Social Justice Books

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

The Fire

Reviewed by Jean Mendoza Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: I’m very happy to add a title to our 2021 Recommended Books list: Thomas Peacock’s The Fire. This is my “short and sweet” review. As you may remember, “short and sweet” reviews are not in-depth; they cover four reasons for our decision about […]

Swashby and the Sea

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: This joyful picture book for early elementary children emphasizes the transformative influence of friendship. Old Swashby is a recluse who retires to a small house on the beach to be closer to his only long-time friend, the playful sea. Life is solitary and serene […]

Birdsong

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Reviewed Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Add Julie Flett’s Birdsong to your shelves! It is on several Best Books of 2019 lists and it got starred reviews from the major review journals. Most of the reviews note Flett’s artistic style and the seasonal arrangement of the story. Most note the growth […]

Kimotinâniwiw Itwêwina / Stolen Words

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Reviewed Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: I picked up Melanie Florence’s Stolen Words with a bit of trepidation because her previous picture book, Missing Nimama, was so troubling. It, and her novel, The Missing, felt off. (Here’s my post about them.) At the time, I couldn’t put my finger on why her books were unsettling. […]

The Round House

Reviewed by: Mykella Palmer Review Source: We Should All Be Bookworms Book Author:  In the We Should All Be Bookworms podcast, host Mykella Palmer introduces her listeners to Louise Erdrich’s book The Round House. You can listen to her review of the book here. Here is a short description of the book from the publisher: One of […]