Social Justice Books

The best selection of multicultural and social justice books for children, YA, and educators.

American Indians

Board Books | Elementary | Middle School | High School

This list is by Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL). AICL provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society. Visit the AICL website and subscribe to the AICL blog for many more recommendations, critical reviews, and current news.

Most of the books on these lists are linked for more information or purchase to Powells, an independent, union labor bookstore. Titles with reviews on this site are noted with an asterisk(*).

Board Books

Little You
By Richard Van Camp, Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Loving Me
By Debby Slier
My Heart Fills with Happiness*
By Monique Gray Smith

Nibi is Water *
By Joanne Robertson
We Sang You Home*
By Richard Van Camp, Julie Flett (Illustrator)

Wilgyigyet: Learn the Colors in Sm'algyax
Haayk Foundation, Huk Yuunsk (Illustrator)

Elementary

Ajijaak - Crane*
By Cecilia Rose LaPointe

At the Mountain's Base
By Traci Sorell, Weshoyot Alvitre (Illustrator)

Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock*
By Dallas Hunt, Amanda Strong (Illustrator)
Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story
By Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Buffalo Song
By Joseph Bruchac, Bill Farnsworth
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom
By Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges (Illustrator)

A Day with Yayah
By Nicola I. Campbell, Julie Flett (Illustrator)

Dragonfly Kites*
By Tomson Highway, Julie Flett (Illustrator)
Fall in Line, Holden!*
Written and Illustrated By Daniel W. Vandever

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story*
Kevin Noble Maillard, Juana Martinez Neal
Good Luck Cat
By Joy Harjo

 

The Good Rainbow Road: A Native American Tale in Keres and English
By Simon J. Ortiz, Michael Lacapa (Illustrator)

 

Hungry Johnny
By Cheryl Kay Minnema, Wesley Ballinger (Illustrator)

I Am Not a Number*
By Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer
Jingle Dancer
By Cynthia L Smith

 

Indian Shoes
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Jim Madsen (Illustrator)
Muskrat Will Be Swimming
By Cheryl Savageau, Robert Hynes (Illustrator)

Nimoshom and His Bus
By Penny M. Thomas, Karen Hibbard (Illustrator)

nipêhon / I Wait

nipehon / I Wait*
By Caitlin Nicholson, Leona Morin-Nelson (Translator)
The People Shall Continue
By Simon Ortiz

 

Rock & Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story
By Sebastian Robertson, Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)

 

Saltypie a Choctaw Journey from Darkness Into Light
By Tim Tingle, Karen Clarkson

 

Shin-Chi's Canoe
By Nicola I. Campbell, Kim Lafave (Illustrator)
Shi-Shi-Etko
By Nicola I. Campbell, Kim Lafave (Illustrator)

 

Skysisters
By Jan Bourdeau Waboose, Brian Deines (Illustrator) 
Sweetest Kulu
By Celina Kalluk, Alexandria Neonakis (Illustrator)
Tasunka: A Lakota Horse Legend
By Donald F. Montileaux, Agnes Gay (Translator)

 

Thanks to the Animals
By Allen Sockabasin, Rebekah Raye (Illustrator)

This Land Is My Land*
By George Littlechild
Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky
By Timothy P. McLaughlin (Editor), S. D. Nelson (Illustrator), Joseph Marshall (Foreword by)

The Water Walker*
By Joanne Robertson

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga*
By Traci Sorell, Frane Lessac (Illustrator)

We Are Water Protectors
By Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
When I Was Eight*
By Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
When The Shadbush Blooms
By Carla Messinger

When We Were Alone
By David Alexander Robertson, Julie Flett (Illustrator)

Middle School

Apple in the Middle

Apple in the Middle*
By Dawn Quigley
As Long as the Rivers Flow
By Larry Loyie with Constance Brissenden, Heather D. Holmlund (Illustrator)
The Birchbark House
By Louise Erdrich
Hidden Roots
By Joseph Bruchac
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse*
By Joseph Marshall III

Indian No More

Indian No More*
By Charlene Willing McManis, Traci Sorell
Makoons
By Louise Erdrich
My Name Is Not Easy*
By Debby Dahl Edwardson

 

My Name is Seepeetza
By Shirley Sterling

 

Native Writers: Voices of Power
By Kim Sigafus, Lyle Ernst

 

No Name
By Tim Tingle

 

Rain Is Not My Indian Name
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Lori Earley (Illustrator)
Sees Behind Trees
By Michael Dorris

 

Son Who Returns
By Gary Robinson
Spotted Tail *
By David Heska Wanbli Weiden

This Place: 150 Years Retold
By Alicia Elliott (Foreword by), Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (Contribution by), Sonny Assu (Contribution by)
Three Feathers
By Richard Van Camp, K. Mateus (Illustrator)

 

Triple Threat
By Jacqueline Guest
Under the Mesquite
By Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky
By Timothy P. McLaughlin (Editor), S. D. Nelson (Illustrator), Joseph Marshall (Foreword by)
Who Will Tell My Brother
By Marlene Carvell

High School

Blue Horses Rush in
By Luci Tapahonso
Code Talker Stories
By Laura Tohe 
Crazy Horse's Girlfriend
By Erika T. Wurth
Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices
By Lisa Charleyboy, Mary Beth Leatherdale (Editor)

 

Give Me Some Truth
By Eric Gansworth

Hearts Unbroken

Hearts Unbroken*
By Cynthia Leitich Smith
House of Purple Cedar
By Tim Tingle

 

Killer of Enemies
By Joseph Bruchac
The Lesser Blessed
By Richard Van Camp
The Marrow Thieves*
By Richard Van Camp
Mean Spirit
By Linda Hogan
Men On The Moon
By Simon J Ortiz

 

The Night Wanderer: A Graphic Novel
By Drew Hayden Taylor
#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women*
 Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale
Rethinking Columbus
By Bill Bigelow (Editor), Bob Peterson (Editor)
Robopocalypse
By Daniel H. Wilson
The Round House
By Louise Erdrich

 

Team Spirits: The Native American Mascots Controversy
By C. Richard King (Editor), Charles Fruehling Springwood (Editor), Vine Deloria Jr (Foreword by)
Waterlily
By Ella Cara Deloria, Susan Gardner (Introduction by), Raymond J. Demallie (Afterword by)

 

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