Social Justice Books

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

Zion Learns to See: Opening Our Eyes to Homelessness

Reviewed by Keesha Ceran Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Zion Learns to See is a new children’s book by father-daughter duo, Terence and Zion Lester. The book follows Zion as she spends a day with her father, Terence, in the community work he is doing around houselessness and economic justice.  Through the storytelling and […]

You Truly Assumed

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  SPOILER ALERT A powerful contemporary young adult novel that’s essential when having conversations about  challenging Islamophobia and encouraging teens to funnel their creative energies into advocacy. The course of three teenage Muslim girls’ lives virtually converge in the aftermath of a terrorist attack in Washington […]

When a Brown Girl Flees

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  When a Brown Girl Flees is a thought provoking, contemporary young adult novel where author Aamna Qureshi seamlessly invests readers in her protagonist’s journey of healing from all-consuming grief to rediscovery and self-love. Eighteen-year-old Zahra Paracha makes the biggest decision of her life after graduation […]

Saving Sunshine

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Saving Sunshine is a contemporary graphic novel that makes issues such as Islamophobia and covert racism accessible for a middle grade audience. Zara and Zeeshan can’t remember the last time they had anything in common — they’re the epitome of opposite twins. Neither one of […]

Speculation

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Inspired by the work of authors such as Toni Morrison and Alice Walker, Speculation is a middle-grade novel that explores the myriad of ways in which Black families in America have been, still are, and always will be intrinsically affected by slavery.  Set in 1960s […]

Walking for Water: How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality

Reviewed Stacey Sewall Review Source: Africa Access Book Author: Walking for Water tells the story of Victor and his twin sister, Linesi, who live in a village in Malawi.  The children have turned 8 years old, and Linesi must now begin helping the women and older girls fetch water each day from the river instead […]