Social Justice Books

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

Ballad of an American: A Graphic Biography of Paul Robeson

Review Source: Rethinking Schools Book Author: Paul Robeson was a towering figure in the 20th century. A brilliant scholar, athlete, singer, stage and film actor, activist, and revolutionary — and almost entirely erased from the curriculum, with a perfunctory sentence or two in U.S. history textbooks. This new graphic novel about Robeson’s life should be […]

Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker

Reviewed by Judy Richardson Review Source: Independent Book Author: Children’s Book on Ella Baker: A Critical Review by a SNCC Veteran As a former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) staff worker who knew Ms. Baker, I looked forward to reading the 2020 picture book, Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Bake by Patricia Hruby […]

Unpresidented: A Biography of Donald Trump

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indian’s in Children’s Literature Book Author: I haven’t done a rigorous study of biographies of US presidents. The ones I have looked at over the years are lacking in one way or another. Most leave out Native peoples and nations that presidents interacted with–or the information that is included, […]

This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality

Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Did you know that one year before the Little Rock Nine, in Clinton, Tennessee, 12 Black students desegregated their high school? Their dramatic story is told by one of the 12 students — Jo Ann Allen Boyce — in collaboration with children’s book author […]

Dreamers

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: The first library I knew as a child was a cardboard box full of books. You see, I went to a government day school on my reservation. We didn’t have a library. What we had was a librarian from the nearby public […]

Teddy Roosevelt: The People’s President

Reviewed by: Kathleen Nganga Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Like many children’s biographies, Teddy Roosevelt: The People’s President by Sharon Gayle celebrates Roosevelt’s perseverance and rise to power, but misses his failings, shortcomings, and the nuances of his life. Thus, while imparting valuable lessons about determination, the book glorifies militarism and erases people […]