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.
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18 matching books
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Jump at the Sun
"From the Newbery Honor–winning author of Genesis Begins Again comes a shimmering picture book that shines the light on Zora Neale Hurston, the extraordinary writer and storycatcher extraordinaire who changed the face of American literature. Zora was a girl who hankered for tales like bees for honey. Now, her mama always told her that if she wanted something, “to jump at de sun”, because even though you might not land quite that high, at least you’d get off the ground. So Zora jumped from place to place, from the porch of the general store where she listened to folktales, to Howard University, to Harlem. And everywhere she jumped, she shined sunlight on the tales most people hadn’t been bothered to listen to until Zora. The tales no one had written down until Zora. Tales on a whole culture of literature overlooked…until Zora. Until Zora jumped." -- publisher
Saving American Beach
"This heartfelt picture book biography illustrated by the Caldecott Honoree Ekua Holmes, tells the story of MaVynee Betsch, an African American opera singer turned environmentalist and the legacy she preserved. MaVynee loved going to the beach. But in the days of Jim Crow, she couldn’t just go to any beach—most of the beaches in Jacksonville were for whites only. Knowing something must be done, her grandfather bought a beach that African American families could enjoy without being reminded they were second class citizens; he called it American Beach. Artists like Zora Neale Hurston and Ray Charles vacationed on its sunny shores. It’s here that MaVynee was first inspired to sing, propelling her to later become a widely acclaimed opera singer who routinely performed on an international stage. But her first love would always be American Beach. After the Civil Rights Act desegregated public places, there was no longer a need for a place like American Beach and it slowly fell into disrepair. MaVynee remembered the importance of American Beach to her family and so many others, so determined to preserve this integral piece of American history, she began her second act as an activist and conservationist, ultimately saving the place that had always felt most like home" -- publisher
Welcome to Florida
"Welcome to Florida! We’re glad you’re here! Introducing a new series of picture books about each US state. Children from Florida and those who’d like to visit Florida one day will love this bright, cheerful, fact-filled picture book celebration of “The Sunshine State.” With information about the state’s animals, plants, regions, food, people, customs, and fun places to visit, this tribute to Florida is the perfect gift for vacationers and residents alike. The warm, bright illustrations highlight the many delights to be found throughout the state, and the easy-yet-informative details (“The smallest post office in the United States is a tiny building in the Everglades”) give just the right amount of information to kids from preschool on up. Series Overview: The “Welcome to” series starts in spring ’21 with Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas, with plans to add more states each season." -- publisher
Jackie Robinson
"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
No Voice Too Small
"Fans of We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices will love meeting fourteen young activists who have stepped up to make change in their community and the United States. Mari Copeny demanded clean water in Flint. Jazz Jennings insisted, as a transgirl, on playing soccer with the girls’ team. From Viridiana Sanchez Santos’s quinceañera demonstration against anti-immigrant policy to Zach Wahls’s moving declaration that his two moms and he were a family like any other, No Voice Too Small celebrates the young people who know how to be the change they seek. Fourteen poems honor these young activists. Featuring poems by Lesléa Newman, Traci Sorell, and Nikki Grimes. Additional text goes into detail about each youth activist’s life and how readers can get involved." -- publisher
Serena Williams : Athletes Who Made a Difference
"Working through times of setbacks and Grand Slam glory, Serena Williams has become a role model for a new generation of tennis players, and it's all captured in this graphic biography. From an early age, Serena trained to be a force on the tennis court. Alongside her talented sister Venus, she rose up through the ranks until she was competing in—and dominating—the world's most elite tournaments. Follow along as she amazes everyone with her powerful, strategic playing style and also speaks out against racism and sexism in the tennis world." -- publisher
I’ll be a truck driver
"Readers follow along with an over-the-road truck driver as a young boy pretends to be a semi-truck driver hauling a load of oranges from a Florida orchard to a store across the country. Includes a glossary of truck-driving terms and an activity that lets readers practice mapping a route across a state"--Provided by publisher
Serena
"Serena Williams is one of the biggest names in sports, but she grew up the littlest of five girls in her family. While sharing a room and playing tennis with her older sisters, Serena had to figure out how to be her own person—on and off the court. This empowering biography showcases the rise of the youngest Williams sister and how her family played a part in her path to becoming the strong woman and star athlete she is today."--publisher
Sing a Song
"In Jacksonville, Florida, two brothers, one of them the principal of a segregated, all-black school, wrote the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing” so his students could sing it for a tribute to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in 1900. From that moment on, the song has provided inspiration and solace for generations of Black families. Mothers and fathers passed it on to their children who sang it to their children and grandchildren. Known as the Black National Anthem, it has been sung during major moments of the Civil Rights Movement and at family gatherings and college graduations." --publisher
Vacation for Dexter!
"Dexter can’t wait to go on vacation with his best friend, Jack. Supercool orange sunglasses? Check. Nifty travel hat? Check. Plane tickets? Uh, what? Dexter may be the toughest, coolest dinosaur around, but everyone knows T. rexes don’t fly! If anyone could do it, he could. It’s just that he’s suddenly feeling a little hot. And maybe a little nervous. But just as he starts to melt down, he notices Jack looks upset. Dexter realizes he has to be brave enough for both of them. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll start to have a bit of fun in the air." -- publisher
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