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.
Find titles using a keyword search below (e.g. adoption, birthday, holidays, etc.), or by selecting one or a combination of filters on the lefthand sidebar below.
First time here? Start here!
30 matching books
Show Filters
Una huna
A picture book about family and community that includes the Inuktitut terms for some common words and phrases.
Leah’s mustache party
Four-year-old Leah loved being a pirate for Halloween. She never considered being a princess or a fairy. But once Halloween has come and gone, Leah misses so many things about her costume. She misses her sword. She misses saying "Arrrr!" But most of all, she misses her silly moustache. But Leah knows that it doesn't have to be Halloween to play dress up. She can wear a moustache whenever she wants! She can wear one while she's watching a movie, or riding her bike, or playing her favorite game. And when Leah's birthday finally arrives, she knows exactly what she wants to do: have a party where everyone must wear a moustache! At Leah's moustache party, everyone gets in on the dress-up fun, even Grandma!
The caterpillar woman
"Piujuq is a kind young woman who loves to take long walks on the tundra and dance by her favourite lake surrounded by butterflies. But one day, she encounters a stranger on her walk. When this person asks a favour of Piujuq, she happily obliges, and that kindness leaves Piujuq stuck in the body of a caterpillar. Alone, and thinking that no one could ever love her because of how she looks, Piujuq does not return to her camp. Instead, she lives a lonely life on the tundra. Until one day when another stranger appears . . . Based on traditional Inuit story, this tale of inner beauty, kindness, and magic is a perfect addition to any young reader's bookshelf"--|cProvided by publisher
Takannaaluk
'Takannaaluk' means 'the one down there'--a term used in the High Arctic to refer to the mother of sea mammals, the most important being in Inuit mythology. This unique picture book tells how she came to be both feared and respected. As a young woman, Takannaaluk is tricked into marrying a sea bird posing as a man and then betrayed by her family. Her story is brought to vivid life by respected elder Herve Paniaq and renowned artist Germaine Arnaktauyok. -- Amazon.com
The pencil
Susan and her sister, Rebecca, love watching their mother write letters to people in other camps. Their mother has one precious pencil, and she keeps it safe in her box for special things. One afternoon, Anaana leaves the iglu to help a neighbour, and Susan, Rebecca, and their brother Peter are left with their father. They play all their regular games but are soon out of things to do-until Ataata brings out the pencil! As Susan draws and draws, the pencil grows shorter and shorter. What will Anaana think when she comes home? Based on author Susan Avingaq's childhood memories of growing up in an iglu, this charming story introduces young readers to the idea of using things wisely. |cProvided by publisher
It’s time for bed
It's time for Siasi to go to bed, but she doesn't want to brush her teeth or put away her toys. It's so much more fun to play with all the animals of the Arctic! Wouldn't everyone rather dance with a polar bear, howl with the wolves, and swim with the fish than get ready for bed? In this charming bedtime story, readers follow Siasi on a nighttime adventure as she comes up with excuse after excuse for why she's not quite ready to go to bed. |cProvided by publisher
The fox wife
On a cloudless summer night, a fox falls to earth and comes across a family of humans. As the seasons change and they move their camp, she follows them, growing ever more intrigued by human ways--and especially by the oldest son, Irniq. When Irniq grows older and sets out hunting on his own, he is surprised to enter his tent one day and find the lamp lit, the tea made ... and a strange woman who says she is his wife. Tired of being alone, Irniq welcomes the woman. But soon he grows curious and cannot stop himself from asking too many questions. Where did the fox pelt hanging outside their tent come from? And why did the fox that had been following him suddenly disappear? Based on award-winning musician Beatrice Deer's powerful song "Fox," this graphic novel reinterprets a traditional Inuit story for a new generation. |cProvided by publisher
Putuguq & Kublu and the qalupalik!
What creatures lurk beneath the sea ice? Putuguq and Kublu--two siblings who can't seem to get along--are about to find out! On their way to the shoreline, Putuguq and Kublu run into their grandfather, who has a stern warning for the pair: always beware when playing on the shore, because you never know if a qalupalik, a mythical creature that kidnaps children, is lying in wait under the ice. Kublu is pretty sure their grandfather is just trying to spook them with a scary story from the past, but maybe not? |cProvided by publisher
Putuguq & Kublu
"Putuguq and Kublu are a sister and brother who cannot get along. They love to pull pranks and one-up each other every chance they get! When one of Putuguq's pranks does not go as planned, the feuding siblings find themselves on the land with their grandfather, learning a bit about Inuit history--between throwing snowballs, that is"-- |cProvided by publisher
How Nivi got her names
Nivi has always known that her names are special, but she does not know where they came from. So, one sunny afternoon, Nivi decides to ask her mom how she got her names. The stories of the people Nivi is named after lead her to an understanding of traditional Inuit naming practices and knowledge of what those practices mean to Inuit. How Nivi Got Her Names is an easy-to-understand introduction to traditional Inuit naming, with a story that touches on Inuit custom adoption [an adoption in which a pregnant woman provides her child to someone who needs a child].