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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13 matching books
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The Secret of Your Name
"Bestselling and award winning Métis poet David Bouchard's heartfelt story is illustrated by Canada's most prominent Métis artist Dennis Weber." -- publisher Canada's Métis are the only mixed blood people in the world recognized by every level of government as being a Nation. The Métis have their own language, flag, songs and stories. They have exciting traditions and a proud history. Sadly, their journey was one of hardships, denial and often lies. In The Secret of Your Name, these men open their hearts to all those who care to know what it means when it is said that we are Proud to be Métis! This spectacular book will appeal to any and all who have an interest in aboriginal people. It will call out to art collectors, musicians and all who have ever pondered their own past." -- publisher
I’m Finding My Talk
"A response to Rita Joe's iconic poem "I Lost My Talk," and published simultaneously with the new children's book edition illustrated by Pauline Young, comes a companion picture book by award-winning spoken-word artist and Mi'kmaw activist Rebecca Thomas. A second-generation residential school survivor, Thomas writes this response poem openly and honestly, reflecting on the process of working through the destructive effects of colonialism. From sewing regalia to dancing at powow to learning traditional language, I'm Finding My Talk is about rediscovering her community, and finding culture. Features stunning, vibrant illustrations by Mi'kmaw artist Pauline Young." -- publisher
Ziba Came on a Boat
"Ziba came on a boat. A soggy old fishing boat that creaked and moaned as it rose and fell, rose and fell, across an endless sea... Sitting in the crowded hull, with her mother's arms around her, Ziba remembers all that she has left behind. They hope to find peace and safety in a new land, but where will their journey end, and what will they find when they arrive? Based on real events, Ziba Came On a Boat is the moving story of a little girl whose family has lost almost everything. This beautiful picture book takes us on her brave journey to make a new life, far from home. Full of love, warm memories and hope for the future even in a time of fear, this lyrical story is accompanied by stunning watercolor illustrations by the acclaimed Robert Ingpen" -- publisher
Paper Son
A picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney's Bambi to life. Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing - which he loved to do - but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime - and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi. -- description from Amazon.com
Birth of the Cool
"As a young musician, Miles Davis heard music everywhere. This biography explores the childhood and early career of a jazz legend as he finds his voice and shapes a new musical sound. Follow his progression from East St. Louis to rural Arkansas, from Julliard and NYC jazz clubs to the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. Rhythmic free verse imbues his story with musicality and gets readers in the groove. Music teachers and jazz fans will appreciate the beats and details throughout, and Miles’ drive to constantly listen, learn, and create will inspire kids to develop their own voice." -- publisher
Exquisite
"A picture-book biography of celebrated poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize" -- publisher
Hector
"On June 16, 1976, Hector Pieterson, an ordinary boy, lost his life after getting caught up in what was supposed to be a peaceful protest. Black South African students were marching against a new law requiring that they be taught half of their subjects in Afrikaans, the language of the White government. The story’s events unfold from the perspectives of Hector, his sister, and the photographer who captured their photo in the chaos. This book serves as a pertinent tool for adults discussing global history and race relations with children. Its graphic novel style and mixed media art portray the vibrancy and grit of Hector’s daily life and untimely death." -- publisher
Sewing stories
"Harriet Powers learned to sew and quilt as a young slave girl on a Georgia plantation. She lived through the Civil War and Reconstruction, and eventually owned a cotton farm with her family, all the while relying on her skills with the needle to clothe and feed her children. Later she began making pictorial quilts, using each square to illustrate Bible stories and local legends. She exhibited her quilts at local cotton fairs, and though she never traveled outside of Georgia, her quilts are now priceless examples of African American folk art."--Amazon.com
Brave ballerina
Janet Collins wanted to be a ballerina in the 1930s and 40s, a time when racial segregation was widespread in the United States. From her early childhood lessons to the height of her success as the first African-American prima ballerina in the Metropolitan Opera, this is the story of a remarkable pioneer. Full color
Carter reads the newspaper
Carter G. Woodson was born ten years after the end of the Civil War, to parents who had both been enslaved. Their stories were not the ones written about in history books, but Carter learned them and kept them in his heart. Carter's father could not read or write, but he believed in being an informed citizen. So Carter read the newspaper to him every day, and from this practice, he learned about the world and how to find out what he didn't know. Many years later, when he was a student at Harvard University (the second African-American and the only child of enslaved parents to do so), one of his professors said that black people had no history. Carter knew that wasn't true--and he set out to make sure the rest of us knew as well.--Provided by the publisher
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