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Our collection of picture books featuring Black and Indigenous Peoples and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public.

*Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL a recommendation.*

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

127 matching books

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A Bindi Can Be …

2024

by Suma Subramaniam and Kamala Nair

“A young girl is eager to learn all about bindis, the red dot that goes between her brows. Paati, her grandmother, shows her how to make a bindi in a clay pot by combining crushed turmeric, sandalwood powder and a dollop of ghee. They mix and mix and mix until, like magic, the mixture turns from yellow to bright red. Her bindi can be big or small, and shaped like a star, a flower or a glowing half-moon. She can wear her bindi to celebrate different festivals, such as Diwali, or on an ordinary day as a way to stay centered and calm. In this way, she discovers that her bindi is more than just a dot.” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

Don’t Wash Winston

2024

by Ashley Belote

“A young boy plots to save his stuffed teddy from the scary washing machine in Ashley Belote’s funny and heartwarming new picture book. We’ve all been there… A bit of a spill, an overenthusiastic leap, one mud pie too many, and OH NO! our beloved stuffed animal friend suddenly has to be (glup) WASHED! When Winston, Liam’s favorite teddy bear, gets muddy, Dad decides that Winston needs to be washed. But the washing machine is big and loud and scary! Liam decides that the only solution is to hide Winston away from this terrible fate. This humorous and heartwarming tale allows anxious toy-protectors to gleefully follow along with Liam’s teddy-hiding plans, while also, in the end, leading them to the realization that sometimes it really is necessary for even the most beloved friend to be washed.” — publisher

Any Child/Teen

Meena Can’t Wait

2024

by Farida Zaman

“Meena is excited because today she’s going to Nanu’s house to drink tea and eat treats. When Meena gets there, she’s ready to get started…but her nanu tells her it’s not time yet. Today they’re going to have a very special Bengali tea called doodh cha, and they are going to make it together. First, they harvest some ingredients from the garden. Then they head inside to prepare. Meena’s tummy is rumbling as she smells her grandmother’s freshly baked samosas and spice cake, but she helps crush the cardamom and cloves and learns when to add the milk, sugar and tea. While they’re waiting for the doodh cha to be done, Nanu shares memories of her past in Bangladesh as they look at old photos, paint pictures and set the table. And when the doodh cha is finally ready, it’s just as delicious as Nanu had promised. Nanu was right: “It always tastes better when we make it together.”– publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

Simone

2024

by Viet Thanh Nguyen and Minnie Phan

“When Simone is awakened by her mom as a wildfire threatens their home, it is the beginning of a life-changing journey. On their way to take shelter in a high school gym, the family passes firefighters from a prison unit battling the fire. Simone’s mom tells her that when she was a girl in Viet Nam, she was forced to evacuate her home after a flood. Joined by other children sheltering in the gym, Simone, a budding artist, encourages everyone to draw as a way to process their situation. After a few days, Simone and her mom are able to return to their home, which is fortunately still standing, and her outlook has changed. As Simone begins creating a piece of art with one of her new friends from the shelter, she realizes that they too can be firefighters, dreaming and working for a more sustainable future. With a poetic, haunting family story by esteemed author Viet Thanh Nguyen and gorgeous art from Vietnamese American illustrator Minnie Phan, this powerful tale introduces an unforgettable young heroine who awakens to a new role fighting for her community and for the future of the planet.” — publisher

Any Child/Teen Incidental

Sona Sharma, Looking After Planet Earth

2024

by Chitra Soundar and Jen Khatun

“When Sona learns about the climate crisis at school, she worries nobody is doing enough to combat it. So she takes up the challenge herself! But her family isn’t amused when Sona suddenly gets rid of her sister’s diapers and turns off Thatha and Paatti’s cooling fan during their nap. Sona finds a better way to implement change, at a family meeting where everyone helps make a list of ways to conserve. Energized, Sona sets her sights on the rest of the neighborhood. When she learns many of the kolams—traditional art that people draw in front of their homes to celebrate the festival season—are not eco-friendly, she makes plans for some even bigger changes. Can Sona convince everyone to get involved—even her own strong-willed grandmother?” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

Take Me to Laolao

2024

“There’s nothing that Lili loves more than celebrating the Spring Lantern Festival with her family. But this year, Lili’s beloved lăolao wasn’t at the festivities. Though it’s one of Lili’s favorite days of the year, she can’t help but wish, as she drifts off to sleep, that Lăolao were still there. That night, the first full moon of the new year invites Lili on an incredible journey. She’ll travel to the bottom of the sea on the back of a talking boat to visit the Dragon King and past the misty clouds to see the Jade Emperor in the Celestial Palace. But will Lili get to see the one person she wants to see most in the entire world before the night is over?” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

The House Before Falling into the Sea

2024

by Ann Suk Wang and Hanna Cha

“Every day, more and more people fleeing war in the north show up at Kyung Tak and her family’s house on the southeastern shore of Korea. With nowhere else to go, the Taks’ home is these migrants’ last chance of refuge “before falling into the sea,” and the household quickly becomes crowded, hot, and noisy. Then war sirens cry out over Kyung’s city too, and her family and their guests take shelter underground. When the sirens stop, Kyung is upset—she wishes everything could go back to the way it was before: before the sirens, before strangers started coming into their home. But after an important talk with her parents, her new friend Sunhee, and Sunhee’s father, Kyung realizes something important: We’re stronger when we have each other, and the kindness we show one another in the darkest of times is a gift we’ll never regret.” — publisher

Oppression & Resilience

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