Social Justice Books

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

Johnny’s Pheasant

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Author: Johnny’s Pheasant is written by Cheryl Minnema (Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe) and illustrated by Julie Flett (Cree-Métis). New in 2019, it is a picture book I am pleased to recommend. Grandma’s are special, aren’t they? Mine was, and I know my mom is special […]

The Grizzly Mother and The Sockeye Mother

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Teachers! Get The Grizzly Mother for your classroom — and ask your librarian to get in on the library shelves, too! Written by Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) and illustrated by Natasha Donovan, it will be released on September 1, 2019, from […]

I Sang You Down from the Stars

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: As I sit here at my computer on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, and think about the books that I reviewed last week, I notice that women and children, and grandchildren are at the center of each one. That continues with I Sang […]

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 […]

“Seasons of Alaska” board books

Reviewed by: Debbie Reese Review source: American Indians in Children’s Literature   Let’s Play Out! by Yaari Toolie-Walker Button Up! by Angela Y. Gonzales Mittens and Mukluks! by Joni Spiess Bye-Bye Ice! by Carla Snow With delight, I’m here today to tell you about four board books that came out in 2020 from Best Beginnings Alaska. The four books […]

The Range Eternal

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: When I was a little girl on our reservation (Nambé Owingeh), I sat by my grandmother’s wood stove and watched her cook and tend the fire in her stove. In The Range Eternal, we see a mother and daughter standing at their stove, making soup. Here’s […]