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.
Josias, hold the book
Each day Chrislove asks his friend Josias when he will "hold the book,"; or join them at school, but Josias can only think of tending the bean garden so that his family will have enough food
Calling the water drum
"A young boy loses both parents as they attempt to flee Haiti for a better life, and afterward is only able to process his grief and communicate with the outside world through playing the drums. Includes author's note"-- |cProvided by publisher
Songs in the shade of the flamboyant tree
A collection of 30 lullabies and nursery rhymes performed by children, men and women from Haiti, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion celebrate the culture and sound of the tropical islands, in a volume complemented by informative facts and lyrics in French Creole and English
I Came from the Water: One Haitian Boy’s Incredible Tale of Survival
Tells the story of a young boy who was swept down the river and lost his family when Tropical Storm Jeanne hit Haiti in 2004 and then ended up in an orphanage where he weathered the 2010 earthquake, in a work based on actual events.
Hope for Haiti
As the dust settled on Port-au-Prince, hope was the last thing anybody could see. When the earth shook, his whole neighborhood disappeared. Now a boy and his mother are living in the soccer stadium, in a shelter made of tin and bedsheets, with long lines for food and water. But even with so much sorrow all around, he finds a child playing with a soccer ball made of rags. Soon many children are caught up in the magic of the game that transports them out of their bleak surroundings and into a world where anything is possible. Then the kids are given a truly wonderful gift. A soccer ball might seem simple, but really it's a powerful link between a heartbroken country's past and its hopes for the future. Jesse Joshua Watson has created an inspiring testament to the strength of the Haitian people and the promise of children.