Social Justice Books

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

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Reviewed by Stergios Botzakis  Review Source: Graphic Novel Resources Book Author:  Marjane Satrapi was in elementary school when the Shah was ousted from power in Iran and a conservative Islamic regime took control. Because her family had communist and socialist leanings, as well as a distant familial relationship to the deposed Shah, they had to navigate a perilous political landscape. […]

Portraits of Racial Justice: Americans Who Tell the Truth

Reviewed by Rethinking Schools Review Source: Rethinking Schools Book Author: In his preface to Portraits of Racial Justice, Robert Shetterly describes his new volume as “an art book, a history book, a curriculum, a manifesto. It is a community of people unafraid to name the failures of this country and the injustices of power that benefit […]

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City

Reviewed by: Mykella Palmer Review Source: We Should All Be Bookworms Book Author:  In the We Should All Be Bookworms podcast, host Mykella Palmer introduces her listeners to the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. You can listen to her review of the book here. Here is a short description of the […]

Nubia: Real One

Reviewed by Jessica Review Source: Rich in Color Book Author: Review: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — this is an excellent time to get into comics. Queer romance comics, epic fantasy comics, superhero comics, you name it. There is just so much exciting stuff out there right now, and I feel lucky […]

Gabi, Fragmentos de Una Adolescente

Reviewed by Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez Reviewed Source: Latinx in Kid Lit Book Author: DESCRIPTION OF THE NOVEL: July 24 My mother named me Gabriella, after my grandmother who, coincidentally, didn’t want to meet me when I was born because my mother was unmarried, and therefore living in sin. My mom has told me the story […]

Firekeeper’s Daughter

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Author: For months, now, people have been talking about Angeline Boulley’s debut, Firekeeper’s Daughter. When the cover art by Moses Lunham (Ojibway) was released, people talked about that. When Netflix announced it would be made into a film by the Obama’s production company, Higher Ground […]