find their treat?

Based on the cultural phenomenon of putting random items in cookie tins, this paper-over-board picture book is a hilarious page turning read aloud, perfect for the holiday season or anytime reading.

BIPOC Representation, Black Voices, Comedy & Humor, Family Narratives, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

Love That Baby Hair!

Charlesbridge |

March 3, 2026

Children’s

Nothing like that baby hair, baby waby baby hair! A joyful celebration of newborns and toddlers, highlighting the beauty of their precious curls and coils.

An inclusive and rhythmic celebration of babies and their ever-evolving hair, perfect for 3 to 7 year olds still rocking their baby hair.

From no hair to ‘fro hair and just-got-my-first-haircut-hair, delight in playful descriptions of diverse baby hair styles seen on newborns to toddlers. Love That Baby Hair! encourages young ones in the earliest stages of life to embrace the characteristics that make us special and unique.

A perfect read-aloud picture book for young readers to learn about positive self-image and self-confidence.

BIPOC Representation, Black Voices, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Friendship & Community, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers, Social & Emotional Development

The Kwanzaa Story: Celebrating Culture through Community (Holiday Celebration)

becker&mayer! kids |

September 23, 2025

Children’s

Discover the history and importance of Kwanzaa, a week-long December holiday celebrated in Black, African, and African American culture.

In The Kwanzaa Story, little Alliah (of The Juneteenth Story fame) is all grown up and, along with her husband LeVaur, teaches their children Daphne and Alistair why they celebrate Kwanzaa as a family and as a community. This beautifully illustrated storybook shares the origins of the holiday—rooted in Africa, born in Los Angeles—giving historical and cultural context on how a joyful celebration was birthed after the Watts Rebellion and during the Civil Rights Movement. The journey includes:

The history of the holiday, complete with timeline
Key figures of the Civil Rights Movement and their part in the creation of Kwanzaa
The seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguza Saba
The seven core symbols used during Kwanzaa rituals, including the kinara (candle holder) and the mishumaa saba (the seven candles in red, green, and black)
How Kwanzaa is celebrated today
And more!

2025 marks the 60th observance of Kwanzaa. The Kwanzaa Story offers Black, African, and African American children the opportunity to connect with their culture and the holiday in a meaningful way, and to see themselves and their family traditions represented on the page with accuracy and joy. This book also exposes children of different backgrounds to a new end-of-year cultural celebration, taking them on an engaging and educational journey about the principles and traditions of the holiday. This visually captivating guide to understanding Kwanzaa encourages young readers to connect with the holiday and its social impact.

Follow along as Alliah and her family discover the cultural significance of Kwanzaa’s principles and symbols, providing a tangible element to the holiday that will allow kids and family members to fully and joyfully participate in its celebration. Readers of all ages will love learning about the amazing history and traditions of Kwanzaa through the wise and educational storytelling in The Kwanzaa Story.

The Holiday Celebration series from becker&mayer! kids honors the diverse holidays and milestones that shape the cultural fabric of the United States. Though these traditions may have originated elsewhere, brought to our shores by ancestors from around the world, they have endured and evolved to weave the vibrant tapestry of American life. The series includes picture books and their companion kid-friendly cookbooks that share stories uniquely representative of the American experience—an experience that is multilayered, eclectic, inclusive, and joyfully beautiful.

Also available from the series:The Juneteenth Story, The Juneteenth Cookbook, The Dia de Los Muertos Story, and The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook.

BIPOC Representation, Black Voices, Family Narratives, Friendship & Community, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

We Dig Fossils (Step into Reading)

Random House Books for Young Readers |

May 6, 2025

Children’s

Get out your shovels and fossil brushes for this delightful Step 2 reader following a family’s search for fossils!

Ava loves rocks! But what she really really loves are fossils! Ava and her family are on a mission to dig up some fossils. They dig in their backyard, in the park, and by the creek but still no fossils. But Ava will not give up! The family head out to the beach for one more fossil hunting adventure! Will Ava finally be able to dig up her very own fossil?

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

BIPOC Representation, Fiction, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

Art’s Art

Paw Prints Reader |

May 6, 2025

Children’s

Teach kids about adaptability with this humorous, empathy-building Level 2 Paw Prints Reader.

More than anything, Cam loves to create art―he paints, he draws, he builds! What’s more, his dad loves to display these creations proudly all over their walls!

