Social Justice Books

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

Where’s Rodney?

Reviewed by: Rebecca Lehr Book Author: Rodney is an elementary school student who just can’t stay in his seat. Far from engaged in the curriculum, he’s distracted by the birds outside the window and the bug in the classroom. His constant longing to be outdoors leads to inattention and class clown antics, which lead to […]

Every Falling Star

Reviewed by: Cooperative Children’s Book Center Review Source: Cooperative Children’s Book Center Book Author: Sungju Lee’s comfortable early childhood was spent in Pyongyang, North Korea, where his father held an important position within the military. Three years after Kim Il-Sung’s death in 1994, Sungju and his parents made an abrupt move to Gyeong-Seong. Although his […]

NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women

Reviewed by: Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: #NotYourPrincess is one of those books that is so stunning in so many ways, it is kind of hard to decide where to start! Let’s start with the title. The hashtag title is perfection. It boldly says that Native women are here […]

The World Beneath

Reviewed by: Marylee Crofts Review Source: Africa Access Book Author: This young adult novel is riveted with suspense and fear, providing the reader with a realistic view of the danger and unpredictability of life in urban South Africa during the period of school boycotts and armed conflict, in the mid 1970s. The main character is […]

Moony Luna: Luna, Lunita Lunera

Reviewed by: Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez Review Source: Latinxs in Kid Lit Book Author: DESCRIPTION FROM THE BOOK JACKET: Five-year-old Luna isn’t at all sure she wants to go to school. For all she knows, there might be monsters there. But when her loving parents assure her that she’ll have a wonderful time playing and learning, she agrees […]