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.

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Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Gathering place for books, ideas, and expertise in the field of children’s literature, including monitoring annual statistics on books published by and about people of color and First/Native Nations.

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Rethinking Schools

A nonprofit publisher and advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism.

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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.

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Learning for Justice

A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, helping teachers educate youth to participate in democracy by teaching identity, diversity, justice, and action.

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Zinn Education Project

A joint project of Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change providing resources for teaching young people a people’s history.

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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.

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Social Justice Books

Part of a project for Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books has more than 100 carefully selected lists of multicultural and social justice books for children and educators.

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The Brown Bookshelf

A group dedicated to promoting African American authors and illustrators and their stories to young readers.

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Hijabi Librarians

A resource aimed at reviewing depictions of Muslim characters and communities in children's and young adult literature.

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Vamos a Leer

A resource for educators that compiles lesson plans, research materials, and more for Latin American-focused children's books.

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Fundación Cuatrogatos

A nonprofit aimed at creating community in Miami through promoting diverse children's literature.

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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.

Book Awards Relating to Social Justice Themes

The books underneath each seal have received both the award listed and are a Jane Addams Children’s Book Award winner, honoree, or finalist.

American Indian Youth Literature Award

Awarded biennially, the AIYLA identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America.

Américas 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.

Tomás 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.

Stonewall Book Award

Awarded for exceptional content relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.