It’s no surprise that, when Dad surprises Cam with a rambunctious puppy, Cam names him Art. Art loves art just as much as Cam does. He loves to Stamp! Scratch! Plop! all over it. He stomps on Cam’s paintings, he scratches Cam’s drawings, and he knocks over Cam’s buildings.

What will Cam do about all this mess? And what about his budding frustration with his new friend? Will Cam find a way to manage his anger and help Art redirect all that energy away from Cam’s masterpieces?

Animals & Wildlife, BIPOC Representation, Fiction, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

No Cat Like Tac

Disney Hyperion |

March 25, 2025

Children’s

Meet Tac, an unusual cat! Her pounce shakes the house, her zoomies are a doozy, and her hairballs are . . . well, fireballs. But she’ll always be family. Right?

In the tradition of Not Quite Narwhal and Wolfie the Bunny, this laugh-out-loud picture book shows that love can overcome even the biggest, most unlikely differences!

When Tyra finds a box labeled “free kittens,” Dad says she can pick just one to adopt. So Tyra chooses Tac: a BIG kitten who’s a little different from other cats.

Tyra makes sure Tac has tons of toys to play with, lots of cozy places to cuddle, and plenty of love and affection. But everything about Tac, from her zoomies to her hairballs, is bigger, louder, and fierier than other cats.

Then one day, Tac’s mischief gets out of control, and Dad says “ENOUGH!” Can Tyra find a way to prove Tac is part of the family, differences and all?

With spare, sweet text and humorous illustrations that tell another side of the story, No Cat Like Tac sends the funny but heartfelt message that family is about being yourselves, but choosing each other.

Animals & Wildlife, BIPOC Representation, Black Voices, Friendship & Community, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

Great Idea Malia!

Holiday House |

September 17, 2024

Children’s

Malia has big ideas and boundless energy for problem-solving her mom’s new job in this joyful picture book that’s perfect for young families juggling work and play.

Malia loves two things: spending time with Mom and dreaming up Great Ideas. That’s why they call her Great Idea Malia! (Or at least . . . they should!)

When Mom gets a big new job, she is busier than ever. Malia realizes that Mom needs help. Time for some Great Ideas!

1. Malia cleans Mom’s office—sweeping her paperwork into the recycling.
2. Malia answers all her emails—with random emojis.
3. Malia even jazzes up her presentation— with cute dinosaurs and unicorns.

When it turns out this was not the help Mom had in mind, Malia needs a better-than-ever Great Idea to make things right.

Explore the big power of “small” ideas in this relatable story with a lovable mother-daughter duo, fabulous art, and inspirational—if slightly misplaced—energy.

BIPOC Representation, Black Voices, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

The Juneteenth Cookbook: Recipes and Activities for Kids and Families to Celebrate

becker&mayer! kids |

April 2, 2024

Children’s

Celebrate Juneteenth and radiate #BlackJoy through traditional food and cultural activities.

A commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States, the Juneteenth holiday has been observed in the Black community for over 150 years. In The Juneteenth Cookbook, Alliah L. Agostini, author of the popular children’s book The Juneteenth Story—which won the 2022 Black Kid Lit Award for Best Historical title—brings the tradition to your home through historically accurate recipes and educational family activities.

With captivating illustrations of 18 quick and easy recipes, follow along with little Alliah and her grandparents as they explore the historical origins of the holiday through food. Make, share, and enjoy kid-friendly takes on some of the most popular Juneteenth celebration foods, including:

Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches
Frances Price’s Calico Potato Salad
Saucy Pulled Chicken Sliders with Bangin’ Barbeque Sauce
Freedom Fizz (homemade red pop)
Hot Links & Chow Chow Relish
Corn Muffins with Hot Honey Butter
Mac ‘n’ Please
Sweet Potato Pie Bars
And more!

All recipes use simple and accessible ingredients, which can be easily substituted for a variety of diets and preferences. Each recipe can also easily be multiplied for larger groups, and the instructions are written with families in mind so everyone from toddler to grandparent can participate in crafting the ultimate Juneteenth celebration spread! Alongside all the delicious recipes, you’ll also learn a brief history of barbeque and it’s importance to the Juneteenth holiday and Black culture in America.

