Social Justice Books

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

Build a House

Reviewed by Rethinking Schools Book Author: Build a House is based on the moving song that Rhiannon Giddens wrote and performed with cellist Yo-Yo Ma on the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth in 2020. Giddens’ lovely, poignant new book illustrates the song, telling the story of enslavement and freedom: “You brought me here/ To build your house/ To […]

The Coquíes Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding

Reviewed by Rethinking Schools Book Author: This is a beautifully written and illustrated story of resilience and community, seen through the eyes of a young girl in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of devastating Hurricane María. The silence and return of the song of the native coquí threaded throughout shows a sacred connection to nature and […]

See You Soon

Reviewed by Rethinking Schools Book Author: Pain, love, and hope fill the pages of Mariame Kaba’s most recent picture book about a child with an incarcerated loved one. Like young readers who might be system-impacted themselves, or perhaps children considering a humanized perspective of incarceration for the first time, Reyna thinks, “I have so many questions. […]

Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun’s Thanksgiving Story

Reviewed by Rethinking Schools Book Author: In this powerful picture book, N8hkumuhs (NOO-kuh-mus), Grandmother, shares the story “about the time Weeâchumun [corn] asked our Wampanoag ancestors to help the Pilgrims.” Beginning with Seagull announcing the newcomers’ arrival, this story centers plants and animals as N8hkumuhs tells how Weeâchumun, Beans and Squash, and animals Duck, Fox, Rabbit, […]

Remember

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Look at the book cover. Above the single-word title, Remember, you will see the name of the author — Joy Harjo — and the illustrator — Michaela Goade — and in front of their names you’ll see these words: “U.S. Poet Laureate” and […]

Door of No Return

Reviewed by Elizabeth Abena Osei Reviewed Source: Africa Access Book Author: When I was eight years old, my mother introduced me to slave narratives with Meet Addy, the story of the Black enslaved girl in the American Girl Book Collection. It was one of the first times I read about slavery from the perspective of a […]