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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Growing 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
The Green Dinosaur Umbrella
"In this beautifully illustrated, whimsical story, a green dinosaur umbrella travels to Makkah and exchanges hands, helping pilgrims along their journey of Hajj." -- publisher
A Story of Hope / Zāntā Tasfā
"Captured in Ethiopia and sold into slavery as a child, Malik Ambar travels throughout the Middle East until he arrives in India. Despite a lifetime of adversity and hardship, Malik’s love of language and ideas helps him persevere and inspires him to study military history. Through education, hard work and perseverance, Malik learns to manage his master’s finances and trains legions of African horsemen as a commander in the Indian Army. As a free man, he becomes a respected diplomat and earns his place as a respected figure in Indian history. Written by science writer Dr. Worku L. Mulat and illustrated by Ethiopia-educated Daniel Getahun, the story of the Ethiopian slave boy who grew to be regarded as one of the greatest leaders of central and southern India reminds us how empowering and liberating education can be. " -- publisher
A Story of Hope / Yatasfā Tārik
"Captured in Ethiopia and sold into slavery as a child, Malik Ambar travels throughout the Middle East until he arrives in India. Despite a lifetime of adversity and hardship, Malik’s love of language and ideas helps him persevere and inspires him to study military history. Through education, hard work and perseverance, Malik learns to manage his master’s finances and trains legions of African horsemen as a commander in the Indian Army. As a free man, he becomes a respected diplomat and earns his place as a respected figure in Indian history. Written by science writer Dr. Worku L. Mulat and illustrated by Ethiopia-educated Daniel Getahun, the story of the Ethiopian slave boy who grew to be regarded as one of the greatest leaders of central and southern India reminds us how empowering and liberating education can be. " -- publisher
Sathi
"On a crisp cool morning in Kathmandu, Nepal a young street dog named Sathi prepares for her first Kukur Tihar, a festival celebrated annually by Nepalese people in the autumn, commemorating the loyal and compassionate relationship between humans and dogs. After going to the festival with some of her friends, Sathi is badly hurt and ends up in the clinic at one of the animal welfare organizations in Kathmandu. Sathi befriends a number of other street dogs at the rescue treatment center, each with their own story. We learn about the difficulties that they face each day trying to survive on the streets of Kathmandu. Then something happens which ends up changing Sathi's life forever. The book is based on a true story of a real street dog from Kathmandu who is now living in Toronto, Canada." -- publisher
The Wooden Treasure
"Long ago, in a country far away, a mysterious stranger surprises a poor boy with an unusual gift: wooden chess pieces. With this unexpected treasure, the boy embarks on a world of adventure. What will he discover? This picture book is based on the true story of young Indian chess master Mir Malik Sultan Khan who thrilled the world with his masterful play during his brief competitive career." -- publisher
A Sky-Blue Bench
"A young Afghani amputee matter-of-factly removes her own barrier to education, building a bench from discarded wood so that she and her “helper-leg” can sit through school in comfort. It's Afghani schoolgirl Aria's first day back at school since her accident. She's excited, but she's also worried about sitting on the hard floor all day with her new prosthetic "helper-leg." Just as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can't think about learning at all. She knows that before the war changed many things in Afghanistan, schools like hers had benches for students to sit at. If she had a bench, her leg would not hurt so much. The answer is obvious: she will gather materials, talk to Kaka Najar, the carpenter in the old city, and learn to build a bench for herself. In A Sky-Blue Bench, Bahram Rahman, author of The Library Bus, returns again to the setting of his homeland, Afghanistan, to reveal the resilience and resolve of young children—especially young girls—who face barriers to education. Illustrator Peggy Collins imbues Aria with an infectious spunkiness and grit that make her relatable even to readers with a very different school experience. An author's note gently introduces an age-appropriate discussion of landmines and their impact on the lives of children in many nations, especially Afghanistan, which has the highest concentration of landmines of any country in the world." -- 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
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
Get Off That Camel!
"A humorous picture book about a little girl who graduates from being obsessed with a toy camel to being unable to stop riding a real one. Suitable for diverse and multicultural book collections. From the time Meena was a baby, she’s been obsessed with camels. This fixation only becomes stronger when she’s gifted a real camel for her birthday! Absolutely thrilled with her new pet, Meena simply refuses to get off that camel! This delightful story by veteran children’s author A.H. Benjamin is accompanied by Krishna Bala Shenoi’s vibrant, colorful illustrations, and promises to take readers on a ride they’ll never forget. Shortlisted for the Peek-A-Book Children’s Choice Award 2019 and featured on GetLitt’s list of Best Books of 2019." -- publisher