Social Justice Books

Critically reviewed selection of multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators.

Eighth Grade Superzero

Reviewed by Sam Bloom Review Source: Reading While White Book Author: Rhuday-Perkovich’s debut works on many levels. It’s a classic school story with engaging middle school characters (though Donovan’s bad guy act is a bit over-the-top). Reggie’s family is supportive and the problems they face ring true. But the volunteerism central to the story is something […]

District Comics: New Comic Anthology Full of Shortcomings, Thin on Diversity

Reviewed by Katie Seitz Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: On November 1, 1950, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, two Puerto Rican nationalists, attempted to assassinate President Truman. Their goal was to draw attention to the U.S. colonization of Puerto Rico and the repeated legal and military measures to deny Puerto Ricans self-determination. At […]

Destiny’s Gift

Reviewed by Katie Seitz Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: One of the best children’s books in recent years is Natasha Anastasia Tarpley’s Destiny’s Gift. Destiny, a little girl who loves words, writing, and reading, and spends all of her free time at a local independent bookstore, Wade’s Books. Mrs. Wade, who runs the […]

Child of the Civil Rights Movement

Reviewed by Jenice L. View Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Teachers are often frustrated with how to teach historical events in an accurate and nuanced way. This is particularly challenging for early elementary teachers when mob violence and complex philosophical controversies are a central part of the story. Teaching the history of the […]

Broken Memory: A Novel of Rwanda

Reviewed by LaTissia Mitchell Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Without sacrificing the horrors of the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda, Broken Memory surprises by virtue of its affecting subtlety. It tells the story of the child survivor Emma who attempts to piece together her fragmentary memories about the death of her mother. […]

Boozhoo: Come Play With Us

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Boozhoo, Come Play With Us is a terrific board book. Published in 2002 by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, this board book for toddlers is comprised of photographs of Native kids at the Fond du Lac Head Start, with […]