Social Justice Books

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

We Care: A First Conversation About Justice

Reviewed by Brad Manker Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: We Care: A First Conversation About Justice by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli, with illustrations by Sharee Miller, introduces young children to the concept of justice as an active process. In their introduction, the authors state: “All children deserve to grow up in a just […]

The Umbrella

Reviewed by Olvin Abrego Ayala Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: The Umbrella is a visually appealing children’s book that accurately portrays the rich diversity of plant and animal life in Costa Rica and Central America. Jan Brett’s beautiful illustrations of the Monteverde Cloudforest bring the story to life and make it an engaging read.  […]

Behind Every Rug

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Those who follow my work know that I’ve been frustrated many times with things Scholastic does. Sometimes, though, they do a good thing. Case in point? Behind Every Rug. This little book is by Daniel W. Vandever. I highly recommended his previous books. Fall […]

There’s No Such Thing as Vegetables

Reviewed by Brad Manker Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Kyle Lukoff’s whimsical picture book serves up a delightful dish of humor, science, and social justice concepts. Young Chester, tasked with fetching vegetables for a salad from the community garden, instead encounters a vibrant cast of anthropomorphic garden inhabitants who reject the “vegetable” label. Each […]

Eleven Words for Love: A Journey Through Arabic Expressions of Love

Reviewed by Makai Kellogg and Magy Youssef Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Eleven Words for Love: A Journey through Arabic Expressions of Love, by Palestinian-Egyptian author Randa Abdel-Fattah, is summarized on the back cover: A lyrical narrative of a Palestine family in exile explores universal bonds of family, loyalty, and friendship through the […]

Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice

Reviewed by Amanda MacGregor Review Source: School Library Journal Book Author: Uncovered family secrets and a growing feminist consciousness propel a seventh grader to cause good trouble and start a school-wide revolution. Twelve-year-old Manuela “Mani” Semilla, whose parents are Chinese-Filipino American and Guatemalan, feels stuck in the liminal space between childhood and adulthood. Mani is desperate […]