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.
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Shanghai messenger
"You are my messenger. Look everything. Remember." Grandma Nai Nai tells eleven-year-old Xiao Mei as the girl heads off to Shanghai, China, to visit their extended family. Xiao Mei is both excited and apprehensive. She will meet many new relatives, but will they accept her, a girl from America who is only half Chinese? Xiao Mei is eagerly embraced by her aunties, uncles and cousins and quickly immersed in the sights, smells and hubbub of daily living in Shanghai. At first battling homesickness, Xiao Mei soon ventures on her own, discovering the excitement of a different way of life and a new appreciation of her Chinese heritage. When it is finally time to leave, Xiao Mei must gather up her memories and bring "a little bit of China" back home. A lyrical story of adventure, self-discovery, and the strong bonds that tie families together. ~Publisher
Grandma Panda’s China storybook
To the delight of her grandchildren, Grandma Panda relates Chinese legends, including the tales of Mulan the woman warrior and Luban the inventor of the kite
Home for Chinese New Year / Huí jiā : a story told in English and Chinese
The Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions. This Chinese children's story tells a delightful trip with lots of cultural details along the way! Jia Jun's Dad worked out of town all year around. Now it's time for him to come home. He took a train, bus, three-wheeled motorcycle, ferry-boat and even walked for many miles. He finally made it home and had a reunion dinner with his family on New Year's Eve. On his trip, as Jia Jun's Dad was rushing to get home, he lost his apple, water, gloves and scarf, but he took very good care of his gift for his son. During the holiday season, Jia Jun was extremely happy as he was with his Dad all the time. They set off firecrackers, put up couplets and even made snowmen. In a few days, Dad was ready to head back to work, but it was certain that Dad would be home again next year to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his family.
Hu Wan and the sleeping dragon
In 1572 Beijing, when a nine-year-old boy is named Emperor of China, Hu Wan offers the gift of a cricket cage carved from a gourd he and his grandfather grew.
Sakura’s cherry blossoms
"Sakura's dad gets a new job in America, so she and her parents make the move from their home in Japan. When she arrives in the States, most of all she misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees, under which she and her grandmother used to play and picnic. She wonders how she'll ever feel at home in this new place, with its unfamiliar language and landscape. One day, she meets her neighbor, a boy named Luke, and begins to feel a little more settled. When her grandmother becomes ill, though, her family takes a trip back to Japan. Sakura is sad when she returns to the States and once again reflects on all she misses. Luke does his best to cheer her up -- and tells her about a surprise he knows she'll love, but she'll have to wait till spring. In the meantime, Sakura and Luke's friendship blooms and finally, when spring comes, Luke takes her to see the cherry blossom trees flowering right there in her new neighborhood"--Provided by publisher
My first book of Vietnamese words
My First Book of Vietnamese Words is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces Vietnamese language and culture to young children through everyday words
The rock maiden
When her husband goes missing, a new mother pleads with Tin Hau, the patron goddess of fisherman, for help
The world is not a rectangle
A biography of architect Zaha Hadid, who grew up in Baghdad and went on to design buildings all over the world. She became one of the most irreverent, controversial, and celebrated architects in the world. -- Publisher description
Nu Dang and his kite
After losing his kite on a windy day, Nu Dang spends the rest of the day paddling around in his boat searching for the lost kite
Ten cents a pound
A young girl is torn between her desire to stay home with her family and her desire to go to school and discover the world beyond the mountains that surround them