“Any Child: Books featuring BIPOC in which race, ethnicity, tribal affiliation, culture, im/migration, and/or religious, sacred, or origin stories are not central to the story. These elements may be present, but they are not essential to the plot and could be changed without altering the storyline.”
Over the next few months, we’ll be featuring a list of books we want to highlight from within each of our nine unique book categories. Among our categories, Any Child is perhaps the most “in demand.” These books star children of color in roles that most children can relate to — at play, in school, with their families, out and about in the larger world, going about the business of everyday life.
In “We Don’t Only Need More Diverse Books. We Need More Diverse Books Like The Snowy Day.”, a 2016 article published in Slate, author and mother Rumaan Alam articulates clearly why this type of book matters so much:
“We need diverse books to be sure, but those must be part of a literature that reflects our reality, books in which little black boys push one another on the swings, in which little black girls daydream about working in the zoo, in which kids of every color do what kids of every color do every day: tromp through the woods, obsess about trucks, love their parents, refuse to eat dinner. We need more books in which our kids are simply themselves, and in which that is enough.”
Rumaan Alam
Here’s a selection from among our 825 (and growing) titles coded as Any Child. Each of these titles centers the perspective of children who are BIPOC. Some include particular cultural details, others don’t, but all celebrate the daily experiences of children being children.
As if…as if…
"A little girl with a vivid imagination ventures into the garden after it has rained and discovers its beauty. Full of imagination, she enjoys a stroll and encounters many of the creatures that call the garden home. A smartly dressed earthworm, the lazy sun, a shy raccoon, a dancing butterfly. There is so much for her to see. This beautifully illustrated story will make readers appreciate the small wonders of nature"–Provided by publisher
Carmela full of wishes
Carmela, finally old enough to run errands with her brother, tries to think of the perfect birthday wish, while his wish seems to be that she stayed home.–Provided by Publisher
Gracias / Thanks
A young multiracial boy celebrates family, friendship, and fun by telling about some of the everyday things for which he is thankful.
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
Kamik’s first sled
"Jake’s puppy Kamik is growing quickly, but the dog isn’t becoming any easier to handle. All Jake wants is to raise his puppy into a strong, fast sled dog, but Kamik is far from ready to pull a sled with a dog team. With some advice and a little help from his grandmother, Jake learns basic principles of how to begin training a dog to pull. Kamik finally has his first sled, and he and Jake can finally begin exploring the tundra together. But Jake and Kamik are still inexperienced, and when a blizzard starts blowing in across the tundra, Jake has to rely on his knowledge to get home. Inspired by the life memories of the author, an Inuit elder, this book lovingly presents basic dog-rearing practices that even the youngest dog lover can try"–|cProvided by publisher
Maisie’s scrapbook
As the seasons turn, Maisie rides her bull in and out of Dada’s tall tales. Her Mama wears linen and plays the viola. Her Dada wears kente cloth and plays the marimba. They come from different places, but they hug her in the same way. And most of all, they love her just the same. A joyful celebration of a mixed-race family and the love that binds us all together.
My brother and me
Aloush is the youngest in the family. He is not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. His big brother Ramez is his idol. Every day, Ramez drives Aloush to school on his way to work. He takes him to basketball practice, allows him to hang around when his friends come over to watch a football game and always has time to drop him off at the mall to see a movie with his friend. But suddenly, Ramez doesn’t have time for Aloush anymore. He has fallen in love and is about to get engaged! Aloush is upset and tries to get rid of this threat by carrying out a series of pranks. Will Aloush succeed in getting his brother back?
Small World
“First, Nanda’s entire world is the circle of her mother’s arms but as she grows, she sees the wonder of whirligigs, fractals in the snow, and even the circle of the Earth, itself.” — publisher
Thank You, Omu!
When the aroma of Omu’s homemade stew fills the air, her neighbors arrive, one by one, for a taste until all is gone except for her generous spirit.
This is it
"A young dancer finds confidence in herself in this picture book about dance, individuality, and self expression"–|cProvided by publisher
Watermelon madness
Noura loves watermelon truly, madly, deeply. Can there ever be too much of a good thing?
Water is water
A spare, poetic picture book exploring the different phases of the water cycle in surprising and engaging ways. –Provided by publisher
We are brothers
With his big brother’s support, a young boy finds the courage to jump off the big rock at the lake.
You know what?
It’s bedtime, but there’s so much Oliver has to tell his mother first–every little thing that he noticed that day, the books he has read, what he sees around him…And, of course, that he loves her.– Dust jacket flap
For more Any Child titles, search our listings here.
