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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586 matching books

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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

Come, Read With Me

2021

by Margriet Ruurs and Christine Wei

"In this picture book about stories and reading, contemporary children are whisked through an imaginary world while interacting with characters from classic fairy tales. Join two young children as they begin an adventure through a world of books in this story-within-a-bedtime-story. This metered read-aloud pays homage to classic children's literature: readers of all ages will love searching for characters they recognize from fairy tales and beloved picture books amongst the pages. Spiders weave words and mythical dragons soar as the children travel through magical lands guided by the rhythm and rhyme of acclaimed author Margriet Ruurs. Little ones will want to cuddle closer and settle in for a delightful journey before heading off to sleep themselves." -- publisher

My Diwali Light

2022

by Raakhee Mirchandani and Supriya Kelkar

"A charming holiday story following one girl’s family as they celebrate their Diwali traditions with the ones they love. Devi loves the Diwali season. It’s a time to wear her favorite red bindi and eat samosas until she bursts! Makemithai and design rangoli with her Papa. And paint diyas with her nani—a reminder to shine her light brightly all year long. This joyful story, with vibrant collage illustrations, follows one girl’s Diwali traditions as her family celebrates their favorite holiday with the ones they love. " -- publisher

Too Perfect

2009

by Trudy Ludwig and Lisa Fields

"Maisie thinks Kayla is perfect. She’s pretty and thin, has cool clothes, gets good grades, and she’s a star on the soccer field. But is Kayla happy? The more Maisie gets to know Kayla, the more she begins to question whether being perfect is really so wonderful. In Too Perfect, acclaimed speaker and child advocate Trudy Ludwig explores the relentless and destructive drive for perfection, and the freedom that comes from accepting one’s self." -- publisher

Change Sings

2021

by Amanda Gorman and Loren Long

"In this stirring, much-anticipated picture book by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman, anything is possible when our voices join together. As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes—big or small—in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves. With lyrical text and rhythmic illustrations that build to a dazzling crescendo by #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long, Change Sings is a triumphant call to action for everyone to use their abilities to make a difference." -- publisher

Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart

2020

by An Swerts and Eline van Lindenhuizen

"An encouraging story about fear of failure, based on a true story! Lucy was always cheerful and adventurous, but one day she started worrying about everything. She didn’t want to try new things because she didn’t want to make mistakes. The only place she was happy was at her dad’s restaurant, where she would work with her best friend, Evan. It is there that she discovers that something beautiful can come from making a mistake!" -- publisher

Soomi’s Sweater

2021

by Susie Oh

"Soomi’s new sweater arrives, but it doesn’t quite fit. Mom makes it just right and Soomi can’t wait to show her friends. Soon, Soomi’s brand new sweater isn’t so new anymore. Her friends try to patch it up, but nothing works. Thankfully, Mom knows just what to do. She creates something better than brand new!" -- publisher

May All People and Pigs Be Happy

2019

by Micki Fine Pavlicek and John Pavlicek

"Pigalina teaches Claire the loving-kindness meditation to help Claire embrace the world with compassion and caring. May All People and Pigs Be Happy follows seven-year-old Claire and her stuffed animal Pigalina. From Pigalina, Claire learns a simple meditation that helps her to feel kinder toward herself and spread caring and love to others. The loving-kindness meditation can be practiced by anyone regardless of religion to cultivate loving presence, friendship, tenderness, and love. This book is perfect for those with or without a background in the loving-kindness meditation." -- publisher

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586 matching books

Me, Too!

Down on James Street

Spell it Like Samar

Come, Read With Me

My Diwali Light

Too Perfect

Change Sings

Oops, I Dropped the Lemon Tart

Soomi’s Sweater

May All People and Pigs Be Happy