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.
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Inuki’s Birthday Party
"Inuki lives in Iglulik, Nunavut. It is his fifth birthday! He can’t wait for his party at the community hall. There is cake to eat and presents to open, but celebrating with his family and friends is Inuki’s favourite gift of all!" -- publisher
No Borders
"The latest in the Land is Our Storybook series focusing on life and culture in the far north. No Borders shares the life of Darla Evyagotailak, a 16 year old Inuk girl. Through Darla's life readers will get a glimpse into the intricately connected families of Inuit living in the communities of Kugluktuk, Nunavut and Ulukhaktok, NWT. Although recently divided by the border between the two territories the communities share a common ancestry and their language called Inuinnaqtun. The border is invisible to them however, and as Darla's Grandfather tells her, 'we are just like the caribou, they don't see the border and neither do we'." -- publisher
Oleepeeka’s first hunt
"A story about traditional knowledge and hunting from the northern community of Panniqtuuq, Nunavut. Oleepeeka is from Panniqtuuq, Nunavut. It’s time for her first hunting trip! Oleepeeka is excited to spend the day with Ataata and learn about catching ptarmigans. Join Oleepeeka and Ataata as they set off on the land and bring home a special feast for their family." -- publisher
Little Moar and the Moon
"Moar has always loved autumn—playing outside with his friends, feeling the weather get colder—but there is one thing about autumn that really worries Moar. The moon. The days become shorter and the moon, with its creepy face and eerie smile, seems to be looking down on him before he can even get home from school! So, one day, Moar is determined to get home before the moon appears in the sky. But there are so many fun things to do on the way home, he may just run out of time!" -- publisher
When I Was Young in Nunavut
"An introductory memoir sharing the author's experience growing up Nunavut. In Nunavut, there are lots of fun things to do, no matter the season. This book introduces children to the memoir genre and describes different activities the author did when she was growing up in Nunavut." -- Publisher
Kits, cubs, and calves: an Arctic summer
"On a visit to Nunavut, Akuluk learns about Arctic animals and the importance of the environment we all share. Akuluk is visiting her family in Nunavut and can’t wait to get out on her uncle’s boat for a ride into the powerful Arctic Ocean. Surrounded by her family, and with her trusty toy polar bear beside her, Akuluk experiences the beautiful sights, sounds, and animals that abound in the ocean and along the shore during the short Arctic summer—from a mother polar bear and her cubs to a family of belugas and tiny Arctic fox kits. As they encounter each animal, Akuluk’s aunt and uncles share with her how each species cares for its young, and how they protect their babies from the other animals who share their ecosystem. This beautiful story of family connection and respect for the natural world teaches young readers how close humans are to our animal counterparts and that caring for the environment in which we live is one of our most important responsibilities." -- publisher
When pumpkins fly
"In a remote Arctic community, kids carve and light their first jack-o-lantern. But what will the spirits do with the pumpkin once it’s left alone? The air is cold, the nights are long, and Halloween is just around the corner. This is the time of year when pumpkins fly! In the remote, fly-in community of Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, the last cargo flight of October brings some strange orange guests for the children. Seeing a pumpkin for the first time, the local kids eagerly carve and light their first jack-o-lantern. But when everyone adjourns to the community hall for the Halloween dance, the pumpkin is left alone outside. The land around Sanikiluaq is home to many spirits who love to cause mischief, especially this time of year. But what would a land spirit do with a pumpkin? This adorable book gives young readers a window into how Halloween is celebrated in an Arctic Inuit community, incorporating contemporary celebrations and Inuit folklore." -- publisher
The most amazing bird
"A young girl discovers nature’s surprising beauty in this tale from a renowned Inuk storyteller. When Aggataa goes for a cold winter walk with her grandmother, she’s surprised by a sudden CRAH! All the birds have flown south for the winter except one kind—the tulugarguat, the ravens. They’re the ugliest birds that Aggaataa has ever seen. They look like they slept in their coats—coats that don’t even fit! However, as the winter slowly moves towards spring, Aggataa connects with one small raven in particular. As the seasons change in full, the ravens leave and are replaced by seagulls, cranes, geese, ducks, and swans—all of them far more elegant than the “Ugly Bird.” But where Aggataa once thought the ravens odd for visiting during the harshest part of the year, she now finds herself watching the horizon, waiting for the return of the most amazing bird." -- publisher
Very Last First Time
"An ALA Notable Children’s Book, Very Last First Time comes from one of Canada's most distinguished storytellers and an award-winning illustrator. Eva Padlyat lived in an Inuit village on Ungava Vat in northern Canada. In winter, when people wanted mussels to eat, they searched along the bottom of the seabed. Eva had often walked on the bottom, helping her mother, but today – for the very first time – she was to go down below the thick sea ice herself. Her mother went with her to the shore and out onto the ice. The time was just right. The outgoing tide had pulled the seawater away, leaving only the ice above and the rock-strewn seabed below. Eva lowered herself through a hole in the ice and, by candlelight, had soon gathered a pan full of mussels. There was still time to explore, she decided. But she stumbled and her candle went out. She was alone in the darkness, and the tide had turned. When, at the end of her adventure, she is safe with her mother again on top of the ice, she says, "that was my very last first time for walking alone on the bottom of the sea."" -- publisher
The Giant Bear
"Jose Angutinngurniq, a gifted storyteller and respected elder from Kugaaruk, Nunavut, brings to life a story of the great nanurluk that has been told in the Kugaaruk region for generations. One of the most terrifying creatures to be found in traditional Inuit stories is the nanurluk, a massive bear the size of an iceberg that lives under the sea ice. Its monstrous size and ice-covered fur make it an almost impenetrable foe. But when a lone hunter spots the breathing hole of the nanurluk on the sea ice near his iglu, he uses his quick thinking and excellent hunting skills to hatch a plan to outsmart the deadly bear. Jose Angutinngurniq, a gifted storyteller and respected elder from Kugaaruk, Nunavut, brings to life a story of the great nanurluk that has been told in the Kugaaruk region for generations." -- publisher