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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31 matching books
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What I Am
"The creator of Little Owl's Night explores and celebrates the complexities of what makes us who we are in this comforting and thoughtful picture book. A young narrator describes herself: a girl, a granddaughter, Indian, and American. Soon, we see the young girl as a plethora of things: selfish and generous, mean and kind, brave and mischievous. While many of these qualities oppose each other, the context and illustrations make it abundantly clear that she speaks the truth. She is a walking contradiction, and that is precisely what makes her both a unique individual and an essential piece of the greater world around her. Divya Srinivasan shows what makes us human and proud to be who we are." -- publisher
Home Is in Between
"From National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins comes a sweet and innovative picture book about a first-generation immigrant child living in America. Shanti and her parents say goodbye to the monsoon rains in their Indian village. They move to a snowy town on the other side of the world. At first, it isn't easy for Shanti to be new. Back and forth she trudges between her family's Bengali traditions and her new country's culture. Again and again, in between. She feasts on biryani rice while kids in town eat hot dogs and PB&J sandwiches. She watches Bollywood movies at home and Hollywood movies with new friends. Is she still Indian? Is she becoming American? How should she define home? In this timely yet timeless picture book, critically-acclaimed author Mitali Perkins uses her own childhood to describe the experience of navigating multiple cultures and embracing the space—the hyphen—in between them." -- publisher
Rainbow Hands
"A color-filled story about a young boy embracing his identity When a young boy paints his nails with his mom’s nail polish, he discovers the most important thing of all: the magic of being his true self. As the long late summer day stretches ahead of them, a young boy eagerly looks forward to his favorite time—painting-your-nails time. He know that when he dips into those magical bottles of nail polish, he will discover a color to express his every mood and feeling. Purple is the color of magic and mystery. White is the color of endless possibilities. At times, his papa frowns and says, "What have you done to your nails?" At other times, he says, "Why don’t you paint on paper instead?" But the little boy knows that painting his nails makes his hands look beautiful. This color-filled story celebrates the joy of finding out who you are and embracing the courage to be yourself." -- publisher
Where Three Oceans Meet
"A child, mother, and grandmother travel all the way to the end of the earth in this picture book that celebrates multigenerational love—perfect for fans of Drawn Together and Alma. Sejal, Mommy, and Pati travel together to the southern tip of India. Along the way, they share meals, visit markets, and catch up with old friends. For Pati, the trip retraces spaces she knows well. For Mommy, it’s a return to the place she grew up. For Sejal, it’s a discovery of new sights and sounds. The family finds their way to Kanyakumari, where three oceans meet, and delight in making it to the end of the earth together. This own voices picture book celebrates the beauty of India and the enduring love of family." -- publisher
Gabby Bears with Embarrassment
"Gabby goes to summer camp, but starts it off with an embarrassing moment. Her best friend encourages her to be confident and use funny jokes to laugh off the embarrassment. Gabby has fun canoeing, playing sports, doing arts and crafts, roasting marshmallows and building true friendships the rest of camp. Your child can learn how to use perspective, humor, and compassion to keep embarrassment from becoming an obstacle to fun and friendship. This book showcases diversity in positive ways with characters that span various cultures, ethnicities, family situations, physical challenges and more. Readers of all backgrounds will see themselves in these pages while learning to value the diversity within their own community and being exposed to differences from around the world." -- publisher
A Sari for Ammi
"Ammi weaves the most beautiful saris but never gets to wear any of them. Her two little daughters decide to do something about it—break their piggy bank! But when there isn’t enough money to buy Ammi a sari, the two girls must work together to find a solution. Will they be able to buy Ammi the gift she so deserves? With a text full of heart, and bright, cheerful artwork, this story brings readers into the home of a weaver’s family in Kaithoon, India, where the creation of saris is an art form. The book includes a glossary of Indian terms and a note about the saris made in this region." -- publisher
Archie Celebrates Diwali
"It’s Archie’s favorite holiday—Diwali. And this year she gets to share it with her friends and introduce them to the festival of lights! Archana loves her family’s annual Diwali (deh-vah-lee) party, and this year she gets to share it with all her friends from school. She helps with the decorations and the food, and is eager for everyone to arrive. But once the party starts a thunderstorm kicks up and drenches the outside decorations and knocks out the power. Archie worries that everything will be ruined. How can there be a festival of lights without any electricity?" -- 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!"
The Clever Tailor
"This adaptation of a European folktale is about a talented tailor who uses his creativity to provide for his family. Suitable for diverse and multicultural book lists, and suitable for books about upcycling. With timeless art that swirls through the pages like a traditional Indian turban, The Clever Tailor by Srividhya Venkat and Nayantara Surendranath is a contemporary Indian take on a European folktale about the value of being resourceful and finding creative ways to minimize waste. Accompanied by a glossary of Hindi words, this title is an ideal addition to multicultural book collections." -- publisher
The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan
"A young mathematical genius from India searches for the secrets hidden inside numbers — and for someone who understands him — in this gorgeous picture-book biography. A mango…is just one thing. But if I chop it in two, then chop the half in two, and keep on chopping, I get more and more bits, on and on, endlessly, to an infinity I could never ever reach. In 1887 in India, a boy named Ramanujan is born with a passion for numbers. He sees numbers in the squares of light pricking his thatched roof and in the beasts dancing on the temple tower. He writes mathematics with his finger in the sand, across the pages of his notebooks, and with chalk on the temple floor. “What is small?” he wonders. “What is big?” Head in the clouds, Ramanujan struggles in school — but his mother knows that her son and his ideas have a purpose. As he grows up, Ramanujan reinvents much of modern mathematics, but where in the world could he find someone to understand what he has conceived? Author Amy Alznauer gently introduces young readers to math concepts while Daniel Miyares’s illustrations bring the wonder of Ramanujan’s world to life in the inspiring real-life story of a boy who changed mathematics and science forever. Back matter includes a bibliography and an author’s note recounting more of Ramanujan’s life and accomplishments, as well as the author’s father’s remarkable discovery of Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook." -- publisher