Social Justice Books

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

This Land: The History of the Land We’re On

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Wow! I love how this book starts! The words on the first double-paged spread say, “This is my house.” Behind it is a river. Beside the house is a tall pine tree. We see a family by the tree. Turn the page […]

Rosa Parks: Little People, Big Dreams Series

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Enter the children’s section in any bookstore or library and you are bound to see a display of titles from the Little People, BIG DREAMS picture book series. Written for very young readers, they include titles on a range of activists, religious leaders, artists, […]

Martin Luther King Jr.: Little People, Big Dreams Series

Reviewed by Paige Pagan Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author:  Enter the children’s section in any bookstore or library and you are bound to see a display of titles from the Little People, BIG DREAMS picture book series. Written for very young readers, they include titles on a range of activists, religious leaders, artists, […]

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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 Newbery Medal-winning book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. You can listen to her review of the book here. Here is a short description […]

Risking Everything: A Freedom Summer Reader

Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Zinn Education Project Book Author: This year marks the 50th anniversary of a milestone event in U.S. history, Freedom Summer. The largest collection of primary documents from Freedom Summer is now housed (much available online) at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Continue reading.

We Still Here: Pandemic, Policing, Protest, and Possibility

Review Source: Rethinking Schools Book Author: Marc Lamont Hill’s newest book is small and urgent. Focused on the racist roots of the 2020 pandemic and uprising, it is a book about right now, written right now. Hill writes, “It’s not enough just to recount the things that have happened in this crazy year of 2020. […]