Search Our Database of Nearly 2,000 Diverse Picture Books

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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Too Shy to Say Hi

2021

by Shannon Anderson and Hiroe Nakata

"Shelli takes brave steps toward breaking out of her shell. Making friends can be tough, but this rhyming picture book will help navigate difficulties of shyness and social anxiety. Shelli used to be pretty content in her little world, thinking that her pet friends with feathers, fins, and fur were enough. Her bird would keep her company at home, her fish would hideaway in his cave, and her dog was the social butterfly of the neighborhood. But now, Shelli is determined to try to make friends with kids at school. Readers will relate as Shelli takes brave steps toward breaking out of her shell. Includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers by Elizabeth McCallum, PhD, with more information about shyness and social anxiety." -- publisher

Like a Dandelion

2021

by Huy Voun Lee

"A poetic picture book tribute to the strength of immigrants, inspired by author-illustrator Huy Voun Lee’s childhood experience of moving to the US as a Cambodian refugee Like feathery seeds, a young girl and her mother take flight, putting down roots in an adopted country. Soon they blossom in their new home, strong and beautiful among hundreds of others just like them." -- publisher

Memory Jars

2021

by Vera Brosgol

"A young girl finds a clever way to keep her favorite things—and people—close to her forever, from Caldecott Honoree Vera Brosgol. Freda is devastated when she can't eat all the delicious blueberries she's picked. She has to wait a whole year before they're back, and she doesn't want to lose them! But her Gran reminds her that they can save blueberries in a jar, as jam. So Freda begins to save all her favorite things, like the yummy scent of a just-baked chocolate chip cookie, brand-new crayons with pristine, pointy tips, and a cloud shaped exactly like a unicorn. But it turns out that saving everything also means she can’t enjoy anything, and Freda realizes that some things are best saved as memories. Vera Brosgol has created another unique, funny, and heartfelt story, perfect for anyone who treasures family and love." -- publisher

Timid

2022

by Harry Woodgate

"Timmy is struggling with their inner cowardly lion in this picture book about friendship and overcoming anxiety. Timmy loves nothing more than performing, that is, until they have an audience. They live in the shadow of their inner cowardly lion who loves to come out and ROAR all their confidence away. As Timmy dreads the upcoming school play, they form a powerful friendship with their classmate Nia. Together, they work to overcome their shyness and tame the lion. But when it's time to take the stage, Timmy feels the familiar swoosh of the lion's tail. Will Timmy be able to calm their anxiety and put on a show-stopping performance?" -- publisher

Anna’s Little Buddy

2018

by Jeanine Deas and Rebecca Reinhart

"Anna's Little Buddy is a story about friendship between a young child and his neighbor. It is also a story about grief and loss—when having to say goodbye to a beloved friend. Join little Buddy on his special journey, filled with new discoveries, wonder, joys, and memory-making moments." -- publisher

Samuel’s Choice

2012

by Richard Berleth and James Watling

"Samuel is a fourteen-year-old enslaved African American in Brooklyn in 1776 when the fighting between the British and the colonists reaches his doorstep. "Liberty ain't for Africans," says fellow servants. "It got nothin' to do with us." But his friend Sana says, "Nobody here's gonna be free unless they take the risk." Soon the well-equipped Redcoats have trapped ragged American soldiers, who have no boats to escape, and a terrible storm blows up. Samuel, a strong boatman, must decide what he should do." -- publisher

Me, Me, Me

2017

by Annika Dunklee and Lori Joy Smith

"When best friends Annie, Lillemor and Lilianne learn their school will be having a talent show, Annie says they should enter as an all-girl singing group. Her friends are all in --- until Annie tries to force everyone to go along with her choice of song, costumes, band name and lead singer. When Lillemor and Liliane tell Annie they've had enough of her “me, me, me” attitude, the band splits up, with Annie intent on performing solo. But it doesn't take long for her to realize it's just not the same without her friends. Can Annie find a way to make things right before it's too late? Annika Dunklee's trio of multicultural friends will charm and delight young children with their true-to-life relationships and spot-on dialogue, while Lori Joy Smith's irresistible art brings a playful humor to the girls and their enthusiasm. Annie, the lovable, perfectly imperfect girl, will have readers rooting for her as she struggles to find her way to doing the right thing. With its positive, non-preachy approach, this book could easily spark conversations about friendships and dealing with hurt feelings. With select words in French and Swedish included in the story (with translations) as well as other details sprinkled throughout that illustrate the girls' different backgrounds, this makes a terrific title for exploring other cultures in social studies classes. And the intriguing idea of a talent show shines a light on the performing arts and creativity within a school setting."-- publisher

Me, Too!

2015

by Annika Dunklee and Lori Joy Smith

"There are many reasons why Annie is best friends with Lillemor, who is from Sweden. “They're the same age ... They like the same colors ... They like doing the same things ... They can both speak another language. Okay, so Annie made hers up, but she is pretty sure it still counts.” Annie and Lillemor like each other so much they play together every day. But then Lilianne, a new girl from France, arrives. Annie can't stand that Lillemor has become friends with Lilianne, and that Lilianne seems to have more things in common with Lillemor than Annie does --- even their names, which both begin with “Lil”! Has Annie lost her best friend forever? This funny, honest picture book by Annika Dunklee perfectly captures the rhythms of youngsters' friendships and emotions, while also reminding them that there's always room for new people in their lives. The playful artwork by Lori Joy Smith uses dialogue bubbles to enrich the text, which offer an opportunity for acting out the story in the classroom while it's being read. A special touch here is the use of two other languages, Swedish and French (with translations), to expand young children's understanding of who they can be friends with, making this a terrific book for introducing foreign languages and cultures. This charming, engaging story can also serve as a springboard for discussions on friendship and feelings, character education lessons on inclusiveness, and social studies classes on multiculturalism." -- publisher

Down on James Street

2021

by Nicole McCandless and Byron Gramby

"The moon lit the riverbank as George and Dorothy each made their way to the teen dance hall. It’s 1935, and sons and daughters of black and white workers in Pittsburgh look forward to having some fun dancing the Lindy Hop, until the police come in and break up the dance…with their bully clubs.The teens all scatter, but Dorothy has a plan to save the dance. Is George ready to join the fight? Or will he play it safe and just go home to his family? Down on James Street is based on a real historical incident in 1930’s Pittsburgh. Today, young and old can take inspiration from this wonderful story of courage and solidarity, with gorgeous illustrations by Byron Gramby that summon up the style and the cool of that long-gone era." -- publisher

Spell it Like Samar

2020

by Shifa Saltagi Safadi and Saliha Caliskan

"An empowering story of persistence and believing in yourself! Samar has recently moved to America from Syria, and everything is new. Even the jump rope games at recess are unfamiliar. It doesn't help that Jenna, the class bully, keeps making fun of Samar's accent. Samar decides to enter the school spelling bee to prove once and for all that she's smarter than everyone thinks! But learning the words turns out harder than she thought. Can Samar be persistent and compete in the school spelling bee?" -- publisher

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494 matching books

Too Shy to Say Hi

Like a Dandelion

Memory Jars

Timid

Anna’s Little Buddy

Samuel’s Choice

Me, Me, Me

Me, Too!

Down on James Street

Spell it Like Samar