Search Our Database of Nearly 2,000 Diverse Picture Books

Our collection of picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public. *Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL a recommendation.* Click here for more on book evaluation.

COVID-19 Info: Currently, our collection is only available via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). However, we appreciate your patience as these services are still limited and you may find inactive links to the Bates Library Catalog and MARC record on certain book pages.

Find titles using a keyword search below (e.g. adoption, birthday, holidays, etc.), or by selecting one or a combination of filters on the lefthand sidebar below.

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African

2020

by Peter Tosh and Rachel Moss

"African is a children's book featuring lyrics by Peter Tosh and illustrations by Jamaican artist Rachel Moss. The song "African" by Peter Tosh was originally released in 1977 on his second solo record, Equal Rights. He wrote the song during a time of civil unrest in Jamaica as a reminder to all black people that they were part of the same community. The album is considered one of the most influential reggae works of all time." -- publisher

Exquisite

2020

by Suzanne Slade and Cozbi A. Cabrera

"A picture-book biography of celebrated poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize" -- publisher

It’s Challah Time!

2020

by Latifa Berry Kropf and Moshe Shai

"In this 20th anniversary edition of Kar-Ben’s best-seller with all new photos, a diverse preschool class works together to make challah for Shabbat in this photo-driven book. They combine yeast, water, flour and salt into dough that is braided into perfect challah loaves. The children enjoy tasting their creation, and learn that making challah is a special ritual of Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath." -- publisher

Let’s Dance!

2020

by Valerie Bolling and Maine Diaz

"Tap, twirl, twist, spin! With musical, rhyming text, author Valerie Bolling shines a spotlight on dances from across the globe, while energetic art from Maine Diaz shows off all the moves and the diverse people who do them. From the cha cha of Cuba to the stepping of Ireland, kids will want to leap, dip, and zip along with the dances on the page!" -- publisher

Magnificent homespun brown

2020

by Samara Cole Doyon and Kaylani Juanita

"Told by a succession of exuberant young narrators, Magnificent Homespun Brown is a story -- a song, a poem, a celebration -- about feeling at home in one’s own beloved skin." -- publisher

My footprints

2020

by Bao Phi and Basia Tran

Upset after being bullied, Thuy, a Vietnamese American, pretends she is different creatures, including an especially strong, wonderful being made up of her two mothers and herself. Includes note about the phoenix and the Sarabha.

Overground Railroad

2020

by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome

"As she climbs aboard the New York bound Silver Meteor train, Ruth Ellen embarks upon a journey toward a new life up North—one she can’t begin to imagine. Stop by stop, the perceptive young narrator tells her journey in poems, leaving behind the cotton fields and distant Blue Ridge mountains." -- publisher

The Arabic quilt

2020

by Aya Khalil and Anait Semirdzhyan

"Kanzi's family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that's why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her mother has made for her lunch, but that backfires when Mama shows up at school with the sandwich. Mama wears a hijab and calls her daughter Habibti (dear one). When she leaves, the teasing starts." -- publisher

The Day Sadia Arrived

2020

by Susana Gómez Redondo and Sonja Wimmer

"Two girls forge a forever-friendship by learning each other’s language. The Day Saida Arrived demonstrates the power of language to build bonds beyond borders. What happens when a new friend arrives who doesn’t speak your language? A young girl searches for the words to help her friend feel welcome and happy in her new home, and along the way learns about differences and similarities in countries and words. The two forge a strong bond while they each learn the other’s language, exploring the world around them. A joyous, lyrical text—including English translations and pronunciations and the complete Arabic alphabet—offers an accessible, fresh approach to talking about immigration. Paired with lushly vivid illustrations, The Day Saida Arrived demonstrates the power of language to build bonds beyond borders. Printed on FSC-certified paper with vegetable-based inks." -- publisher

The Most Beautiful Thing

2020

by Kao Kalia Yang and Khoa Le

"Drawn from author Kao Kalia Yang’s childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this moving picture book portrays a family with a great deal of love and little money. Weaving together Kalia’s story with that of her beloved grandmother, the book moves from the jungles of Laos to the family’s early years in the United States." -- publisher

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941 matching books

African

Exquisite

It’s Challah Time!

Let’s Dance!

Magnificent homespun brown

My footprints

Overground Railroad

The Arabic quilt

The Day Sadia Arrived

The Most Beautiful Thing