Our intention is to acquire and make available ALL picture books featuring indigenous people and people of color published in the U.S. since 2002, including reprints. Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL recommendation. See our related readings page for suggested links for evaluating books.
The world is not a rectangle
A biography of architect Zaha Hadid, who grew up in Baghdad and went on to design buildings all over the world. She became one of the most irreverent, controversial, and celebrated architects in the world. -- Publisher description
Lost and found cat
When an Iraqi family is forced to flee their home, they can't bear to leave their beloved cat, Kunkush, behind. So they carry him with them from Iraq to Greece, keeping their secret passenger hidden away. But during the crowded boat crossing to Greece, his carrier breaks and the frightened cat runs from the chaos. In one moment, he is gone. After an unsuccessful search, his family has to continue their journey, leaving brokenhearted. A few days later, aid workers in Greece find the lost cat. Knowing how much his family has sacrificed already, they are desperate to reunite them with the cat they love so much. A worldwide community comes together to spread the word on the Internet and in the news media, and after several months the impossible happens Kunkush s family is found, and they finally get their happy ending in their new home
The librarian of Basra
Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For fourteen years, the library where she works has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with the thirty thousand books within it--will be destroyed forever. In a war-stricken country where civilians-- especially women--have little power, this true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge know no boundaries
Mohammed’s journey
After his home was invaded by Saddam Hussein's soldiers, a young Kurdish boy named Mohammed and his mother take on a daring quest to flee Iraq; risking their lives to travel through several countries in order to reach freedom in England
Joha makes a wish
An original story, based on the Joha tales of the Arabic- speaking world, in which a hapless man finds a wishing stick that brings him nothing but bad luck. Includes an author's note about the history of Joha tales
Silent music
As bombs and missiles fall on Baghdad in 2003, a young boy uses the art of calligraphy to distance himself from the horror of war
When the animals saved Earth
The trial of the millennium: animals vs humans. Brought before the spirit king, and charged by the animals with spreading fear and pain throughout the land, the humans must answer for their actions. Will justice be had? Will balance return to land, sea, and sky? Will the earth be saved?
The knight, the princess & the magic rock
While on a mission for his king, a brave young Persian knight falls in love with a beautiful princess, daughter of the neighboring king, who is an enemy of Persia
Much, much better
When kind-hearted Shlomo and his wife Miriam share their sabbath meal with the prophet Elijah, disguised as an old man, the grateful visitor rewards the couple with a special gift