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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A Girl Like Me

2020

by Angela Johnson and Nina Crews

"Empower young readers to embrace their individuality, reject societal limitations, and follow their dreams. This inspiring picture book brings together a poem by acclaimed author Angela Johnson and Nina Crews’s distinctive photocollage illustrations to celebrate girls of color." -- publisher

A Story About Afiya

2020

by James Berry and Anna Cunha

"Some people have dresses for every occasion but Afiya needs only one. Her dress records the memories of her childhood, from roses in bloom to pigeons in flight, from tigers at the zoo to October leaves falling. A joyful celebration of a young girl’s childhood, written by the late Coretta Scott King Book Award-winning Jamaican poet James Berry." -- publisher

Beautiful Shades of Brown

2020

by Nancy Churnin and Felicia Marshall

"Growing up in the late 19th century, Laura Wheeler Waring didn't see any artists who looked like her. She didn't see any paintings of people who looked like her, either. As a young woman studying art in Paris, she found inspiration in the works of Matisse and Gaugin to paint the people she knew best. Back in Philadelphia, the Harmon Foundation commissioned her to paint portraits of accomplished African-Americans. Her portraits still hang in Washington DC's National Portrait Gallery, where children of all races can admire the beautiful shades of brown she captured." -- publisher

Boxitects

2020

by Kim Smith

"Meg is a brilliant and creative boxitect. She loves impressing her teacher and classmates with what she makes out of boxes. But there’s a new kid at Maker School: Simone. Simone is good at everything, and worst of all, she’s a boxitect too. When the annual Maker Match is held, Meg and Simone are paired as a team but can’t seem to stop arguing. When their extraordinary project turns into a huge disaster, they must find a way to join creative forces, lift each other up, and work together."--publisher

Colin Kaepernick

2020

by Blake Hoena and Sam LeDoyen

"This graphic biography shows readers the moments that have defined Colin Kaepernick’s life as a quarterback and an activist. His talent and determination made him a college football success and brought him to the National Football League. As a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, he led his team to multiple playoffs and even competed in the Super Bowl. When outrage over violence against African Americans became a national movement, Kaepernick joined the protests. His decision cost him his career in football, but he gained a voice heard worldwide." -- 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

From Maybe to Forever

2020

by N.V. Fong, M.L. Gold and Jess Hong

"Waiting for a baby brother or sister is hard to do when you aren't sure what when happen or when. It helps when you can tell yourself a story about how a maybe baby can become your very own little sister or brother. Told from an older sister's point of view, this is an endearing story about adoption." -- publisher

Good Vibrations

2020

by Mike Love, Brian Wilson and Paul Hoppe

"Good Vibrations is a lively picture book based on Mike Love and Brian Wilson's number one hit about absorbing positive energy from the people around them. Often praised as one of the most important compositions in rock, the Beach Boys' original version of this song was their third number one Billboard hit. With lyrics by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, and illustrations by Paul Hoppe, this picture book follows a girl and her dog as they make their way down to the beach, sharing good vibrations all along the way. Parents and children alike can share and enjoy one of rock's greatest hits through the colorful pages of Good Vibrations." -- publisher

I Am a Promise

2020

by Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, Ashley Rousseau and Rachel Moss

"An inspiring children's picture book about the indomitable spirit of Jamaican six-time Olympic medal winner Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce." -- publisher

Jackie Robinson

2020

by Blake Hoena and David Shephard

"In an era of discrimination, Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson broke Major League Baseball's race barrier. Before Robinson took his place at first base, the majors discriminated against African-American athletes, denying them a chance to compete. Despite facing harassment from fans and other players, Robinson stayed focused on the game, becoming the MLB Rookie of the Year in 1947 and later a baseball legend. This graphic biography follows Robinson's time on semi-pro teams, his days in the US military, and his history-making experience with the Brooklyn Dodgers." -- publisher

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2046 matching books

A Girl Like Me

A Story About Afiya

Beautiful Shades of Brown

Boxitects

Colin Kaepernick

Exquisite

From Maybe to Forever

Good Vibrations

I Am a Promise

Jackie Robinson