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.: Our collection is currently not circulating. Ladd library is closed and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is unavailable until further notice. You may also find inactive links to the Bates Library Catalog and MARC record on certain book pages. We appreciate your patience.
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.
First time here? Start here!
27 matching books
Show Filters
Neema’s reason to smile
"Neema's Reason to Smile is the story of Neema, a young Kenyan girl who dreams of one day being able to afford to go to school. Slowly, and with great purpose, Neema makes a plan to save money in her dream basket and make her dream come true. One day, a mysterious young girl skips down the street wearing a red skirt and white shirt. Soon, she guides Neema all the way to a new school."-- Publisher's website
The wooden camel
Etabo wants nothing more than to race camels, but when times are tough and his chances disappear, he must be content with dreaming about racing them, until his sister makes a herd of wooden camels to help him imagine
Joseph’s big ride
"A refugee boy's determination to ride a bicycle leads to an unexpected friendship"--Publisher
Today is the day
"Mutanu is excited. As she goes about her chores, she thinks about the day to come and what surprises it might bring. For today is no ordinary day at the orphanage she lives in. Every year, the orphanage honors its newest arrivals by creating a birthday day especially for them. From that moment forward, the orphans have a day that they know is theirs--a day to celebrate, a day to enjoy, a day to remember. And today is the day!"--Publisher
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her efforts to lead women in a nonviolent struggle to bring peace and democracy to Africa through its reforestation. Her organization planted over thirty million trees in thirty years. This beautiful picture book tells the story of an amazing woman and an inspiring idea
Hope springs
Based on the true story of an orphaned boy in Kenya trying to bring clean water to his village
Imani’s moon
Little Imani of the Maasai people longs to do something great, like touching the moon, but the other children just laugh at her
Community soup
What do you get when you combine young gardeners, their tasty vegetables and a herd of mischievous goats--a recipe for disaster or a bowl of delicious soup? Includes recipe
My name is Blessing
Based on a true story about a young Kenyan boy whose mother left him but had named him Muthini which meant suffering because he was born with no fingers on his left hand and only two on his right. Many times he was made fun of or avoided which hurt him deeply. He lives with his very elderly grandmother, his Nyanya, along with many cousins whose parents had either died or left them. They are extremely poor and there is never enough money or food, but plenty of love. A difficult choice must be made and Muthini is the youngest child and needs to have a better chance in life, so his Nyanya takes him to an orphanage where he is blessed and his name is changed to Baraka which means blessing for he was a blessing just as his grandmother always knew