Social Justice Books

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

Mehndi Boy

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Mehndi Boy is an illustrated chapter book perfect for children who are just embarking on independent reading. The novel features an Indian boy living in Tanzania and his resolve to be authentically himself. Creative Tehzeeb loves doing artwork and once his cousin Rahima’s wedding approaches, […]

Miya Wears Orange

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Debbie and I have talked with many non-Native educators who know the importance of teaching about hard aspects of Indigenous peoples’ history. Good teachers want to do it “right.” We try to impress on them that conversations about those difficult topics may […]

Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero is an elevated middle grade novel set in small town Texas around the twentieth anniversary of 9/11. The story dissects both social and racial justice themes with care, including religious/racially-charged bullying and racial profiling. Author Saadia Faruqi offers a […]

Super Nani and Captain Yaz

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Super Nani and Captain Yaz is a picture book for elementary children that tells the story of how a young girl grows and cultivates a bond with her grandmother despite speaking different languages. Nani will be visiting for the first time from her small village […]

Silenced Voices

Review Source: Publishers Weekly Book Author: In a solo debut, Leon (Miles Morales: Stranger Tides) delivers a potent graphic novel examination of the effects of the Guatemalan civil war on its people. In 2013, American-born brothers José and Charlie live with their overworked single immigrant mother, Clara, in Langley Park, Maryland. When a teacher asks […]

This Thing of Ours

Reviewed by Edi Campbell Review Source: Black Cotton Reviews Book Author:  Frederick Joseph is a celebrated poet and nonfiction author. He writes to engage young readers in critical ways to understand how white supremacy and racism permeates our society while providing them with hope for true change. While this is his first work of fiction for […]