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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77 matching books
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Any Child 37
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Cross Group 31
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Folklore 4
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Activism 4
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Disability 14
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Boy/Man 54
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Secondary 33
The soda bottle school
In a Guatemalan village, students squished into their tiny schoolhouse, two grades to a classroom. The villagers had tried expanding the school, but the money ran out before the project was finished. No money meant no wall materials, and that meant no more room for the students. Until one boy got a wonderful, crazy idea: Why not use soda bottles, which were scattered all around, to form the cores of the walls?
It’s Not a School Bus, It’s a Pirate Ship
"A boy overcomes his first-day-of-school fears by imagining his school bus is a pirate ship taking him on a high-seas adventure. In this follow-up to It’s Not a Bed, It’s a Time Machine, a young boy is worried about the bus ride to his first day of school. Who will he sit with on the bus? How will he make friends? The bus driver knows the first day of school is intimidating, and she has a secret to share: This is not a school bus—it’s a pirate ship! And its pirate crew has one motto: “All for fun and fun for all!” The boy sets sail with his classmates on an epic adventure—making new friends and vanquishing his first-day jitters along the way! It’s Not a School Bus, It’s a Pirate Ship explores social anxiety in a relatable way, showing that with a little imagination, new experiences are just new adventures." -- publisher
Starting School
"The Shine-a-Light My World strand of the Shine-a-Light series will help young readers navigate their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. The shine-a-light format puts an engaging new spin on core themes. From excitedly packing a bag and finding a seat on the school bus, to settling in to classes and making new friends, this book takes a look at a child’s first day of school." -- publisher
A New School Year
"In a unique narrative, readers meet a diverse group of six children ranging in age from Kindergarten through fifth grade. With nerves and excitement each child gears up for a new school year by hustling in the morning, meeting new teachers and new classmates during the day, and heading home with homework and relief by day’s end. Simple, bright illustrations focus on each child and his/her worries, hopes, and successes on the first day of school." -- publisher
Nana Akua Goes to School
"In this moving story that celebrates cultural diversity, a shy girl brings her West African grandmother—whose face bears traditional tribal markings—to meet her classmates. This is a perfect read for back to school—no matter what that looks like! It is Grandparents Day at Zura’s elementary school, and the students are excited to introduce their grandparents and share what makes them special. Aleja’s grandfather is a fisherman. Bisou’s grandmother is a dentist. But Zura’s Nana, who is her favorite person in the world, looks a little different from other grandmas. Nana Akua was raised in Ghana, and, following an old West African tradition, has tribal markings on her face. Worried that her classmates will be scared of Nana—or worse, make fun of her—Zura is hesitant to bring her to school. Nana Akua knows what to do, though. With a quilt of traditional African symbols and a bit of face paint, Nana Akua is able to explain what makes her special, and to make all of Zura’s classmates feel special, too." -- publisher
Grandmother School
"This brilliantly illustrated picture book tells the story of the Aajibaichi Shala, the Grandmother School, that was opened in Phangane, India, in 2016 to teach local grandmothers how to read and write. Every morning, a young girl walks her grandmother to the Aajibaichi Shala, the school that was built for the grandmothers in her village to have a place to learn to read and write. The narrator beams with pride as she drops her grandmother off with the other aajis to practice the alphabet and learn simple arithmetic. A moving story about family, women and the power of education—when Aaji learns to spell her name you’ll want to dance along with her. Women in countless countries continue to endure the limitations of illiteracy. Unjust laws have suppressed the rights of girls and women and kept many from getting an education and equal standing in society. Based on a true story from the village of Phangane, India, this brilliantly illustrated book tells the story of the grandmothers who got to go to school for the first time in their lives." -- publisher
Building books
Katie loves building with blocks. She's bored by books. Her brother Owen likes to lose himself in a story. A school librarian convinces them to see the possibilities in the other's hobby.
Jacob’s School Play
"Jacob's School Play introduces readers to non-binary, gender-fluid people and the use of pronouns of their own choosing while all along reinforcing that an individual is much more layered and unique then how others may see him, her or them. Jacob—star of one of the most banned books of the decade according to the American Library Association—is back in his third book and ready to put on a school play! While learning their lines and making their costumes, Jacob’s class finds itself unexpectedly struggling with identity, and what it means to be “he,” “she,” or “they.” Jacob’s School Play is an engaging way to introduce young readers to non-binary people and the pronoun options available to us all. Learning that individuals are more nuanced than how others see them is a developmentally important milestone, and helps foster respect of one’s self and one’s peers. "Making space for everyone is no small task. Seeing one another, asking the right questions, and honoring how each person walks through the world is something learned, but not often enough taught... this is not a book about conflict or being accepted by others for who you are. It's about classmates each embracing that their experience is not the only experience and that every person fits beautifully into this world in their own way." -- publisher
Twindergarten
Dax and Zoe are twins. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. It's the night before the twins are starting kindergarten, and they have the just-about-to-start-school jitters. After all, they will be in different classrooms! What will kindergarten be like when they're not together all day? But Dax and Zoe will learn that kindergarten is full of new surprises and adventures, and being apart for a short while isn't so bad
Growing season
"El and Jo are the shortest kids in their class, and they're inseparable. But what happens when Jo starts to grow?" --