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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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Find titles using a keyword search below (e.g. adoption, birthday, holidays, etc.), or by selecting one or a combination of filters on the left-hand sidebar below.

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Nour’s Secret Library

2022

by Vali Mintzi

“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

Oppression & Resilience

These Olive Trees

2023

by Aya Ghanameh

“It’s 1967 in Nablus, Palestine. Oraib loves the olive trees that grow outside the refugee camp where she lives. Each harvest, she and her mama pick the small fruits and she eagerly stomp stomp stomps on them to release their golden oil. Olives have always tied her family to the land, as Oraib learns from the stories Mama tells of a home before war. But war has come to their door once more, forcing them to flee. Even as her family is uprooted, Oraib makes a solemn promise to her beloved olive trees. She will see to it that their legacy lives on for generations to come.” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

Dounia and the Magic Seeds

2023

by Marya Zarif

“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

Centering Culture & Identity

Homeland

2023

by Hannah Moushabeck and Reem Madooh

“As bedtime approaches, three young girls eagerly await the return of their father who tells them stories of a faraway homeland—Palestine. Through their father’s memories, the Old City of Jerusalem comes to life: the sounds of juice vendors beating rhythms with brass cups, the smell of argileh drifting through windows, and the sight of doves flapping their wings toward home. These daughters of the diaspora feel love for a place they have never been, a home they cannot visit. But, as their father’s story comes to an end, they know that through his memories, they will always return. A Palestinian family celebrates the stories of their homeland in this moving autobiographical picture book debut by Hannah Moushabeck. With heartfelt illustrations by Reem Madooh, this story is a love letter to home, to family, and to the persisting hope of people that transcends borders.” — publisher

Biography/Autobiography Centering Culture & Identity Cross Group Oppression & Resilience

A Welcome in Axum / ʼEngedā taqabāywā ʼAksum

2019

by Jane. Kurtz and Alex Regassa

“Axum, an ancient Ethiopian city, once rivaled Persia and Rome in wealth and influence. It was a trade hub through which precious metals, silks and ideas fueled a thriving economy and vibrant culture. A series of fair-minded Ethiopian Kings offered peoples of many faiths to find sanctuary from threats abroad, and for centuries Christians, Muslims and Jews have shared Axum in peace. For thousands of years, Ethiopia has been known around the world as a land of justice and wisdom. Share this heart-warming tale of religious tolerance with your young reader.” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

A Welcome in Axum / Taq̄abālit gāšā zexonat ʼAxsum

2021

by Jane. Kurtz and Alex Regassa

“Axum, an ancient Ethiopian city, once rivaled Persia and Rome in wealth and influence. It was a trade hub through which precious metals, silks and ideas fueled a thriving economy and vibrant culture. A series of fair-minded Ethiopian Kings offered peoples of many faiths to find sanctuary from threats abroad, and for centuries Christians, Muslims and Jews have shared Axum in peace. For thousands of years, Ethiopia has been known around the world as a land of justice and wisdom. Share this heart-warming tale of religious tolerance with your young reader.” — publisher

Centering Culture & Identity

The Little Shepherd

2019

by Elizabeth Jaeger and Irene Montano

“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

Centering Culture & Identity

Nasreddine

2021

by Odile Weulersse and Rébecca Dautremer

“It’s time to go to market, so Nasreddine loads up the donkey and sets off with his father. But when onlookers criticize his father for riding while Nasreddine walks, the boy is ashamed. The following week, Nasreddine persuades his father to walk, and let him ride — but then people criticize the boy for making his father walk! No matter what Nasreddine tries, it seems that someone always finds something to disapprove of. Nasreddine is a legendary character popular in stories told throughout the Middle East, and this clever story will bring him to a new audience. Accompanied by stunning artwork, this tale offers a gentle reminder to readers that it isn’t always necessary to listen to the world’s criticisms.” — publisher

Folklore

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