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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79 matching books
Show FiltersGrowing Gold
"In this story from India, a farmer’s three lazy sons don’t want to work – they just want a lot of gold. When their mother tells them about the gold buried in the field, they discover the value of a good day’s work." -- publisher
How Tiger Got His Stripes
"Many years ago, the proudest animal in the jungle was not the peacock but the tiger. In this timeless folktale from Vietnam, we see how Tiger's pride leads him to covet wisdom and how, with the help of a wise farmer, he earns his stripes. Winner of the Storytelling World Honor Award This humorous folktale from Vietnam, retold by Rob Cleveland, tells the story of Tiger, who was once the proudest animal of the jungle. He was even prouder than the peacock. Of course what Tiger was most proud of was his beautiful golden coat. But unfortunately for Tiger, he did not have wisdom and was jealous that only Man seemed to possess it. So Tiger approached Man and demanded that he give Tiger his wisdom. Man then uses his wisdom to outsmart Tiger when he finds himself tied to a tree with a rope. While trying to escape, Tiger burns his coat on the rope, leaving permanent stripes on his beautiful golden coat. This wisdom story will teach readers the importance of courage, caring and resourcefulness. This award-winning story is a "pourquoi" tale from Vietnam. Pourquoi tales are origin stories that explain why an animal or plant looks or acts the way it does. This is one of many stories told across Asia that deal with the origin of the tiger's stripes. Rob Cleveland is storyteller-in-residence at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia and is the author of several Story Cove books." -- publisher
The Archer and The Sun
"In this classic story from China, we learn why the sun comes up in the morning and goes down at night. We also discover why a certain farm animal is there every morning to greet the sun. Why does the sun go up in the morning and down at night? The Archer and the Sun is an ancient story from China. It tells the legend of a time when there were many suns in the sky and it was miserably hot. The people got together to come up with a solution to make their living conditions more hospitable. They decided to call upon the best archer in the land to come and shoot down all of the suns except for one. As a result, the remaining sun naturally became afraid of the archer and hid behind a mountain, leaving the world cold and dark. Then the people had to devise a plan to get the sun to come back from hiding and after several failed attempts, they found a solution. This Chinese folktale will teach readers about the importance of citizenship, resourcefulness and sharing. This story ends with a section of facts about the Archer and the Sun, exploring Chinese traditions and myths such as why roosters crow in the morning and what the year of the rooster means as well as general "did you know" facts.Rob Cleveland is storyteller-in-residence at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also an actor and comedian who can be seen in the films Drumline and That Darn Cat." -- publisher
Nasreddine
"It's time to go to market, so Nasreddine loads up the donkey and sets off with his father. But when onlookers criticize his father for riding while Nasreddine walks, the boy is ashamed. The following week, Nasreddine persuades his father to walk, and let him ride — but then people criticize the boy for making his father walk! No matter what Nasreddine tries, it seems that someone always finds something to disapprove of. Nasreddine is a legendary character popular in stories told throughout the Middle East, and this clever story will bring him to a new audience. Accompanied by stunning artwork, this tale offers a gentle reminder to readers that it isn't always necessary to listen to the world's criticisms." -- publisher
Sugar In Milk
"A timely and timeless picture book about immigration that demonstrates the power of diversity, acceptance, and tolerance from a gifted storyteller. When I first came to this country, I felt so alone. A young immigrant girl joins her aunt and uncle in a new country that is unfamiliar to her. She struggles with loneliness, with a fierce longing for the culture and familiarity of home, until one day, her aunt takes her on a walk. As the duo strolls through their city park, the girl's aunt begins to tell her an old myth, and a story within the story begins. A long time ago, a group of refugees arrived on a foreign shore. The local king met them, determined to refuse their request for refuge. But there was a language barrier, so the king filled a glass with milk and pointed to it as a way of saying that the land was full and couldn't accommodate the strangers. Then, the leader of the refugees dissolved sugar in the glass of milk. His message was clear: Like sugar in milk, our presence in your country will sweeten your lives. The king embraced the refugee, welcoming him and his people. The folktale depicted in this book was a part of author Thrity Umrigar's Zoroastrian upbringing as a Parsi child in India, but resonates for children of all backgrounds, especially those coming to a new homeland." -- publisher
Kuan Yin
"Two sisters discover the power of love and the true meaning of compassion in this princess-adventure story based on an ancient Chinese tale." -- publisher
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
Sion’s misfortune
Sion is a fortune-teller who lives in an ancient Chinese kingdom with his son and a beloved horse. When Sion begins to experience a series of unlucky events, he shocks everyone in town by saying that it is a sign of good things to come. Will Sion lose his reputation for being the wisest man in the kingdom, for how could misfortune ever be a blessing? This profound folktale from China, originally retold by Chen Jiafei and illustrated by award- winning artist Wang Ran, has been translated into English
Basho and the River Stones
"Grade Levels: 1-4 The great poet Basho lives in the woods and shares the cherries from his cherry tree with the local foxes. But one tricky fox becomes greedy—he uses his magic to turn three river stones into gold coins, and then tricks Basho into giving up all of the cherries. When the fox returns to gloat over his victory, he discovers that Basho is content. Wiser than the fox, Basho knows that a poem inspired by the beauty of the river stones is more valuable than gold. Oki S. Han’s watercolors evoke ancient Japan in this sequel to the New York Times bestseller Basho and the Fox." -- publisher
Issun Bôshi
"This classic Japanese fairy tale tells the story of Issun Bôshi, the tiny son of an old, long childless couple. This classic Japanese fairy tale tells the story of Issun Boshi, the tiny son of an old, long childless couple. Tiny and brave--these are the two most striking characteristics of Issun Boshi. His mother had longed to have a child for so many years that she finally added "even if it is a very small one" to her wish. When the elderly couple did in fact bear a son, he turned out to be only one inch high. He was thus called Issun Boshi, Japanese for one-inch boy. Although his parents raised him very lovingly, Issun Boshi realized one day that he would not grow any taller. He then left his home to set off on a journey to find his place in the world. Because he saw himself as a swordfighter, a samurai, he made sure to take along the right equipment: a needle was his sword, a soup bowl was his boat, and a chopstick was its rudder. As in any proper fairy tale, Issun Boshi is tested in several adventures. He handles himself so bravely that, in the end, he is rewarded with just the right princess." -- publisher