Social Justice Books

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

Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness Into Light

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Before you read Tim Tingle’s Saltypie to your child or students in your classroom or library, spend some time studying what Tingle says at the end of the book, on the pages titled “How Much Can We Tell Them?” There, you’ll learn a little […]

Thanku: Poems of Gratitude

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: I haven’t studied book covers for edited books of poems before. This observation, therefore, might not hold water. Here’s the cover for Thanku: Poems of Gratitude. As you see, Thanku: Poems of Gratitude is illustrated by Marlena Myles (Myles is Spirit Lake Dakota/Mohegan/Muscokee Creek) and […]

Rock Your Mocs

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Several years ago on Native social media, I saw people talking about plans to wear their moccasins for “Rock Your Mocs” day. On that day, we took photos of our mocs and shared them joyously in a way that radiated an Indigenous […]

Rez Ball

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Earlier this month, I was in San Diego at the California Indian Ed for All 2023 Summit. I was invited to give a presentation about children’s books. During that trip I was reading an advance copy of Rez Ball by Byron Graves. At […]

Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-To-Be Best Friend

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Author: Today’s Short and Sweet Rec is for Dawn Quigley’s Jo Jo Makoons, The Used-to-Be Best Friend. For starters, here’s the description of the book (from the publisher): Hello/Boozhoo — meet Jo Jo Makoons! Full of pride, joy, and plenty of humor, this first book in […]

We Still Belong

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Author: What I particularly like about Christine Day’s books is that she includes things that I know kids know about. For example, young people are way into video games and gamer culture. More about that later. Early on in her book, we learn that Wesley […]