Social Justice Books

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

The Peace Tree from Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai with a Big Story

Reviewed by Maria Brescia-Weiler Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: The Peace Tree from Hiroshima is narrated by the titular tree, a nearly four hundred year old bonsai that now resides in the National Arboretum. Throughout its long lifetime, the tree is passed down from generation to generation, and it witnesses many important events […]

Sparkle Boy

Reviewed by Maria Brescia-Weiler Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Sparkle Boy by Leslie Newman starts with a common sibling interaction: Casey wants something his older sister has. In this case, it is a sparkly skirt. It becomes a pattern, with Casey drawing inspiration from his sister Jessie’s skirts, nail polish, and jewelry. Each […]

Luis Paints the World

Reviewed by Beverly Slapin Review Source: De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children Book Author: In the 1960s, Chicanos comprised only about 5% of the US population, yet made up about 22% of the US casualties in Vietnam. So towards the end of the decade, the Chicano community in California began organizing against their […]

The Princess of Fort Hill Shelter

Reviewed by Deborah Thomas Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: Written by D.C. high school students, Karta Morris, Darne’sah Walker and Zorita Walker, The Princess of Fort Hill Shelter tells a beautiful story of a young girl navigating difficult changes in her family. The book opens with Princess McKenzie welcoming the reader into her […]

Thunder Boy Jr.

Reviewed by Debbie Reese Review Source: American Indians in Children’s Literature Book Author: Back in February, I pre-ordered a copy of Sherman Alexie’s picture book, Thunder Boy Jr. It arrived on Tuesday (May 10, 2016). The illustrations are by Yuyi Morales. Alexie is doing a significant promotional campaign for the book. He was on The […]

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey

Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: This bilingual children’s picture book (English and Arabic) is worth reading for the illustrations alone. The three dimensional characters, made from beach stone by Syrian artist Nizar Ali Badr, are so expressive and exquisite that they tell a story of their own. Badr conveys the […]