Children's books about social justice

June 29, 2019 9:06 AM

I have been asked to find and read a book for story-time at church about "anyone you want to lift up in the social justice realm. Someone who spoke up and helped others." Elementary-school-aged kids, mostly. My preference would be a focus on a character/historical figure, and author, from a marginalized group, and my super-preference would be a focus on how a community of people can come together and make a difference rather than on how one exceptional person can do so. Recommendations?
posted by lazuli to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Harlem’s Little Blackbird by Renee Watson?

You might want to look through the book lists (by age) at Colours of Us.
posted by MonkeyToes at 9:38 AM on June 29, 2019

On a whim I picked up 'The Last Safe House' which tells the story of the Underground Railroad from different perspectives.

It features profiles of real individuals: Harriet Tubman, Levi Coffin (a Quaker abolitionist), Alexander Ross, and Frederick Douglass. It tells the story from the fictional point-of-view of a 12-year-old girl (white Canadian), an 11-year-old girl and her older brother (both escaped slaves that have reached Canada, but not necessarily safety, and not freedom from prejudice). It emphasizes the diverse communities coming together (and sometimes not) to work for change on a large scale and to protect individuals.

The book features crafts and a cookie recipe and would be very suitable for kids 4 and up (recommended age range, though, is 8 to 12). The main story can be read in sections, serialized over several Sundays with the activities.
posted by Sauter Vaguely at 9:45 AM on June 29, 2019

A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham. One day a broken down school bus appears....and a community comes together despite obstacles. Shows kids and grown ups working together.
posted by SyraCarol at 10:41 AM on June 29, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909
by Michelle Markel, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
"Fed up with the mistreatment of her fellow laborers, Clara led the largest walkout of women workers the country had seen."
This gets a bit intense, but my friend's 5-year-old could handle the story. I think elementary school kids who are a bit older would be fine, and it really hits on the collective social activism piece, but through the perspective of a single girl.
posted by spamandkimchi at 11:10 AM on June 29, 2019 [1 favorite]

It feels good to be yourself
By Teresa Thorn of the one bad mother podcast
posted by bilabial at 1:05 PM on June 29, 2019 [1 favorite]

Sit In is excellent but if you're anything like me, you're gonna be choking back tears in the middle. Every time.
posted by equipoise at 1:51 PM on June 29, 2019

Response by poster: Thank you everyone! I'm going to to try to track all these down at the local library! (And the service isn't until mid-July, so additional suggestions welcome in the meantime!)
posted by lazuli at 5:48 PM on June 29, 2019

Rejected Princesses has plenty of examples of women who fought for social justice, and more who just fought for the right to live and be recognized for their accomplishments. The books are neatly labeled with content warning labels, so you don't wind up sharing the horrific torture stories with kids who aren't ready for that kind of detail.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 9:14 AM on June 30, 2019

Some ideas:
Nonfiction
As Good As Anybody : Martin Luther King Jr. And Abraham Josh By Richard Michelson
Crossing Bok Chitto : A Choctaw Tale Of Friendship & Freedom By Tim Tingle
Memphis, Martin, And The Mountaintop : The Sanitation Strike By Alice Faye Duncan
Separate Is Never Equal : Sylvia Mendez And Her Family's Fight By Duncan Tonatiuh,
28 Days : Moments In Black History That Changed The World By Charles R. Smith, Jr
All Different Now : Juneteenth, The First Day Of Freedom By Angela Johnson
First Step : How One Girl Put Segregation On Trial By Susan E. Goodman
Undefeated By Kwame Alexander
Seeds Of Freedom : The Peaceful Integration Of Huntsville, By Hester Bass
Fiction:
Day You Begin By Jacqueline Woodson,
Peaceful Fights For Equal Rights By Rob Sanders
All Are Welcome By Alexandra Penfold
Hey, Wall : A Story Of Art And Community By Susan Verde,
Let The Children March By Monica Clark-Robinson
posted by momochan at 2:40 PM on June 30, 2019 [1 favorite]

The I Am series of books are right up this alley. My kids have really enjoyed the Ghandi, MLK, and Rosa Parks ones. Illustrations are great and the focus of the books is about how single people can overcome obstacles, influence others, and create ongoing good in the world through their actions.
posted by LKWorking at 9:15 AM on July 1, 2019

Response by poster: I looked at a bunch of the suggested books, and ended up going with Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909 because it seemed like it would work best out loud. I edited out the police brutality and a little of the general-strike convention, mainly just for time (we read the book in front of the entire congregation, with the kids up front, as part of the worship service). The kids loved it -- one little girl came up after services and gave me a big hug -- and several adults asked for the title afterward. And the rest of the service ended up more Socialist/workers rights than I had anticipated, so it worked perfectly.

Thank you all!
posted by lazuli at 3:58 PM on July 14, 2019 [1 favorite]