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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Nour’s Secret Library
“Forced to take shelter when their Syrian city is plagued with bombings, young Nour and her cousin begin to bravely build a secret underground library. Based on the author’s own life experience and inspired by a true story, Nour’s Secret Library is about the power of books to heal, transport and create safe spaces during difficult times. Illustrations by Romanian artist Vali Mintzi superimpose the colorful world the children construct over black-and-white charcoal depictions of the battered city.” — publisher
If You See a Bluebird
“For young Ali, a former refugee from Afghanistan, “home” is where his family is together. Although his family is safe in their new country, Ali finds himself wishing he could go back to Afghanistan. A day spent picking blackberries with Nana reminds him of their old house with the mulberry tree he loved, and the day the soldiers came. He recalls their nighttime flight and the crowded buses and airplane that took him to this beautiful but unfamiliar place. When Ali and Nana spot a bluebird, she tells him to make a wish. Ali wishes to go home, but, as he comes to learn, home is not a place. Home is the love his family has for each other.” — publisher
Snitchers
“When the grownups can’t do it, three friends join together to figure out who killed a little boy in their neighborhood in this stunning debut YA by award-winning playwright Stephane Dunn. Nia Barnes is preparing to enter high school and trying to stay on her mama’s good side. Life in her small Midwestern city hasn’t been the same since her father’s unsolved murder, driving Nia’s love of detective novels and true crime stories. When the little boy she babysits is caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting, Nia and her best friends Dontay and Miracle Ruth secretly set out to get him justice. They look up police reports and listen to the conversations of their elders; they try to follow suspects the way Nia’s favorite teen detectives might. But the search for truth isn’t straightforward, especially when you’re somewhere between being kids and adults, and people want peace but are afraid to talk. Writer and filmmaker Stephane Dunn makes her YA debut with this endearing, heart-wrenching novel about loss, truth, and the reality of violence in communities everywhere.” — publisher
Rumi: Poet of Joy and Love
“Even the greatest poet was once a child. And so it was with Rumi. When he was young he was enchanted by birds and books. He later became a scholar, but it was the loss of his best friend, Shams, that inspired Rumi to his most important realization: Love is in us and everywhere. The Persian mystic and poet Rumi is one of the best known and most widely read poets in the world. The renowned illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh herself comes from Iran. With this picture book she creates a touching memorial to Rumi’s wisdom and warmth. The strong colors and ornamental details transport us to the Persian Empire in the 13th century. Yet Rumi’s story and his poetry are timeless.” — publisher
Freddie Mercury
“Born on the tiny island on Zanzibar off the coast of modern-day Tanzania, young Farrokh dreamt of having a fabulous life. When his parents sent him to boarding school in India, he discovered his true talent for singing, as well as a love of playing rock ’n’ roll songs on the piano. By the time he finished school, Farrokh knew he wanted to be a musician. After moving to London, he became the singer of a rock band called Queen … and the rest is history! Freddie became the biggest glam-rock star ever, touring the world and charming the world with his exuberant zest for life. ” — publisher
Dounia and the Magic Seeds
“Dounia loves her home in Aleppo, Syria, and all of its wonderful smells, sights, and traditions. But when war breaks out, Dounia and her grandparents must flee their home to find safety. Before they go, their neighbor reads their future in a cup of coffee and sees a long, difficult journey ahead, and a blue house waiting at the end. With only a bird carved from Aleppo soap and four little baraké seeds in her pocket, Dounia and her family face dangerous waters, a camp surrounded by barbed wire, and unfriendly soldiers. Remembering the ancient knowledge that baraké seeds ward off evil, Dounia pulls one from her pocket to use for each of the threats her family faces. Magically, the seeds help the family along their way, until they finally find the blue house prophesied by their neighbor.” — publisher
Asha and the Toymaker
A heartwarming story about the value of art. Asha’s papa makes and sells wooden toys to pay for her to go to school. But Papa struggles to find buyers. And this makes him worry. He worries Asha’s life will also be a struggle unless she focuses on her schoolwork, which he never had the chance to do. Can Asha’s art help Papa? Will he let her try? Kid artists will be inspired by the power of art to change minds and hearts! Asha’s papa makes and sells wooden toys to pay for her to go to school. But Papa struggles to find buyers. And this makes him worry. He worries Asha’s life will also be a struggle unless she focuses on her schoolwork, which he never had the chance to do. Can Asha’s art help Papa? Will he let her try?
The Little Shepherd
“Told from the perspective of a shepherd boy, this gentle nativity story invites kids into the wonder and joy of the night Jesus was born. The Savior is born! Come and see! When a little shepherd boy is awakened by the brightness of angels one unexpected night, he is delighted to learn that a baby boy has come to save the world. In this gentle Christmas story told from the perspective of a young shepherd, children will be immersed in the wonder and joy of Jesus’s birth. The exuberance of the little shepherd will inspire young children to go and tell the story of this special baby and the love God showed that night.” — publisher
The Cat Man of Aleppo
“The Caldecott Honor-winning true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo’s abandoned cats. Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay—he can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe.” — publisher
Fly, Girl, Fly!
“The story of how Shaesta Waiz became the youngest woman in history, and the first woman from Afghanistan, to circle the globe in a single-engine aircraft. Shaesta Waiz, a refugee from Afghanistan, dreamed of doing great things. But first she had to leave a refugee camp with her family to make a new life in America, overcome gender stereotypes, be the first in her family to go to college, and overcome her fear of flying. After becoming a pilot, Shaesta made the flight of a lifetime by crossing five continents, making thirty stops in twenty-two countries across nearly 25,000 nautical miles. At the age of thirty, Shaesta was the youngest woman and the first from Afghanistan to circumnavigate the globe by herself in a single-engine aircraft. Fly, Girl, Fly! is the first authorized picture book biography of Shaesta Waiz. Backmatter includes more information about Shaesta’s mission to empower girls to pursue STEM careers, details about her historic trip around the world, information about her nonprofit organization Dreams Soar, and a personal note from Shaesta Waiz encouraging girls to pursue their dreams.” — publisher
