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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44 matching books
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Finding My Elf
“Escaping to NYU for college didn’t turn out the way Cameron planned—he’s flunking his theater classes, about to lose his scholarship, and he still hasn’t found anyone he can call his “people.” When he gets home for winter break, he’s so desperate to avoid a Conversation with his dad that he takes the first acting job he can get—as a Christmas elf. This is no normal holiday mall gig, though. It’s got a popularity content built in. But Cam is willing to deal with a supercharged game of “the customer is always right” if that’s what it takes to nab the cash prize. But the competition is fierce—especially from fellow elf Marco, who’s got Christmas spirit oozing out of his veins. At first Cam is determined to see him as nothing but a rival, but as they spend more time together, Cam starts to second-guess himself. What if Cam doesn’t actually want to go back to NYU? What if he’s finally found his people here—in the fakest consumerist nightmare place on Earth, where he least expected it?” — publisher
I’m Ok
“Ok Lee knows it’s his responsibility to help pay the bills. With his father gone and his mother working three jobs and still barely making ends meet, there’s really no other choice. If only he could win the cash prize at the school talent contest! But he can’t sing or dance, and has no magic up his sleeves, so he tries the next best thing: a hair braiding business. It’s too bad the girls at school can’t pay him much, and he’s being befriended against his will by Mickey McDonald, an unusual girl with a larger-than-life personality. Then there’s Asa Banks, the most popular boy in their grade, who’s got it out for Ok. But when the pushy deacon at their Korean church starts wooing Ok’s mom, it’s the last straw. Ok has to come up with an exit strategy—fast.” — Publisher
Something Like Home
“Laura Rodríguez Colón has a plan: no matter what the grown-ups say, she will live with her parents again. Can you blame her? It’s tough to make friends as the new kid at school. And while staying at her aunt’s house is okay, it just isn’t the same as being in her own space. So when Laura finds a puppy, it seems like fate. If she can train the puppy to become a therapy dog, then maybe she’ll be allowed to visit her parents. Maybe the dog will help them get better and things will finally go back to the way they should be. After all, how do you explain to others that you’re technically a foster kid, even though you live with your aunt? And most importantly . . . how do you explain that you’re not where you belong, and you just want to go home?” — Publisher
Omar Rising
“When Omar gets a scholarship to the prestigious Ghalib Academy, it’s a game changer. It will give him, the son of a servant, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a better future—and his whole village is cheering him on. Omar can’t wait to dive into his classes, play soccer, and sign up for astronomy club—but those hopes are dashed when he learns first-year scholarship students can’t join clubs or teams; instead, they must earn their keep by doing chores. Even worse, it turns out the school deliberately “weeds out” scholarship kids by requiring them to get grades that are nearly impossible. Omar is devastated to find such odds stacked against him, but the injustice of it all motivates him to try to do something else that seems impossible: change a rigged system.” — publisher
The Youngest Sister
“Picu’s family is very poor. In the dry Andean foothills, her mother must feed fourteen people—her kids, her relatives’ kids, and the hired hand’s kids—every day. One morning, Picu, the youngest sister, is sent to get a marrow bone from a neighbor. The bone will add flavor and nutrition to the lunchtime soup. Her mother warns her not to dawdle on the two-hour walk, each way, through the wild landscape. But Picu can’t help it! She marvels at the butterflies, samples the cactus fruit, and daydreams about using the marrow bone as a football. Will the neighbor let her family keep the bone after the soup is made? Will her mother let her play with it? And will she be punished for being so late? Picu is a child of joie de vivre and resourcefulness. This story, like Picu herself, is tough, hard, and honest. And moving. And fun. ” — publisher
The In-Between
“In the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Katie Van Heidrich has moved more times that she can count, for as long as she can remember. There were the slow moves where you see the whole thing coming. There were the fast ones where you grab what you can in seconds. When Katie and her family come back from an out-of-town funeral, they discover their landlord has unceremoniously evicted them, forcing them to pack lightly and move quickly. They make their way to an Extended Stay America Motel, with Katie’s mother promising it’s temporary. Within the four walls of their new home, Katie and her siblings, Josh and Haley, try to live a normal life—all while wondering if things would be easier living with their father. Lyrical and forthcoming, Katie navigates the complexities that come with living in-between: in between homes, parents, and childhood and young adulthood, all while remaining hopeful for the future.” — publisher
Only for a Little While
“When Maribel’s family has to move in with Tía Carmen because Papi lost his job, Maribel and her sister feel unsettled. It’s not always easy sharing a room or being in a house full of loud cousins, but Papi reminds the girls that it’s only por un ratito—just for a little while. In the meantime, there is always someone to play with, the mealtimes are filled with music and laughter, bedtime is for snuggling in tight. Maribel realizes that maybe being there por un ratito isn’t so bad after all.” — publisher
Figure It Out, Henri Weldon
“Seventh grader Henrietta Weldon gets to switch schools—finally! She’ll be “mainstreaming” into public school, leaving her special education school behind. She can’t wait for her new schedule, new friends, and new classes. Henri’s dyscalculia, a learning disability that makes math challenging to process and understand, is what she expects to give her problems. What she doesn’t expect is a family feud with her sister over her new friends, joining the girls’ soccer team, and discovering poetry. Henri’s tutor and new friend, Vinnie, reminds her to take it slow. One problem at a time.” — publisher
Ellie Engle Saves Herself!
“Ellie Engle doesn’t stand out. Not at home, where she’s alone with her pet fish since her dad moved away and her mom has to work around the clock. Not at the bakery, where she helps out old Mr. Walker on the weekends. And definitely not at school, where her best friend Abby—the coolest, boldest, most talented girl in the world—drags Ellie along on her never-ending quest to “make her mark.” To someone else, a life in the shadows might seem boring, or lonely. But not to Ellie. As long as she has Abby by her side and a comic book in her hand, she’s quite content. Too bad life didn’t bother checking in with Ellie. Because when a freak earthquake hits her small town, Ellie wakes up with the power to bring anything back to life with just her touch. And when a video of her using her powers suddenly goes viral, Ellie’s life goes somewhere she never imagined—or wanted: straight into the spotlight. Surviving middle school is hard enough. Surviving middle school when paparazzi are camped out on your front lawn and an international pop singer wants you to use your powers on live tv and you might be in love with your best friend but she doesn’t know it? Absolutely impossible.” — publisher
PAWS: Priya Puts Herself First
The holidays have arrived for the PAWS team! And the girls are about to discover that not all surprises are necessarily good ones….Gabby’s parents finally get her a cell phone for Christmas, but instead of only using it for emergencies, she soon gets swept up in posting about PAWS online. And when one of her cute doggo videos goes viral, she becomes obsessed with becoming internet famous. Meanwhile, Priya receives some awful news: her family is being evicted! And although their new home is in a nice neighborhood ripe with possibilities, it’s also all the way across town, so Priya is reluctant to give the change a chance. Instead, she resorts to long rides on the bus to her old school so she can continue being a part of PAWS with her friends. But when a big storm hits, burying the city in snow, the girls find themselves on the verge of a doggy crisis. With Gabby distracted and Priya stretched thin, will they be able to overcome their challenges, or could this mean the end for PAWS?