Keep the celebration going with five fun and educational activity sections that include crafting projects (creating an African medallion necklace and designing your own Juneteenth gear with block printing); table and field games (playing mancala and having relay races); on-site or virtual field trips (visiting museums and historic locations or joining Juneteenth celebrations in culturally important American cities); and dancing to the music of the holiday with Alliah’s Cookout DJ 101 tutorial. These activities are perfect for families, community groups, or classes and bring elements of the road to emancipation and Juneteenth’s history to life.

Comprised of 90 percent cooking and 10 percent family and community engagement, The Juneteenth Cookbook brings kids and families a sensory-rich, hands-on exploration of this important and historic American holiday.

BIPOC Representation, Black Voices, Food & Culinary, Kid-Lit: Picture Books & Early Readers

Juneteenth 101

A presentation about the history of Juneteenth, how our newest American holiday evolved over the years, and Alliah’s personal connection to the holiday. Great for 3rd grade+
Also available in a fireside chat format for adult audiences.

Uncovering Your Story

First, learn about how Alliah became an author by taking inspiration from her and her family’s own experiences to turn them into works of non-fiction AND fiction. Then, she’ll then lead the students in an exercise to create a groundwork for stories (fiction or non-fiction) inspired by their own experiences. Great for 3rd grade+

BIG TUNE Rhyme Time

Join Alliah for a lively BIG TUNE read aloud, where students will help her keep the rhythm, guess the rhyme, learn a little bit about Caribbean culture, food, vocabulary, and most importantly, dance!
Great for early Elementary students (K-2) and up.

Love That Baby Hair!

Why does everyone’s hair look different? How does hair grow and change? Join Alliah for a fun read-aloud of the sing-songy Love That Baby Hair, and some hands on demos and basic genetics lessons as kids learn how our hair grows and changes over time, from their earliest baby hair to big kid hair! Time permitting, sessions end with a special interactive surprise (for willing participants!). (Pre-K-2nd)

Kids Help Too! A Lesson in Making and Testing Hypothesises

Using Great Idea Malia as a starting point, this interactive session helps participants make text-to-self connections about navigating moments of change. It inspires ways they can meet the moment to make a difference by applying a STEM testing framework to evaluate decision-making. (1st-3rd grade)

SEL Word Builders

Some feelings are so tricky there’s no one word for them. Why not blend existing words to create new ones like Afua from Scarecited on the First Day of School, named a Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2025? We’ll read together and learn about portmanteaux (a fancy word for two or more combined words) in this ELA meets SEL session about identifying feelings, and we’ll work together to make a class (or school) mini-dictionary of new words. (Pre-K-2nd grade)

Rock Stars

It’s easy to find just any old rock, but finding a fossil takes skill, determination, and luck as Ava learns in We Dig Fossils, a New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, and School Library Journal Best Book of 2025! We’ll use this fun early reader about a budding paleontologist to learn how kids can be fossil hunters and how fossils are made! (Pre-K-2nd grade)

Kwanzaa

Using excerpts from The Kwanzaa Story, learn how Kwanzaa started, the African traditions that inspired the holiday, and the principles that ground and fuel the celebrations today. (2nd grade+)

How Do You Make A Holiday?

This joint overview on how the Juneteenth and Kwanzaa holidays got their start is a lesson in history, culture, and creativity using The Juneteenth Story and The Kwanzaa Story. (2nd – 6th grade)

“Alliah hosted our affinity group community (the Black Employee Network) where she spoke about the history and importance of Juneteenth. She was well spoken, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend!” — Arcadis, 2026

“Alliah L. Agostini’s “The Juneteenth Story” is a wonderful resource for teaching the history of Juneteenth in the U.S. and specifically, Buffalo, NY. The book pairs well with other children’s literature on the subject, and with scaffolded instruction it can be read and discussed across multiple grade levels K-6. The inclusion of the author’s personal connection to the holiday and its celebration really resonates with readers and makes learning about the holiday more “real.” Highly recommend this book.” — UB Center for K12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education, 2025

“Alliah Agostini was a generous guest on every level: with her gifts, her attention, her stories, and her care for the overall experience of everyone she engaged with — both children and adults. It was a joy to share her work with our community.” — Princeton Theological Seminary, 2025

