DEIB Beginning of Year Resources: New Picture Books

Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers. When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak English, neither can anyone else. That's when she has a brilliant idea to host a tea party and bring them all together. Luli removes her teapot, thermos, and teacups from her bag and calls out "Chá!" in her native Chinese. One by one, her classmates pipe up in recognition: in Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, and Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili.

A heartwarming picture book about a Chinese-American girl who grows to appreciate the traditional dishes her parents prepare for her and finds a way to share her lunch with her classmates. Everyone loves lunchtime. Everyone, that is, but Zia. At school, the other kids are eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cheese and crackers, and apples on the side. But Zia's always nervous about opening her lunchbox. Her dumpling and noodle dishes look different and smell different. She dreads lunchtime. Then, during her birthday week, her parents pack her a different Cantonese dish each day and explain what the food represents: a roast pork bun to bring treasure, soy sauce chicken to bring success, and more. At first, Zia doesn't want to eat her lunch, but once she starts, she just may realize her food could bring her good fortune after all!

Anyone who's ever been underestimated or overshadowed will find inspiration in this empowering new picture book from Meena Harris, New York Times-bestselling author of Kamala and Maya's Big Idea.   When a young girl sees a strong woman on TV labeled as "too assertive" and "too ambitious," it sends her on a journey of discovery through past, present, and future about the challenges faced by women and girls and the ways in which they can reframe, redefine, and reclaim words meant to knock them down.   As Ambitious Girl says:   No "too that" or "too this" will stop what's inside us from flowering.    

Do you know how to find a best friend? Find out in this wonderful celebration of kindness and friendship! "Today, I will find a best friend!" announces a little girl to her mother as they walk to school. Her mother reminds her that it's only the first day of school, and finding a best friend might take some time. But the girl isn't worried, because she knows exactly how to spot a best friend. "A friend lends you a crayon. A best friend lends you a brand-new, extra-sharp green crayon," she explains. And so begins a whimsical exploration of what it means to be a best friend. Full of imagination and charm, this is the perfect picture book for little ones hoping to find--and be--a best friend at school.

In this beautiful, heartfelt picture book, a young girl moves from a small village to a big city in China, where she longs to find a friend...and ultimately meets someone very much like her.   Liling and her family have moved from their rural farm to an overwhelming urban city. Because of Chinese law, Liling can't go to school and spends her days with Mama or Baba at work. At the playground, the other children throw sand at her and tease her old red coat and dirty shoes.      But after she shares a smile with a girl in a bright yellow jacket who lives in an apartment beneath hers, Liling has a big idea! She draws a picture and lowers it down to the girl--Qiqi--who returns it with a drawing of her own. When the new friends meet face to face, Liling takes Qiqi's hand, and they walk bravely into the park--together.

When a child sends out an open call for a best friend, the most unlikely candidates apply for the job. But when each candidate disappoints, the child's list of requirements grows longer and longer--and more and more ridiculous! Only when she discovers that the way to find a friend is through being a good friend does she finally find the right person for the position.

Once upon a morning in Hong Kong, in the alley of Tai Yuen Street, a girl is promised a mooncake with a double-yolk center--the best kind! The special mooncake seems like the only excitement on an otherwise boring day in the market where nothing changes... until an exhausted stranger falls to his knees right in the street! He ran through forests, swam through rivers, and even stowed away on a ship, all to get to Hong Kong. Now at the end of his journey, all he needs is a bite to eat, but no one seems willing to help--not even the girl, if it means giving up her prized treat. The girl's ultimate decision has surprising, far-reaching consequences in this mostly true story that reminds us that even the smallest acts of kindness hold the power to change lives, for the giver as much as the receiver.

Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas. Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the 20th century.

An exuberantly illustrated true story about innovation, community, and the power of music.

An inspiring, life-affirming debut activist board book in rhyming couplets and triplets about Black heroes for little ones, their families, and anyone who loves A is for Activist and Antiracist Baby. Little Black Lives Matter empowers all children, but Black children especially, by affirming that their lives, however little they may yet be, matter.

Barney Saltzberg's picture book is a pointed and timely tribute to the power of inclusivity and as well as a riotous read-aloud.

A debut picture book about loving your name, finding your voice, and standing up for yourself from the critically acclaimed illustrator of Bilal Cooks Daal and I Am Perfectly Designed.

