Social Justice Books

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

Furqan’s First Flat Top

Reviewed by Zetta Elliott Review Source: Zetta Elliott Book Author: I’m always impressed when writers take matters into their own hands and bring their stories to life by self-publishing. Robert Liu-Trujillo’s first book is a beautifully illustrated story of a boy’s bold decision to change his style; when doubt sets in, his father’s reassurances and […]

Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School

Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: This picture book for mid- to upper-elementary tells the story of Lilly Ann Granderson, an enslaved woman who taught hundreds of people in Kentucky and Mississippi to read. Her schools were held in secrecy and under threat of severe punishment. Readers learn not only […]

Awâsis and the World Famous Bannock

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indian’s in Children’s Literature Book Author: I settled in to do some reading last night. I reached for Dallas Hunt’s Awâsis and the World Famous Bannock. Amanda Strong’s illustrations drew me in as I turned the pages, following Awâsis as she sets out to take her grandma’s world-famous bannock to a relative. […]

Honey, I Love

Each of the sixteen poems in Honey, I Love is spoken straight from the perspective of a child. Riding on a train, listening to music, playing with a friend…each poem elicits a new appreciation of the rich content of everyday life. The poems are accompanied by both portrait and panorama drawings that deepen the insights […]

Benny Doesn’t Like to Be Hugged

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: A few days ago, I added a new feature to AICL. I called it “Reviewed on Twitter.” It is for books that I talk about on Twitter, in a series of numbered or threaded tweets. Earlier today (October 3, 2017), I did […]

Mission to Space

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Regular readers of American Indians in Children’s Literature know that I emphasize several points when reviewing children’s or young adult books, especially: Is the book by a Native author or illustrator? Does the book, in some way, include something to tell readers […]