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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54 matching books
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Biography 28
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Cross Group 53
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Folklore 1
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Fiction 23
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Non-Fiction 31
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Boy/Man 41
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Girl/Woman 54
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Secondary 46
An Apple for Harriet Tubman
"Like other enslaved African American children, young Harriet Tubman had to work hard. In her master's orchard, she spent long hours picking the juicy apples she was forbidden to eat. Harriet vowed to one day be free and to grow apple trees of her own. When she was grown, she made her escape to the North. Then, repeatedly risking her life, she returned to lead many other African Americans to freedom." -- publisher
Runaway
"A powerful, lyrical OwnVoices picture book about the enslavement of Ona Judge and her self-emancipation from George Washington’s household. Ona Judge was enslaved by the Washingtons, and served the President's wife, Martha. Ona was widely known for her excellent skills as a seamstress, and was raised alongside Washington’s grandchildren. Indeed, she was frequently mistaken for his granddaughter. This biography follows her childhood and adolescence until she decides to run away. This book doesn’t shy away from the horrors of slavery, nor the complex role of house servants. Author Ray Anthony Shepard implicates the reader in Ona’s decision to emancipate herself by using a rhetorical refrain, “Why you run, Ona Judge?” This haunting meditation welcomes meaningful and necessary conversation among readers. Illustrator Keith Mallett’s rich paintings include fabric collage and add further feeling and majesty to Ona’s daring escape." -- publisher
Down on James Street
"The moon lit the riverbank as George and Dorothy each made their way to the teen dance hall. It’s 1935, and sons and daughters of black and white workers in Pittsburgh look forward to having some fun dancing the Lindy Hop, until the police come in and break up the dance…with their bully clubs.The teens all scatter, but Dorothy has a plan to save the dance. Is George ready to join the fight? Or will he play it safe and just go home to his family? Down on James Street is based on a real historical incident in 1930’s Pittsburgh. Today, young and old can take inspiration from this wonderful story of courage and solidarity, with gorgeous illustrations by Byron Gramby that summon up the style and the cool of that long-gone era." -- publisher
Spell it Like Samar
"An empowering story of persistence and believing in yourself! Samar has recently moved to America from Syria, and everything is new. Even the jump rope games at recess are unfamiliar. It doesn't help that Jenna, the class bully, keeps making fun of Samar's accent. Samar decides to enter the school spelling bee to prove once and for all that she's smarter than everyone thinks! But learning the words turns out harder than she thought. Can Samar be persistent and compete in the school spelling bee?" -- publisher
Alicia Alonso Dances On
"As a young girl in Cuba, Alicia Alonso practiced ballet in tennis shoes. Within a few years, she was in New York City, with a promising ballet career. But her eyesight began to fail. When Alicia needed surgeries to save her vision, dancing was impossible, but she wouldn't give up her dream. She found the strength and determination to return to the stage and become a prima ballerina. This is the true story of a woman who overcame her challenges, mastered her art, and inspired others to dance and dream." -- publisher
Freedom Bird
"A Parents’ Choice Silver Award Recipient. In this inspiring story in the tradition of American black folktales, an enslaved brother and sister are inspired by a majestic and mysterious bird to escape to freedom in this dramatic and unforgettable picture book." -- publisher
White Socks Only
"In the segregated south, a young girl thinks that she can drink from a fountain marked "Whites Only" because she is wearing her white socks. When Grandma was a little girl in Mississippi, she sneaked into town one day. It was a hot day—the kind of hot where a firecracker might light up by itself. But when this little girl saw the "Whites Only" sign on the water fountain, she had no idea what she would spark when she took off her shoes and—wearing her clean white socks—stepped up to drink. Bravery, defiance, and a touch of magic win out over hatred in this acclaimed story by Elevelyn Coleman. Tyrone Geter's paintings richly evoke its heat, mood, and legendary spirit." -- publisher
Pocket Bios: Pocahontas
"Pocahontas was a Native American teenager famous for her connection to the colonial settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. She is said to have saved the life of Englishman John Smith. At the age of seventeen, she married tobacco farmer John Rolfe, eventually moving to England with him. Her story has been highly romanticized in literature and film over the years, and remains captivating to this day.P\" -- publisher
Madison’s Patriotic Project
"In celebration of Presidents Day, Madison creates a beautiful patriotic scrapbook that she is confident will win her the first prize and free pizza. Despite her self-assurance, her classmate Jonathan wins the prize and Madison is devastated. With gentle counseling from her parents and her stuffed animal Courage the Lion, she does the right thing and congratulates Jonathan for winning. The story highlights an important lesson: trying your best is what truly counts." -- publisher
Bread for Words
"Told from first-person perspective, this picture-book biography draws from the real-life experiences of a young Frederick Douglass and his attempts to learn how to read and write. Author Shana Keller (Ticktock Banneker's Clock) personalizes the text for young readers, using some of Douglass's own words. The lyrical title comes from how Douglass "paid" other children to teach him. Frederick Douglass knew where he was born but not when. He knew his grandmother but not his father. And as a young child, there were other questions, such as Why am I a slave? Answers to those questions might have eluded him but Douglass did know for certain that learning to read and to write would be the first step in his quest for freedom and his fight for equality. Told from first-person perspective, this picture-book biography draws from the real-life experiences of a young Frederick Douglass and his attempts to learn how to read and write. Author Shana Keller (Ticktock Banneker's Clock) personalizes the text for young readers, using some of Douglass's own words. The lyrical title comes from how Douglass "paid" other children to teach him." -- publisher