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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7 matching books
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Red Shoes
“Malika is delighted when Nana surprises her with a beautiful new pair of red shoes! And with a click-clack-click and a swish, swish, swish, Malika wears her wonderful new shoes everywhere she goes. But one day, the shoes begin to pinch Malika’s toes. And alas, they don’t let her forget that her feet have grown! Soon Malika and Nana are off to the Rare Finds Resale Shop, where the shoes can be resold — so somebody else can enjoy them! Who will be the next to wear the red shoes? Malika wonders. Then Inna Ziya buys the shoes, and readers follow the shoes all the way across the world to Ghana in Africa, where Amina, another little girl, who has fasted her first time for Ramadan is about to get an amazing gift! Karen English and Ebony Glenn have crafted a satisfying and heartwarming story about a pair of shoes, two girls, and a connection they share across continents.” — publisher
Afia the Ashanti Princess
“Looking for an engaging book to teach children about building self-confidence, developing a sense of pride in their family history, and looking beyond tiaras and princess dresses? This is it! Afia is a young girl who dreams of being a princess but doesn’t know of any princesses who look like her. She travels to Ghana to visit her grandmother and learns about her ancestor who was a brave warrior queen.This is the debut story in the Ashanti Princess and Prince book series. The purpose of this book series is to: 1. Emphasize the importance of diverse representation in children’s books; 2. Introduce young girls and boys of diverse backgrounds to stories which allow them to relate to the main characters; 3. Encourage children to learn about their family history and cultural heritage; 4. Empower children to develop self-confidence and a sense of pride in their diverse family backgrounds; and 5. Inspire all readers to develop an interest in learning more about African history and culture.” — publisher
No two snowflakes
One Christmas afternoon, Lou in Canada writes to Araba, his pen pal in an unnamed tropical country, to explain to her what snow is. In free verse, he describes it by moonlight, in the late day, and in the muddy spring. His catalog of enjoyments includes tobogganing; packing snowballs; and making forts, igloos, and snow angels- all activities that most northerners will recognize, but few tropical dwellers may picture without explanation.
Bella’s chocolate surprise
Part of the Bella Balistica series: Bella Balistica was born in Guatemala and now lives with Annie, her adoptive mother, in London. It’s Bella’s birthday and Mum’s made Bella her favourite chocolate cake. But just what is chocolate made of and where does it come from? With the help of her friend the Quetzal bird, Bella harnesses the powers of her mystical pendant that once belonged to her Guatemalan birth mother, and flies to Ghana in West Africa to discover much more than she bargained for.
In the small, small night
Kofi can’t sleep in his new home in the United States, so his older sister Abena soothes his fears about life in a different country by telling him two folktales from their native Ghana about the nature of wisdom and perseverance
Grandma comes to stay
A young girl in Ghana awaits the arrival of her grandmother for a visit. When she arrives, her grandmother shows her how to wear traditional dress, reads her favourite book, and takes her to see dancers at a festival
One hen
“Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many…One Hen shows what happens when a little help makes a big difference. The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore.” ~publisher
