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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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Sakamoto’s Swim Club

2021

by Julie Abery and Chris Sasaki

"When the children of workers on a 1930s Maui sugar plantation were chased away from playing in the nearby irrigation ditches, local science teacher Soichi Sakamoto had an idea. He offered to take responsibility for the children --- and then he began training them how to swim. Using his science background, Sakamoto devised his own innovative coaching techniques: he developed a strict practice regime for the kids, building their strength and endurance by using the ditch water's natural current. The children worked hard under the dedicated Sakamoto's guidance, and their skills improved. They formed a swim club and began to dominate in swimming events around the world. And then one day, the proud Sakamoto saw an impossible dream come true --- Olympic gold!" -- publisher

Biography

‘Iwalani’s Tree

2016

by Constance Hale and Kathleen Peterson

"On the North Shore of Oahu, a girl named 'Iwalani lives with her family not far from Kaena Point, at the island s westernmost tip. 'Iwalani likes to wander down the beach to a place where an ironwood tree stands as a windbreak--just on the spot where the land becomes sand. The tree is 'Iwalani's playground, jungle gym, secret friend, and wise elder, all in one. From the ironwood she learns about the cycles of nature, the promise of imaginative freedom, and the power of dreams. Written as a gentle poem, with soft rhythms and playful language, 'Iwalani's Tree is the perfect bedtime book. Like a soft wind, it will lull your child to sleep." -- publisher

Beautiful Life

Keala and the Hawaiian Bird

2017

by Patricia McLean and Holly Braffet

"Every fine morning, when the sun starts to rise Over the mountains in the blue Maui sky, Keala is woken by birds in the trees, Greeting the day with their sweet symphony. Until...one morning Keala hears a new, strange sound. What kind of bird could it be? A delightful story told in rhyme will give kids an idea of what it's like growing up in Hawaii where bird song is always in the air. Keala, a curious young girl, wakes up every morning to the sounds of chirping, squawking, and crowing. Then one day, Keala hears another sound....a screech. What kind of bird makes that sound? Keala searches around her home to find out." -- publisher

Any Child

The Bravest ‘Opihi

2014

by Juliet S. Kono and Dennis Fujitake

"Nani and her brother, Ikaika, go swimming at a beach shaped like the smile of the moon. Ignoring their mother's warning, they soon swim out much too far. Beneath the waves lies a giant eel who, before the children can stop him, grabs Ikaika by the leg and drags him to his underwater cave. Frantic, Nani turns to the sea creatures for help. One by one, each animal refuses her teary plea until, surprisingly, the smallest of them all meets the challenge and comes to the rescue proving that even the tiniest creatures can be the bravest." -- publisher

Folklore

Pele and Poli’ahu

2018

by Malia Collins and Kathleen Peterson

"Long, long ago, on the Island of Hawaii, there lived two beautiful goddesses. Pele, the goddess of fire, lived on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Poliahu, the goddess of snow, lived on the snowcapped peaks of Mauna Kea. So begins the retelling of the classic Hawaiian legend a tale of fire and ice when Pele ventured off her fiery mountaintop to make mischief and challenge Poliahu to a sled race down the snowy slopes of Mauna Kea. It is a story about the power of nature, the power of wills, the power of skill, and an explanation of why the Big Island, to this day, is and island of contrasts." -- publisher

Beautiful Life

A Story of Surfing

2006

by Carla Golembe

"While learning to surf, a young girl dreams that she is part of the great span of surfing history, which includes ancient kings and queens of Hawaiʻi, as well as the more modern surfing greats like Duke Kahanamoku and Rell Sunn. In a palette that reflects the rich colors of Hawaiʻi’s skies and sea, Carla Golembe paints a story whose rhythm and rhyme capture the feel of riding a board on Waikīkī’s fabled waves. The accompanying read-along CD further adds the sounds of Hawaiʻi." -- publisher

Beautiful Life

Okinawan Princess

2019

by Masashi Sakihara, Lee A Tonouchi and Laura Kina

"Okinawan Princess is an illustrated, transpacific feminist fairy tale for all readers that illuminates an ancient tradition and pushes back against normative standards of beauty." -- publisher When Gramma notices how much her granddaughter wishes she could look like a supermodel, Gramma shares how her own mother was made fun of when she moved to Hawaii from Okinawa due to the bold blue hajichi tattoos on the back of her hands. Gramma then reveals the legend behind those mysterious markings. When the Okinawan Princess is kidnapped by Japanese pirates, will she wait for someone to save her or will she be able to outwit her captors? This trilingual story is written in Hawaii Creole, then translated into Japanese and the endangered indigenous Okinawan language called Uchinaaguchi. Okinawan Princess is part of ongoing efforts to revitalize Okinawan language, history and culture worldwide." -- publisher

Beautiful Life

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