Social Justice Learning Resources
American Indians In Children’s Literature
Critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children’s and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society.
Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Gathering place for books, ideas, and expertise in the field of children’s and young adult literature, including monitoring annual statistics on books published by and about people of color and First/Native Nations. Annually publishes a list of CCBC Choice Books.
Latinx in Kids Lit
Exploring the world of Latinx young adult, middle grade, and children’s literature via book posts, reviews, author interviews, and teaching ideas.
Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop uses “Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors” as an analogy to discuss the importance of diversity in books and the authors who write them. Youtube interview above. Click here for Reading is Fundamental Essay.
Rethinking Schools
A nonprofit publisher and advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism. Their magazine, books, resources, and projects promote equity and racial justice in the classroom.
Teaching for Change
Providing teachers and parents with the tools to create schools where students learn to read, write, and change the world by drawing direct connections to real-world issues. Encouraging teachers and students to question and re-think the world inside and outside their classrooms, build a more equitable, multicultural society, and become active global citizens.
Learning for Justice
A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, helping teachers and schools educate children and youth to be active participants in democracy. Their anti-bias approach encourages children and young people to challenge prejudice and learn how to be agents of change in their own lives. Their Social Justice Standards show how anti-bias education works through the four domains of identity, diversity, justice, and action.
We Are Kidlit Collective
Annual summer reading lists premised on the principles of social justice, equity, and inclusion and centering IPOC voices in children’s literature in order to identify, challenge, and dismantle white supremacy and both internalized and systematic racism.
We Need Diverse Books
A grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry helping to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.
Zinn Education Project
A joint project of Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change providing resources for teaching young people a people’s history.
Book Awards and Book Lists Relating to Social Justice Themes
American Indian Youth Literature
Awarded biennially, the AIYLA identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America.
Americas Award
Founded to encourage and commend authors, illustrators, and publishers who produce quality children’s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States, and to provide teachers with recommendations for classroom use.
Arab American Book Awards
Honoring original well-written books by or about Arab Americans experience including children and young adult titles.
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Award for Literature
This award honors and recognizes individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit.
Carter G. Woodson Award
National Council for Social Studies honors the most distinguished social science books for young readers that depict ethnicity with sensitivity and accuracy.
Children’s Africana Book Awards
Africa Access and the Outreach Council of the African Studies Association give annual awards to children’s and young adult books that give an accurate and balanced understanding of African societies and issues.
Coretta Scott King Award
Sponsored by the American Library Association, honoring African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.
Pura Belpre Award
Sponsored by the American Library Association, honoring Latino/Latina writers and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.
Social Justice Books
A project of Teaching for Change, bringing together the best multicultural and social justice titles for children, young adults, and educators with extensive book lists categorized by topic and age, as well as critical reviews of children’s literature from the See What We See Coalition.
Tomas Rivera Book Award
Honoring authors and illustrators who create children’s literature depicting the Mexican American experience that is accurate and engaging, avoid stereotypes, and reflects rich characterization.