SOCIAL JUSTICE LITERATURE AWARD ☮️

AUTHOR -EZRA JACK KEATS

GRADES - PRE - K

CALDECOTT MEDAL - WINNER - BEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK

SCHOLASTIC PARENT AND CHILD MAGAZINE - #4 ALL TIME GREATEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS

A classic in children’s literature, The Snowy Day was one of the first books to portray a black child as he enjoys the wonders of snow. It was banned in many schools and libraries.

1. At the end of the story, what do you think Peter and his friend are going

    to do in the snow? 

2. What is your favorite snow activity or if you could play 
in the snow, what would 

    you like to do?


3. Would you like to live in a place where there was snow
 everyday? Explain.


4. If you could choose another color for snow, what would 
it be? Why?

AUTHOR - JON AGEE

GRADES - K-3

BOSTON GLOBE - BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSN. - NOTABLE BOOK

NEW YORK TIMES - BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE

CHICAGO TRIBUNE - BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF 2018

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - BEST BOOKS OF 2018

PEOPLE MAGAZINE - BEST GIFT BOOKS FOR KIDS

ENDORSED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 👍🏿 

KIRKUS REVIEW - STARRED

A young knight is glad that there is a wall in the middle of the book because it protects him from the ogre who lives on the other side. He soon learns a valuable life lesson about judging others. 

1. What lesson do you think the boy learned from this story? 

2. What would have happened to the boy if the ogre didn’t lift him over the wall? 

3. What happened to his friend, the duck?  

AUTHOR - MICHELLE DUSTER

GRADES - MATURE 3 - 6

JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD - HONOR👍🏿

The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people.

NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY👍🏿

This is an annual list of 25 books created by the International Literacy Association which enhance student understanding of people and cultures.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN’S

       LITERATURE AWARD👍🏿

Although this biography is a picture book, the vocabulary and the concepts are best suited for upper graders. Readers will learn that Ida B. Wells was born into slavery during the Civil War. She became a teacher and realized that separate but equal was not really equal. When her African American friends were lynched because they operated a successful business, Ida became a civil rights activist. She later became one of the founders of the NAACP. The book’s format is perfect for those children who have reading issues. It was written by Well’s great granddaughter.

1. The author said that Ida refused to make herself small. What
 did she mean?

2. What word would best describe Ida? Explain.

AUTHOR - TRICIA ELAM WALKER

GRADES - K-3

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

KIRKUS REVIEWS -STARRED REVIEW

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

SHELF AWARENESS - STARRED REVIEW

EZRA JACK KEATS NEW WRITER AWARD - WINNER

It will soon be Grandparents Day at Zuma’s school. She is worried that if she brings her grandma, the other children will laugh at her or will be afraid of her. Nana Akua has tribal markings on her face which are permanent. Nana resolves this dilemma by bringing a quilt and some paint to class. She tells the class the meanings of the markings on the quilt. The students then selected a mark that best suited them and Nana painted their faces. At the end, everyone had marks on their faces and were proud of them.

1. Design a mark that best describes you. 

2. If Nana could take off the marks, would she do it?     

    No. She said she was proud of them. 

3. What do you admire most about your grandmother or 
grandfather?

AUTHOR -DEBBIE LEVY

GRADES - 3-5

JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN'S PEACE AWARD - HONOR👍🏿

The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people. 

NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY AWARD👍🏿

This is an annual list of 25 books created by the International Literacy Association which enhance student understanding of people and cultures.


THE SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD

presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. 

ORBIS PICTUS AWARD - HONOR - OUTSTANDING NONFICTION FOR

       CHILDREN - (awarded by the National Council for Teachers of English)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY - BEST BOOKS FOR KIDS - 2016

HUFFINGTON POST - BEST PICTURE BOOKS - 2016

This biography focuses on Ginsburg’s unyielding fight against discrimination. In her personal life, she was not accepted because she was Jewish and a woman. These experiences inspired her to become one of the best in her field.

1. How did being a woman help her to become a Supreme Court judge? 
   

    She had to work twice as hard as a man to succeed.


2. What do you admire most about Ruth Bader Ginsberg?


3. Ruth took a stand against things that she felt were 
unfair. What do you think 

    needs to be changed?


4. How do you go about changing things to make them 
better?                                                   

AUTHOR - DUNCAN TONATIUH

GRADES - 1-3

😪WARNING! THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED!😪

JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN’S PEACE AWARD - WINNER👍🏿

The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people.

