Our collection of picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public. *Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL a recommendation.* Click here for more on book evaluation.
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Chaos! : How the Dog Got His Dinner in Afaan Oromo and English
"They say dogs are man's best friend, but in this story, a dog creates...Chaos! Based on a traditional Ethiopian “teret,” a wise Ethiopian saying that rhymes in Afaan Oromo, the story follows a hungry dog as it disrupts the daily life of its family to get a taste of chicken wat, leaving a trail of chaos in his wake. Side by side bilingual translations support emerging readers as they develop vocabulary and fluency in indigenous Ethiopian languages like Amharic, Tigrinya and Afaan Oromo." -- publisher
Lost Sheep: How the Shepherd Loves Their Flock in Tigrinya and English
"When a young shepherd brings their flock of sheep home to rest and discovers one is missing, they runs into the night to find the lost sheep. This sweet tale about a shepherd’s love of their flock was inspired by a Bible story and reminds us that every one of us is precious." -- publisher
Lost Sheep: How the Shepherd Loves Their Flock in Amharic and English
"When a young shepherd brings their flock of sheep home to rest and discovers one is missing, they runs into the night to find the lost sheep. This sweet tale about a shepherd’s love of their flock was inspired by a Bible story and reminds us that every one of us is precious." -- publisher
Wise and Foolish: A Parable in English and Amharic
"When older brother chooses a location to build his home, his father calls him foolish. But older brother is stubborn and builds his home there anyway. With the help of his community, older brother works hard and the home is built. But when the rains come and wash his home away, older brother must learn from his foolish mistake. Will he be wise enough to build a sturdier home on a more solid foundation?" -- publisher
Trouble: An Ethiopian Trading Adventure in Amharic and English
"Tekleh doesn’t mean to cause trouble but everywhere he goes, it follows. When his exasperated father carves him a gebeta (also called mancala) gameboard to keep him occupied, he has no idea the chain of events to come! Follow a curious young Ethiopian boy as he tends his goats and stumbles upon a series of unusual encounters that help him learn not only the value of goods, but of giving. As he trades his gebeta for a knife, a masinko, a drum, some corn and a papaya, he discovers the value of generosity and compassion. Bilingual text supports established readers in developing vocabulary and fluency in indigenous Ethiopian languages." -- publisher
One Big Job / Ḥāda Kabid Serāḥ
“Ethiopians have used cattle to plow the earth for over 7,000 years, a practice that has inspired generations of terets, or wise sayings. In One Big Job we learn what happens when an imaginative young Ethiopian boy pairs an elephant and an ox on his plow. Does it work as well as he expects?” — publisher
The Party / ድግሱ
"Help your young bilingual reader learn to read Amharic with this beautifully illustrated picture book about how Ethiopians work and rest. From the bustling city markets to dusty country roads, there is always work to be done or shared. Side by side text in English and Amharic support young learners of indigenous Ethiopian languages. Colorful watercolor illustrations bring the people of Ethiopia to life with rich details and supportive context." -- publisher
The Party / Affeerraa
"As an Ethiopian family prepares for a party, the house is full of relatives and excitement. Little girls try to sit still as older family members braid their hair according to tradition and diverse cultural tastes. A sweet tale of female bonding through mutual beautification with a look at some of the traditions and styles that make Ethiopian culture so unique and beautiful. Side by side bilingual text supports emerging readers in developing vocabulary and fluency." -- publisher
We Are Better Together
"Some friends can walk, some friends cannot. Some friends can hear, some friends can sign. Some friends can see, some friends can sing. Whatever our abilities or differences, we can share the beauty that surrounds us, together. Friendship is not limited by what our bodies can or cannot do; it is only limited by the size of our hearts. When we expand our hearts to include others regardless of their differences, we help make our communities more inclusive. The more inclusive the community, the more opportunities for every member of the community to thrive and grow to meet their potential. We truly are better together, no matter how different we may seem at first glance. This sweet tale of inclusiveness and acceptance is full of bright illustrations by Ethiopian artist Daniel Aklilu." -- publisher
Market Day
"The vibrant beauty and exotic flavors of Ethiopia are on full display in its markets, which include the largest market in Africa. Like the sprawling Mercato in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian markets are more than just places to shop: these thriving hubs of commerce are also where Ethiopians go to visit with old friends, to play, to eat and to sell products from their gardens, orchards and farms. Children love the sights and sounds of the busy caravans piled high with fruits, vegetables, textiles and grains. Markets in Ethiopia are important cultural events and vital to the thriving trade routes that bring everything from coffee to camels to families in Africa and beyond. Colorful watercolor illustrations bring the market to life in rich detail and dual language text in English and Afaan Oromo supports emerging readers and students of indigenous Ethiopian languages. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Project, is focused on increasing the literacy rate in Ethiopia through giving readers books with stories in their heart languages, full of colorful illustrations with Ethiopian settings and details. Profits from books sales will be used to create, print, and distribute more Ready Set Go Books to kids in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country. Ethiopia’s population is 44% children, ages 0-14 (43 million out of 97 million total). Only 5.5% of children attend pre-school or kindergarten, and the adult literacy rate is 49%. Our books are based on wise Ethiopian sayings that often rhyme in Amharic. If an adult says the first half, many children can chant the second half. Sometimes the meaning of these sayings is clear. Sometimes it has to be puzzled out and argued over. But sayings and idioms and proverbs help people express truths and beliefs in unusual ways. Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund (OHBD) is a 501(3)(c) not for profit organization that believes the chance to dream big dreams should not depend on where in the world you are born. Our focus is to support nonprofit organizations and their programs that provide literacy, K-12 education, and leadership as well as that support the parents and communities where the kids live, in Ethiopia." -- publisher