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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23 matching books
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Playing at the Border
"From Joanna Ho, the author of the New York Times bestselling Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, comes a timely, lyrical picture book about famous musician Yo-Yo Ma, immigration, and using music to build bridges between cultures. The brilliant author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, Joanna Ho, delivers a poignant picture book biography, perfect for fans of Ada’s Violin. Before Yo-Yo Ma became one of the most renowned and celebrated cellists, he wanted to play the double bass. But it was too big for his four-year-old hands. Over time, Ma honed his amazing talent, and his music became a reflection of his own life between borders, cultures, disciplines, and generations. Since then, he has recorded over a hundred albums, won nineteen Grammy Awards, performed for eight American presidents, and received the National Medal of the Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, just to name a few accomplishments. Staying true to himself, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the US-Mexico border at the Rio Grande on April 13, 2019, as part of his multicontinent “Bach Project” tour to prove a point—through music, we can build bridges rather than walls between different cultures. Joanna Ho’s lyrical writing and Teresa Martinez’s vibrant art weave together to tell an inspiring story of Yo-Yo Ma, who challenges conventions, expectations, and beliefs in order to build bridges to unite communities, people, and cultures." -- publisher
Holidays & Celebrations
"Hold a light behind the innovative see-through pages to take a glimpse behind the scenes of some of the world's most wonderful festivals, holidays, and celebrations." -- publisher
A New York Year
"Five little children take you on a fun-filled journey through twelve months in the life of New York's kids. Meet Madison, Alexander, Fabian, Sophia, and Jayla — New York kids representing a blend of culture and race that typifies this impressive state. They’ll take you through a year in the life of children living in New York, from celebrations, traditions and events, to the everyday way of life and the little things that make childhood so memorable. Its pages are laid out clearly by month, showcasing five New York children at play, at school, at home, and enjoying the sights and sites of New York. Feature meandering text and gorgeous illustrations, it pinpoints the highlights of a young person’s New York year in vibrant and lively detail. A New York Year is a picture book showcasing the cultural diversity of the state. It’s a snapshot of New Yorkers, blending modern-day culture and lifestyle with longstanding traditions. Children and adults alike will be swept up in this beautiful depiction of life in another culture. From the spectacular Niagara Falls and Adirondack Mountains to the beaches of Long Island, and the dazzling lights of Manhattan, this is a New York childhood." -- publisher
One Moment In Time
"A lyrical, beautifully illustrated book that takes us on a diverse journey around the globe, showing how children in different parts of the world are doing very different things at exactly the same time. One Moment in Time is a lyrical celebration of diversity with a heartfelt message of unity. Featuring eleven different children, this book takes readers on a colourful, eye-opening journey around the globe in a single day, showing what children in different countries are each doing at the same point in time. From travel writer Ben Lerwill, and with beautiful illustrations from Alette Straathof this non-fiction picture book introduces children to different cultures around the world." -- publisher
See Where We Come From!
"A perfect, kid-friendly introduction to family heritage.Today is a big day for the five friends. Their class is hosting a Heritage Festival to celebrate the customs and traditions of people from all over the world. Martin, Sally, Pedro, Nick and Yulee each have their own heritage, and they have so much to share! They learn about various traditions involving music, food, language, stories, crafts, clothing and games. They also learn that exploring their different heritages makes everyone feel like they belong!There's a world of fun to be had, as readers discover the many ways people are alike and what makes each of us unique!"
An ABC of Equality
"ALL people have the right to be treated fairly, no matter who they are, what they look like or where they come from. This is called equality. An ABC of Equality introduces complicated concepts to the youngest of children. A is for Accessibility, B is for Belief, C is for Class. All people have the right to be treated fairly, no matter who they are, what they look like or where they come from. This bestselling book An ABC of Equality introduces complicated concepts surrounding social justice to the youngest of children. This revised hardback edition comes with an added introduction from the author. From A to Z, simple explanations accompanied by engaging artwork teach children about the world we live in and how to navigate our way through it. Each right-hand page includes a brightly decorated letter with the word it stands for and an encouraging slogan. On the left, a colourful illustration and bite-size text sum up the concept. Cheerful people from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities, and abilities lead the way through the alphabet. Ask more Questions, share your Kindness, and learn to Understand the world." -- publisher
I’ll Believe You When…
"You've probably heard the expression "when pigs fly," but have you heard the Spanish phrase "when frogs grow hair" or the Yoruba saying "when chicken have teeth"? This fun-filled collection of idioms from around the world includes expressions in ten languages . . . all of them sure to put a smile on any child's face." -- publisher
Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice
"A collection of poems to inspire kids to stay woke and become a new generation of activists. Historically poets have been on the forefront of social movements. Woke is a collection of poems by women of color that reflects the joy and passion in the fight for social justice, tackling topics from discrimination to empathy, and acceptance to speaking out. With Theodore Taylor’s bright, emotional art and writting from Mahogany Browne, Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood, kids will be inspired to create their own art and poems to express how they see justice and injustice." -- publisher
Culture and Diversity
"“You will have opportunities to get to know people who are very different from you.” Culture and Diversity helps kids understand different cultures and build empathy. This children’s book on diversity explains what culture is and how it influences our lives. By learning about traditions, values, and beliefs of people around them, children can build respect and open doors to understanding and friendship. “What other ways can you think of that would make people feel welcome, help you learn about their culture, and share your culture with them?” A glossary and additional resources can be found at the back of the book." -- publisher
The International Day of the Girl
"This introduction to the International Day of the Girl and its worldwide significance encourages children to recognize their own potential to make change, providing both a perfect lesson in social justice and a celebration of girl power. The United Nations designated October 11th as the International Day of the Girl, a day to increase awareness of problems that affect girls --- and only girls --- around the world and to encourage progress toward gender equality. Nine stories inspired by the real-life experiences of girls from all over the globe bring to light the importance of this day. Each story is set in a different country and sensitively describes an inequity faced by a character and how she addressed it. The challenges include gender-based violence, illiteracy, lack of access to technology, sanitation, nutritional disparity and child marriage. Each story features a positive description of the main character --- strong, smart, creative, inventive, brave, talented, caring, funny, ambitious --- and each concludes with a realistic yet hopeful outcome, presenting the girls as more than victims of their circumstances. Their powerful, and empowering, experiences will stir the activist in every child. Jessica Dee Humphreys's well-researched and illuminating stories are both readable and age appropriate. Award-winning Simone Shin's simple, warm illustrations bring the characters and their circumstances to life. Sidebars expand on the issues covered in each story. This book is a perfect choice for social justice discussions, as well as for social studies lessons on global communities, and for character education conversations on citizenship. It includes a foreword by the Honorable Rona Ambrose, who led Canada's call for the day to be formally adopted by the United Nations. Also included are an annotated time line of the day's creation and additional statistical information. A portion of the proceeds will go to Plan International Canada." -- publisher