TOMAS RIVERA BOOK AWARD - WINNER

honoring literature that authentically depicts the Mexican American experience

NOTABLE BOOKS FOR A GLOBAL SOCIETY👍🏿

This is an annual list of 25 books created by the International Literacy Association which enhance student understanding of people and cultures.

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN’S LITERATURE BEST BOOKS SELECTION👍🏿

Honors the best multicultural books for children

ROBERT F. SIBERT INFORMATIONAL BOOK MEDAL - HONOR

This award is presented annually to the writer and illustrator of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year.

CARTER WOODSON BOOK AWARD - WINNER

AMERICAS AWARD - WINNER

ORBIS PICTUS AWARD - HONOR

NOTABLE SOCIAL STUDIES TRADE BOOK FOR YOUNG
 PEOPLE

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARDS - WINNER

During the 1940’s the Mendez family tried to enroll their children in a California public school only to be turned away because they were Mexican. They were told that they had to go to the Mexican school, which was a run-down old building. Mr. Mendez  decided to fight this injustice. He learned of a lawyer who was willing to take his case to court where the judge ruled that separate was not equal. This 1947 ruling helped pave the way for the 1954 Supreme Court decision for school integration throughout the country.

1. What would your mom do if you used her plants and curtains 
to make a 

    costume?        

AUTHOR -KADIR NELSON

GRADES - PRE-1

😊SALE PRICE INCLUDES POSTAGE😊

ASSOCIATION FOR LIBRARY SERVICES TO CHILDREN - COMMENDED

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - STARRED REVIEW

Kadir Nelson, with his beautiful illustrations, tells a simple story of  kindness. A rabbit and a mouse plant vegetable seeds. When the veggies appear, some birds show up. Rabbit and mouse do not want to share, thus planting “a seed of selfishness” which leads to a lot of squawking and unhappiness. Mouse saves the day by offering the birds a tomato, thus planting a “seed of kindness.” The birds, in turn, spread seeds as they fly. At the end of the book, all the animals are happy as they eat the fruits of kindness. You always know what you get from a Nelson book, as he is the best artist on the scene today.

1. How do you think birds spread seeds?

2. If you are playing a game with a friend and a new person comes along, what 

    should you do?        

AUTHOR - ANDREA DAVIS PINKNEY, HEATHER TEKAVEC

GRADES - 3-5

JANE ADDAMS PEACE AWARD - WINNER -  👍🏿

The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people. 

FLORA G. STIEGLITZ STRAUSS AWARD FOR NON-FICTION 👍🏿

Flora Straus stood for the values of courage, hard work, truth, and  beauty while adapting to a changing world. She believed that books about  varying cultures enrich and help all children in their growth.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - STARRED REVIEW

BOOKLIST - STARRED REVIEW

PARENTING PUBLICATION - GOLD MEDAL WINNER

CARTER G. WOODSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL WORKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

ANNE IZARD - STORYTELLER'S AWARD

Based on the historic sit-ins at Woolworth’s, the author dramatizes these events illustrating the difficulties four black students faced as they tried to order coffee and donuts in this segregated store. These peaceful protests led to the 1966 Supreme Court decision against racial discrimination.This story offers a good introduction to the Civil Rights Movement by depicting nonviolence as the method of defeating hate.

1.The students ordered doughnuts and coffee, with cream on the side. This 
 is a 

    metaphor. What do you think it means?
    

    Coffee is dark and cream is white. The students wanted whites and 

    
blacks to sit at the counter together.


2. The author says, “If black people and white people could break bread 
 

     together, everyone would pass the test.” What do you think that means?

3. What do you think was the hardest thing the four students at the counter had to

     do?

     They had to remain calm and not get angry when the white people 

 
    poured food on them.

AUTHOR - STACEY RODERICK 

GRADES - 2-4

FIRST AND BEST LIST - TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY - WINNER

What a great way to introduce bugs to children. Each bug is featured on four beautifully illustrated pages. On the first two pages there is a question about the bug and a close-up drawing. Readers/listeners are asked to name the bug. After turning the page, they see the entire bug in its surroundings. The accompanying text offers interesting information that is most appropriate to this age group. This book begs to be read aloud.

How about making their own book based on this one? Each child can find a bug on the internet and follow the same format as the book.   

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