At the hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court, Senator Ted Cruz unexpectedly pulled out a book for toddlers called Antiracist Baby, by Ibram X. Kendi. Cruz wanted to know if the Judge supported the teaching of the book in schools. "There are portions of this book that I find really quite remarkable," Cruz said. "Do you agree with this book? That babies are racist?"

Jackson sighed. "I do not believe any of that," she responded, visibly exasperated. This exchange, which took place in 2022, reflected a culture war exploding across the country. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests two years prior, many progressive parents were eager for books to teach children about racism. In reaction, conservative groups had organized a movement to ban such books from school and libraries.

Namrata Tripathi -- who five years ago founded Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House -- watched these proceedings with great interest. She had come up with the concept of Antiracist Baby and persuaded Kendi to write it. "Never, in my whole career, did I expect one of our books to be debated on the Senate floor," she recalls.

But Antiracist Baby isn't the only Kokila book to have made waves. Tripathi's innovative approach to making children's books, which brings diverse perspectives to every part of the publishing process, has resulted in distinct books. Many have done well, both critically and in terms of sales. There are national bestsellers like Hair Love, about a father's efforts to style his daughter's hair, which shot to the top of The New York Times's list. More than 95 books in the Kokila portfolio have won awards, including The Night Diary, a historical novel about a girl's experience of India's partition, which received the prestigious Newbery Honor.