“It was an absolute honor to host Alliah for a read-aloud of her powerful picture book, Great Idea, Malia!, as part of Howard University’s social justice reading club. The children were captivated by her storytelling, and the thought-provoking discussion that followed left a lasting impact. Her ability to engage young readers with important themes in such an accessible and heartfelt way was truly inspiring. The students at Howard deeply appreciated the opportunity to connect with her and her work. We are grateful for her time, insight, and the joy she brought to our community!” — The Conscious Kid, 2025

“Alliah was an extremely engaging speaker. Her presentation touched on diverse aspects of the topic and was appealing to adults and children alike. There was strong interest in all of the books she presented at her table. People patiently waited as she signed the books and took photos after the presentation.” — Burlington County Library System, 2024

“We absolutely loved your visit. Your book was awesome and so are you. Hopefully you could tell how interested the kids were.” — Ridgewood Avenue School, 2022

“Thank you so much for visiting us yesterday and sharing your beautiful books with us. The kids had so much fun and learned soooo much about Juneteenth!” — Demarest School, 2023

“It was such a powerful program and I was so glad to see both students and staff engaging.” — Delia Bolden Elementary, 2023

The Juneteenth Story – Additional Resources

Big Tune – Instrumentals: A playlist of iconic Dancehall riddems/rhythms produced by Dave Kelly

Alliah’s Press Link

Alliah’s Events Link

Honors, Awards & Recognition

BIG TUNE
Best Book of the Year by both the New York Public Library and the Chicago Public Library
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Kirkus – Starred Review, Named Best Books to Read in March
Publishers Weekly – Starred Review, Named a Top Children’s Book for March 2023

THE JUNETEENTH STORY
Best Historical Book, Black Kidlit Awards 2022

THE JUNETEENTH COOKBOOK
2024 Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL) Best Multicultural Book of 2024
Featured Juneteenth Title, Oprah Daily
School Library Journal, starred review
Shelf Awareness, starred review

GREAT IDEA MALIA!
Black Caucus ALA Best of the Best 2024 Prek-4

SCARECITED ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
“The Next Great Read Aloud” Starred Review, School Library Journal
A Best Book of the Year, Chicago Public Library, 2025

WE DIG FOSSILS
Starred Review, School Library Journal
A Best Book of the Year, New York Public Library, 2025
A Best Book of the Year, Chicago Public Library, 2025

NO CAT LIKE TAC
Nominee, Indiana Young Hoosier Award, 2026

Media clips

New York Times | Books for Kids Starting Preschool

The Washington Post | Talk to kids about Juneteenth and let food guide the conversation

The Giro | How to make Juneteenth special for kids? Author Alliah Agostini has the recipe

NPR | The history — and joy — of Juneteenth

Essence | Meet The Author Teaching Kids About Everything From Juneteenth To Dancehall Music With Her Books

The Buffalo News | A founder of Buffalo’s Juneteenth provides lessons in resilience

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

Similar Authors

Kathlyn J.

Agostini

The Ten Tins

The Kwanzaa Story: Celebrating Culture through Community (Holiday Celebration)

We Dig Fossils (Step into Reading)

Art’s Art

No Cat Like Tac

Great Idea Malia!

The Juneteenth Cookbook: Recipes and Activities for Kids and Families to Celebrate

Juneteenth 101

Uncovering Your Story

BIG TUNE Rhyme Time

Love That Baby Hair!

Kids Help Too! A Lesson in Making and Testing Hypothesises

SEL Word Builders

Rock Stars

Kwanzaa

How Do You Make A Holiday?

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Media clips

Media Kit

Kirkwood

Luqman-Dawson

Thompkins-Bigelow

Williams

Mangal

Agostini

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Love That Baby Hair!

The Kwanzaa Story: Celebrating Culture through Community (Holiday Celebration)

Scarecited on the First Day of School

We Dig Fossils (Step into Reading)

Art’s Art

No Cat Like Tac

Great Idea Malia!

Blexi, Play!

The Juneteenth Cookbook: Recipes and Activities for Kids and Families to Celebrate

Juneteenth 101

Uncovering Your Story

BIG TUNE Rhyme Time

Love That Baby Hair!

Kids Help Too! A Lesson in Making and Testing Hypothesises

SEL Word Builders

Rock Stars

Kwanzaa

How Do You Make A Holiday?

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Media clips

Media Kit

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Kirkwood

Luqman-Dawson

Thompkins-Bigelow

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