A list of books that you can read with your children and discuss current events surrounding social justice.
by Karen Katz
Seven-year-old Lena is going to paint a picture of herself. She wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades.
Available as a physical book. Check availability in our online catalog!
by Pat Thomas
Racial discrimination is cruel-and especially so to younger children. This title encourages kids to accept and be comfortable with differences of skin color and other racial characteristics among their friends and in themselves. A First Look At... is an easy-to-understand series of books for younger children.
Available as an eBook on hoopla.
by Kwame Alexander
Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes.
Available as a physical book. Check availability in our online catalog!
Available as an eBook, check OverDrive for availability!
Something Happened in Our Town: a child's story about racial injustice
by Marianne Celano
Something Happened in Our Town follows two families -- one White, one Black -- as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man in their community. The story aims to answer children's questions about such traumatic events, and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in their own lives.
Available in digital and physical formats. Check availability in our online catalog!
by Amy B. Rogers
Racism is a difficult issue to face, but people must confront it if they hope to move beyond it. Confronting challenging social issues such as racism often begins with education. As readers discover the roots of racism in America and how it still isolates people from one another, they learn what their generation can do to combat racism create a more inclusive society.
Available as an eBook on hoopla.
by Lisa Moore Ramee
After attending a powerful protest, Shayla starts wearing an armband to school to support the Black Lives Matter movement, but when the school gives her an ultimatum, she is forced to choose between her education and her identity.
Available in digital and physical formats. Check availability in our online catalog!
by Kristin Levine
In 1958 Little Rock, Arkansas, painfully shy twelve-year-old Marlee sees her city and family divided over school integration, but her friendship with Liz, a new student, helps her find her voice and fight against racism.
Available in both digital and physical book formats. Check availability in our online catalog!
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a white police officer, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Till.
Available in both digital and physical book formats. Check availability in our online catalog!
Available as an eAudiobook, check OverDrive for availability!
by Nic Stone
How to go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma: Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED. Fasten Your Seatbelt: G'ma's never conventional, so this trip won't be either. Use the Green Book: G'ma's most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home. What Not to Bring: A Cell Phone: Avoid contact with Dad at all costs. Even when G'ma starts acting stranger than usual.
Available as a physical book. Check availability in our online catalog!
Available as an eBook. Check for availability at both Axis360 and OverDrive!
by Tiffany Jewell
This book is written so young people will feel empowered to stand up to the adults in their lives. This book will give them the language and ability to understand racism and a drive to undo it.
Available in digital and physical formats. Check availability in our online catalog!
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