In doing research for my post on the We Need Diverse Books website (Imagine a World in which all children can see themselves in the pages of a book) with which I was familiar, I was led to Teaching for Change
(Building Social Justice Starting in the Classroom.)
(Building Social Justice Starting in the Classroom.)
To quote their website, "Teaching for Change developed SocialJusticeBooks.org in 2017 to identify and promote the best multicultural and social justice children’s books, as well as articles and books for educators. It builds on the tradition of the Council on Interracial Books for Children which provided a social justice lens to reviews of children’s literature."
These organizations offer resources such as recommended book lists, book reviews and guidance for parents and teachers on evaluating social justice books for children and teens.
There's nothing I enjoy more than discovering books and authors I want to read. Down the rabbit hole I went!
I couldn't resist ordering two novels from award-winning and bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes that I can't wait to read when they arrive tomorrow.
Black Brother, Black Brother is "a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition."
Ghost Boys "Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat...Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father's actions..."
Next I found Angie Thomas's bestselling debut YA novel, The Hate You Give. "Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas' searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty..."
My fellow Genre-ista, Barbara (B,A.) Binns, has written a series of YA novels about students at Farrington High School on Chicago's south side. Pull, Being God and Minority of One are "stories of real boys growing into real men...and the people who love them."
Barbara's latest book is a Middle Grade story, Courage, about a group of kids living on Chicago’s south side who have to face real lives with real courage.
I hope at least one of these books grabbed you the way they did me. Don't forget to check out the websites I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Walking in another's shoes through stories can change your perspective, change your life, and maybe even change the world...for the better.
Happy reading! ~Sarah
5 comments:
Excellent post Sarah, especially for these troubled times. And making sure all children see themselves in the pages of books is important to eradicate injustice.
Well needed at this time in society. Maybe they should be required reading for all races. Great post!
Thanks, Sarah. I've read THUG, and the others look great, too. Plus, I am glad for any opportunity to give a shoutout to our own B. A. Binns. I've read a few of her books, and she is amazing!
This is a great list of books. I'm glad that we are finally seeing many more books that represent the diversity of our country.
Thanks for looking them up and sharing them with us.
Judith, Diana, Lynn and Maggie, thank you all for your positive comments. Promoting books by authors of color is one way white authors can can take action for social justice. Your support can make all the difference.
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