Our collection of children's picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public. You can use the Search Tool below to find titles. *Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL recommendation.* See our related readings page for suggested tools for evaluating books.
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"This beautiful picture book tells the little-known story of Raven Wilkinson, the first African American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company and an inspiration to Misty Copeland. When she was only five years old, her parents took her to see the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Raven perched on her crushed velvet seat, heard the tympani, and cried with delight even before the curtain lifted. From that moment on, her passion for dance only grew deeper inside of her. No black ballerina had ever danced with a major touring troupe before. Raven would be the first. Raven Wilkinson was born on February 2, 1935, in New York City. From the time she was a little girl, all she wanted to do was dance. On Raven's ninth birthday, her uncle gifted her with ballet lessons, and she completely fell in love with dance. While she was a student at Columbia University, Raven auditioned for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and was finally accepted on her third try, even after being told she couldn't dance with them because of her skin color. When she started touring with her troupe in the United States in 1955, Raven encountered much racism in the South, but the applause, alongside the opportunity to dance, made all the hardship worth it. Several years later she would dance for royalty with the Dutch National Ballet and regularly performed with the New York City Opera until she was fifty. This beautiful picture book tells the uplifting story of the first African American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company and how she became a huge inspiration for Misty Copeland. Theodore Taylor III's unique, heavy line style of illustration brings a deeper level of fluidity and life to the work, and Misty Copeland's beautifully written foreword will delight ballet and dance fans of all ages"--Provided by publisher
Surveys the life of the singer, actress, and civil rights activist, describing her childhood, early years in vaudeville, and achievements as the first African American actress to be offered a studio contract
A celebration of the life of Amalia Hernandez, dancer and founder of El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, and of the rich history of dance in Mexico. As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher, until she saw a performance of dancers in her town square. She was fascinated by the way the dancers twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too. She began to study many different types of dance, including ballet and modern, under some of the best teachers in the world. Hernandez traveled throughout Mexico studying and learning regional dances. Soon she founded her own dance company where she integrated her knowledge of ballet and modern dance with folkloric dances. The group began to perform all over the world, becoming an international sensation that still tours today. Tonatiuh's distinctive Mixtec-inspired artwork and colorful drawings leap off the page. --Provided by publisher
This is the real-life story of Kurdish Iranian refugee, Navid. Told in Navid's own words, the story describes the fear and uncertainty Navid and his mother feel after they are forced to flee Iran, as well as the long journey they endure to be reunited with Navid's father.
A biography of architect Zaha Hadid, who grew up in Baghdad and went on to design buildings all over the world. She became one of the most irreverent, controversial, and celebrated architects in the world. -- Publisher description
When an Iraqi family is forced to flee their home, they can't bear to leave their beloved cat, Kunkush, behind. So they carry him with them from Iraq to Greece, keeping their secret passenger hidden away. But during the crowded boat crossing to Greece, his carrier breaks and the frightened cat runs from the chaos. In one moment, he is gone. After an unsuccessful search, his family has to continue their journey, leaving brokenhearted. A few days later, aid workers in Greece find the lost cat. Knowing how much his family has sacrificed already, they are desperate to reunite them with the cat they love so much. A worldwide community comes together to spread the word on the Internet and in the news media, and after several months the impossible happens Kunkush s family is found, and they finally get their happy ending in their new home
In the early 1900s, little Sap, a young girl from the rice fields of Cambodia, wins a coveted place in the royal dance troupe and learns the steps so well that she is noticed by the famous artist Auguste Rodin, who rewards her with a special prize. A foreword and an author's note give additional information about the history of Cambodia, Khmer dance, and Auguste Rodin
Discusses the life of the determined African American woman who went all the way to France in order to earn her pilot's license in 1921
Introduces the life of the African American bicycle racer who won the 1899 World Championship title
"The story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker who helped rescue nearly 2500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II. Includes afterword, author's note, sources, and glossary"--Provided by publisher