Penned by the very first Crayon Activist, Bellen Woodard, this picture book will tug at readers' heartstrings and inspire them to make a difference! When Bellen Woodard's classmates referred to "the skin-color" crayon, in a school and classroom she had always loved, she knew just how important it was that everyone understood that "skin can be any number of beautiful colors." This stunning picture book spreads Bellen's message of inclusivity, empowerment, and the importance of inspiring the next generation of leaders.

A moving celebration of school and all it may signify: work and play, creativity and trust, and a supportive community that extends beyond walls A school isn't just a building; it is all the people who work and learn together. It is a place for discovery and asking questions. A place for sharing, for helping, and for community. It is a place of hope and healing, even when that community can't be together in the same room.

A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on. Red is a rainbow color. Green sits next to blue. Yellow, orange, violet, indigo, They are rainbow colors, too, but My color is black . . . And there's no BLACK in rainbows. From the wheels of a bicycle to the robe on Thurgood Marshall's back, Black surrounds our lives. It is a color to simply describe some of our favorite things, but it also evokes a deeper sentiment about the incredible people who helped change the world and a community that continues to grow and thrive.

The bestselling illustrator of I Am Enough brings to life the story of a boy whose mirror gives him a whole new way of seeing himself. Chris loves his long, curly hair, so why do his classmates tease him about it? When he looks for answers in his mirror, something wonderfully wild and weird happens- a lady appears with wise words that make him feel like a king! But when he starts acting like a king at school, it's time for another visit to the mirror.

Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker captures the magic and community of theater in her debut picture book, about a spirited girl in a wheelchair who stages a show for her hometown. Based on the pivotal summer Ali performed in her first musical by the Jersey Shore! Ali loves to dance, sing, and act. But she had never thought of putting on her own show until her neighbor asks, "Why wait" Immediately energized, Ali gets to work. There's so much to do before showtime--choosing the right musical, auditions, rehearsal, costume and set design--but Ali can do anything with her family and friends. When a storm threatens to undo all their hard work, Ali must use her imagination and adapt so the show can go on! Includes an inspiring letter from Ali to readers on how she developed confidence while on-stage and how theater encourages teamwork and creativity.

A rollicking, rhyming, and inspirational picture book for fans of Oh, the Places You'll Go! and every child who is frustrated by what they can't do...YET! Each of us, from the day we're born, is accompanied by a special companion--the Yet. Can't tie your shoes? Yet! Can't ride a bike? Yet! Can't play the bassoon? Don't worry, Yet is there to help you out. The Magical Yet is the perfect tool for parents and educators to turn a negative into a positive when helping children cope with the inevitable difficult learning moments we all face. Whether a child or an adult, this encouraging and uplifting book reminds us that we all have things we haven't learned...yet!  

A sensitively told and vibrantly illustrated story of Black history from its very ancient origins to its dynamic future When Paloma goes to visit her family in Trinidad, she doesn't feel that she fits in. But Tante Janet has a story to tell her: An ancient story of warrior queens and talking drums, of treasures and tales that span thousands of years . . . a story that Paloma shares in, because her story, too, starts in Africa. Join Tante and her inquisitive niece as they share the story of how her family came to the Caribbean, through the dark days of colonization and enslavement, to the emergence of a thriving, contemporary community of many faces, places and successes. All too often, children's books dealing with "Africa" are reductive with little mention or explanation of modern Africa and too much focus on traditional costume, dancing and animals. This book offers a new approach to caregivers wanting to talk about Black history and Blackness from its very origins, sensitively told and vibrantly illustrated.

Celebrate all the people, places, and things that make our neighborhoods special with Thank You, Neighbor! Selected as a best picture book of the year by Publishers Weekly. Join our narrator and her dog on their daily walk as they greet the people in their neighborhood--from the mail carrier and bus driver to the sanitation workers and grocery clerks and more.

It's Dat's first day of school in a new country! Dat and his Mah made a long journey to get here, and Dat doesn't know the language. To Dat, everything everybody says -- from the school bus driver to his new classmates -- sounds like gibberish. How is Dat going to make new friends if they can't understand each other? Luckily there's a friendly girl in Dat's class who knows that there are other ways to communicate, besides just talking. Could she help make sense of the gibberish?