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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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
Nasreen’s Secret School
Based on a true story. After her parents are taken away by the Taliban, young Nasreen stops speaking. But as she spends time in a secret school, she slowly breaks out of her shell.
Dash to the Rescue
"Dash loves living at home with her family. Many children she knows live at a boarding school far, far away. But Dash's teacher comes to their yurt three times a week for home school. Today, her teacher reads Dash's favorite book. But a big snowstorm is on its way and she must leave quickly to get home before it hits. Father and Grandfather worry the animals will freeze out in the bitter cold. But Dash has an idea that just might help her family save their animals. A story of imagination and survival of a Mongolian nomadic family." -- publisher
I have a little lantern / Wo you yi zhan deng long
The little girl left for school at dawn. On her way to school, she met a little spider, a little squirrel, a little hedgehog and a little panda. They were all afraid of the darkness and wondering if monsters were hiding in every corner. Only the little girl was not scared, because she had a little magic lantern. They held hand-in-hand so that nobody would be scared.
Razia’s Ray of Hope
Razia dreams of getting an education, but in her small Afghan village, girls have not been allowed to attend school for many years. When a new girls' school opens in the village, Razia must convince her family to let her attend
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
Kalamata’s Kitchen
"Dora the Explorer meets No Reservations in this delicious picture book debut! Follow Kalamata and her alligator sidekick on the first of many exciting food adventures in a charming story about facing fears and overcoming back-to-school jitters. Tomorrow is Kalamata’s first day at a new school, and she’s nervous! What if the kids aren’t friendly? Or worse, what if they don’t like alligators!? If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she’d remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary. Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting! And most importantly, she learns that when we’re nervous about trying new things, food can comfort us and remind us to stay curious, courageous, and compassionate." -- publisher
I Want a Boyfriend Now!
"Instead of doing homework on time, Chelsea was posting pictures online. After watching a princess find love onscreen, Chelsea searches for her own Prince Charming and happily ever after. In her quest to find true love, Chelsea realizes that finding the boy of her dreams isn't always what it seems. Mr. Castellano has created modern characters that readers may have seen in school or in the mirror themselves. A delightful celebration of diversity, comedy, and morality, I Want a Boyfriend Now will appeal to young people who want a humorous look at the real world"--From dust jacket
Ten cents a pound
A young girl is torn between her desire to stay home with her family and her desire to go to school and discover the world beyond the mountains that surround them
Same, Same but Different
Pen pals Elliot and Kailash discover that even though they live in different countries--America and India--they both love to climb trees, have pets, and ride a school bus