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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22 matching books
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Lost Words
“What is it like to walk away from your home? To leave behind everything and everyone you’ve ever known? Poetic, sensitive, and based on a true family history, Lost Words follows a young Armenian boy from the day he sets out to find refuge to the day he finally finds the courage to share his story.” — publisher
Maria Orosa: Freedom Fighter, Scientist and Inventor from the Philippines
“This delightful children’s book follows the life of Maria Orosa–a pioneering woman scientist who studied food science in the United States then returned to a war-torn Philippines and created super-nutritious foods to help her nation in a time of crisis.” — publisher
The Fox Maidens
“Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior. Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before. Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places. Set in 16th century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, The Fox Maidens is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.” — publisher
The Lion Queen: Rasila Vadher, the First Woman Guardian of the Last Asiatic Lions
“Never look a lion in the eyes,” a mother tells her fearless girl. After a field trip to the Gir Forest, the girl learns all about the rare Asiatic lions of India, and from that day on, she dreams of taking care of them when she grows up. But not everyone thinks a girl has a right to such a dream, and so she stifles what she wishes for most, a roar growing inside her. That is, until the day she comes face to face with a lion.” — publisher
The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition
“Azra knows that wherever she goes, her doll Gurya will follow. Even if it’s on a train that will take her far away from the house her family has lived in for generations. Even if there is a new flag flying in Dehradun, and no place left in it for Azra. At least she will be taking a piece of home with her. But when Abba comes home and says they must leave right now, Gurya gets left behind in the scramble. Will Azra be strong enough to face the long journey alone? And what will happen to Gurya, now hundreds of miles behind them? Inspired by the author’s family story, this lyrical, moving picture book is a testament to the strength, courage, and perseverance of the over 10 million refugees displaced by the largest forced migration in recorded history, and shares a young girl’s journey from her old home to a new one.” — publisher
Cecile Guidote Alvarez: The Philippines Is a Stage / ang Pilipinas ay isang tanghalan
“Cecile Guidote Alvarez is widely recognized as the “Mother of Philippine Theater.” She has always dreamed of a national theater that would reflect and promote the Philippine languages, cultures, and traditions from the time she was a young girl. Her cultural vision has made Philippine theater arts the vibrant and active scene of today.” — publisher
Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka
“As a kid, Wataru Misaka channeled his endless energy into playing sports. Every Sunday, he raced to the park where his Japanese American community came together to play basketball. Wat wasn’t the tallest on the team, but he was fast and loved the game! Encouraged by his father to always do his best, Wat applied this mentality to every aspect and challenge in his life. Wat was a college student when the US government forced more than 122,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast into incarceration camps during WWII. He overcame racism and segregation to join his college’s basketball team but despite Wat’s impressive skills, he was treated as an outsider because he was Japanese American. Wat kept his eye on the ball, and his team-player mentality made him shine on and off the court. He became an inspiration to his Japanese American community. After helping Utah University’s basketball team win the national championship in 1947, Wat was drafted by the New York Knicks, making him the first person of color to play in the NBA.” — publisher
Desert Queen
“This is the true story of young Harish Kumar who lost his parents and had to support his little sisters, following his love of and gift for traditional dance to become the beloved Rajasthani drag performer Queen Harish, defying the gender conventions of middle class Indian life and growing up to dance with Bollywood stars, to marry, and to have two children of his own.” — publisher
The Partition Project
“When her grandmother comes off the airplane in Houston from Pakistan, Mahnoor knows that having Dadi move in is going to disrupt everything about her life. That fact is confirmed when Maha has to give up her bedroom to the grumpy old woman and is assigned to be Dadi’s unofficial babysitter. As an aspiring journalist, Maha knows all about the importance of facts (though her best friend would say that stories are just as important). She can’t wait to start her journalism elective—until their teacher announces that their big assignment will be to film a documentary, which feels way outside of what she would call “journalism.” While Dadi starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking. About Dadi’s childhood in northern India—and about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan. As details of Dadi’s life are revealed, Dadi’s personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much. And before she knows it, she has the subject of her documentary.” — publisher
Last Flight
“On April 24, 1975 the last flight out of Saigon, Vietnam carried over 400 people to the United States, six days before Saigon’s surrender to the North Vietnamese Army. Kristen Giang was a little girl, on that flight with family, and here in this story she shares all the emotions of the decision to flee from the perspective of someone eight years old; Playing a game of space-explorers to protect herself and her sister’s eyes from tear gas; sneaking a stuffed animal into the family’s overstuffed suitcase for comfort. Dow Phumiruk’s tender illustrations let anyone feel the excitement and the ultimate hopefulness of this amazing true story.” — publisher
