Social Justice Books

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

Darius the Great Is Not Okay

Reviewed by Edi Campbell Review Source: Cotton Quilts Book Author: Darius Kellner is a high school sophomore in Portland. He comes from a tight-knit family, but doesn’t have a particularly close relationship with his father. Darius’ hobbies include brewing tea and all things Star Trek. And, he has depression. When his family receives news that […]

Amal Unbound

Reviewed by Edi Campbell Review Source: Cotton Quilts Book Author: Among the 14 facts about Aisha Saeed on her website are the facts that she’s worked as a lawyer and an elementary teacher, she speaks three languages and she’s a fantastic air hockey player. And, she loves to write. When interviewed by Publishers Weekly about what inspired her to […]

Islandborn / Lola

Reviewed by Teaching for Change Review Source: Teaching for Change Book Author: The new children’s book Islandborn by Junot Díaz tells the story of a young girl, Lola, who learns from family and friends about the island where she was born. The island is not named in the book, but readers can deduce that the story is based […]

Love

Review Source: Latinx in Kid Lit Book Author: In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical […]

Uninterrupted View of the Sky

Reviewed by Lyn Miller-Lachmann Review Source: De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children Book Author: Because Francisco’s father is Indigenous, the police consider him guilty of Bolivia’s infamous Ley 1008, with no way of proving himself innocent. Unable to cope as a single mother with the stigma of a husband in prison, Francisco’s Mestiza […]