Social Justice Books

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

Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad

Reviewed by John Thornton Reviewed Source: Africa Access Book Author: Author Monica Edinger was intrigued with the story of the Amistad when she visited the museum in Mystic, Connecticut dedicated to it, and because she had lived for two years in the very region of Sierra Leone where the Amistad captives once lived. But she also had the good […]

Sparkle Boy

Reviewed by Maria Brescia-Weiler Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Sparkle Boy by Leslie Newman starts with a common sibling interaction: Casey wants something his older sister has. In this case, it is a sparkly skirt. It becomes a pattern, with Casey drawing inspiration from his sister Jessie’s skirts, nail polish, and jewelry. Each […]

Luis Paints the World

Reviewed by Beverly Slapin Review Source: De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children Book Author: In the 1960s, Chicanos comprised only about 5% of the US population, yet made up about 22% of the US casualties in Vietnam. So towards the end of the decade, the Chicano community in California began organizing against their […]

Down to Earth: How Kids Help Feed the World

Reviewed by Maria Brescia-Weiler Review Source:  Independent Book Author: Down to Earth: How Kids Help Feed the World provides an overview on the types of crops and livestock one might find on a farm. The subtitle is misleading, as the book focuses more on the uses of different farm products than on the role of children […]

Chains

Reviewed by Kirkus Reviews Review Source: Kirkus Reviews Book Author: “‘Freedom and liberty’ has many meanings,” but enslaved Isabel knows that while Loyalists and Patriots battle for their own versions of freedom, she is “chained between two nations” that uphold slavery. She wonders, “If an entire nation could seek its freedom, why not a girl?” […]

Shadowshaper

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Last year I read Daniel Jose Older’s excellent essay in Buzzfeed Books. Titled “Diversity is Not Enough: Race, Power, Publishing,” it was shared widely in my social media networks. I started following him on Twitter, and learned that he had a young […]