Social Justice Books

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

Islandborn / Lola

Reviewed by Teaching for Change Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: The new children’s book Islandborn by Junot Díaz tells the story of a young girl, Lola, who learns from family and friends about the island where she was born. The island is not named in the book, but readers can deduce that the story is based […]

Love

Review Source: Latinx in Kid Lit Book Author: In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical […]

When We Were Alone

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: When We Were Alone is one of those books that brought forth a lot of emotion as I read it. There were sighs of sadness for what Native people experienced at boarding schools, and sighs of—I don’t know, love, maybe—for our perseverance through it […]

Alma and How She Got Her Name

Also available in Spanish: Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre Reviewed by Sierra Kling Review Source: Reading Is Resistance Book Author: Born in Lima, Perú, Juana Martinez-Neal incorporates her Latinx culture into her debut author/ illustrator book, Alma and How She Got Her Name, published in both Spanish and English! This is a pleasant read because […]

The Story Circle / El círculo de cuentos

Reviewed by Linda Boyden Review Source: Pirate Tree Book Author: After a terrible storm flooded their school, most of the classroom books were destroyed and for the first time, the school’s bookshelves were empty. For three days school staff and volunteers helped to clean water damage and remove sludge from the school’s classrooms. The children returned […]

The Story Circle/El Círculo de Cuentos

Reviewed by Linda Boyden Review Source: The Pirate Tree Book Author: After a terrible storm flooded their school, most of the classroom books were destroyed and for the first time, the school’s bookshelves were empty. For three days school staff and volunteers helped to clean water damage and remove sludge from the school’s classrooms. The […]