Children's and Adolescent Literature Focused on Issues of Social Justice
An Annotated Bibliography Prepared by Dr. Gwen Athene Tarbox
Bat-Ami, Miriam. Two Suns
in the Sky. Front Street,
1999.
This historical novel, set during World War II in Oswego, New York, focuses
on the relationship between Catholic school girl Christine Cook and Jewish
refugee Adam Bornstein. In addition
to recreating a genuine feel for the era, Bat-Ami allows readers to see the
story from the viewpoint of both main characters, and her attention to descriptive
detail is superb. YA
Belton, Sandra. From Miss
Ida’s Porch. Aladdin, 1998.
On summer evenings, the narrator and her friends gather on Miss Ida's porch
to listen to the grown-ups tell stories in rich, colloquial language about
their childhoods and the times they saw Duke Ellington and Marian Anderson.
Belton successfully blends together fact and fiction and creates a distinctive
mood and memorable characters. Realistic paintings capture the spirit of
the people and the neighborhood.
Early Reader
Block, Francesca Lia. Weetzie Bat.
HarperCollins, 1989.
Block is the preeminent chronicler of the adolescent scene in Los Angeles.
Her blend of magical realism and pop culture sensibility has
captivated young readers for the last decade.
In this, her first novel, she chronicles two young LA teens’
search for belonging and vocation.
Intermediate
Bridges, Ruby.
Through My Eyes.
Scholastic Press, 1999.
Destined to be a
classic in juvenile non-fiction, this autobiographical account of Ruby Bridges’
experience as the first black child to attend the William Frantz Public School
in New Orleans is compelling and well structured.
In addition to chronicling the tensions that erupted during
her first grade year, Bridges provides a detailed history of the Civil Rights
Movement and explains her reasons for becoming an advocate for social justice.
The vintage photographs and the introduction by Henry Belafonte
are added attractions to this superb account.
Early Reader
Cofer, Judith
Ortiz. An Island Like You:
Stories of the Barrio.
Puffin, 1995.
This collection of
twelve short stories chronicles the experiences of a group of teenagers growing
up in El Building in Patterson, New Jersey’s Puerto Rican neighborhood.
Cofer raises issues of peer pressure, intergenerational conflict,
and identity construction.
YA
Coleman, Evelyn.
White Socks Only.
Whitman & Co., 1996.
The story of a young
girl’s first confrontation with Jim Crow Laws and the inventive way in which
she and her neighbors manage
to circumvent the “law.”
Early Reader
Curtis, Christopher Paul.
Bud, Not Buddy. HarperTrophy,
1999.
This Newbery winning novel is set first in Flint, Michigan, and later in
Grand Rapids – but it is the Michigan of the Depression era.
Upon the death of his mother, young Bud Caldwell escapes from
an abusive foster home and sets out in search of his father, a man he has
never met. Armed with one clue
– the fact that his father might have been a jazz musician named Herman E.
Calloway -- Bud encounters a number of friends as he heads to Grand Rapids
to track down the Dusky Devastators of the Depression, Herman E. Calloway’s
band. Intermediate
---.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963.
Delacorte, 1995.
Two young Flint,
Michigan schoolboys travel to Birmingham, Alabama to visit their grandmother.
After
witnessing the 1963
school bombing that took the lives of four young girls, the boys recognize
the importance of the Civil Rights Movement.
Intermediate
Davis, Ossie.
Just Like Martin.
Silver Burdett & Ginn, 1992.
Fourteen-year-old
Isaac Stone greatly admires Martin Luther King, Jr., and is anxious to participate
in the 1963 march on Washington with a group from his church, but his father
feels differently and will not permit the boy to go. The novel, which delineates
the difficulty of maintaining a nonviolent stance in the midst of violence,
is an authentic voice of a troubled time in the history of America.
Intermediate
Douglass, Frederick.
My Bondage and My Freedom. (1855; reprint, 1987) University
of
Illinois Press.
When William Lloyd Garrison commissioned Douglass to write The Narrative
of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845), he asked Douglass to limit
his autobiography to those events which best fit the pre-established pattern
of the slave narrative. Douglass’
second autobiographical effort is rich with detail and contains a step-by-step
description of his evolution from slave to civil rights advocate. Adult
DuBois, W.E.B.
The Souls of Black Folk. (1903; reprint, 1995) Signet.
DuBois sets out his
opposition to the accomodationist practices of Booker T. Washington and bases
his rationale for agitation upon the need for his generation to pave the
wayfor their children. Adult
Ellison Ralph.
Invisible Man. (1952; reprint 1995) Vintage.
One of the finest
examples of an American bildungsroman – the narrator moves from naïve
acceptance of
subordination to activist resistance.
Adult
English, Karen. Francie
. Farrar Straus and Giroux,
1999.
As a teenage girl growing up in the 1930s in Noble, Alabama, Francie holds
on the promise that her father has made that he will send for her and her
mother and brother, once he establishes himself in Chicago.
However, as it becomes apparent that her father is not going
to keep his word, Francie sets her sights on gaining an education so that
she can help herself and her family.
English creates a lively, thoughtful protagonist who faces life’s
challenges with courage.
Intermediate
Ewing, Lynne.
Party Girl.
Knopf, 1998.
During the 1980s
and 1990s, Lynne Ewing, a native of Peru, worked for the Los Angeles County
Department of Public Social Services.
Her experience with young gang girls is the basis for this compelling
novel in which Kata tries to face out of a gang and get over the death of
her best friend. Intermediate
Flake, Sharon G. The Skin
I’m In. Hyperion, 1998.
This moving story won the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for new authors.
Flake shows the way a young girl deals with skin color prejudice
and develops a mentoring relationship with a dynamic teacher.
Intermediate
Gaines, Ernest.
“The Sky is Gray.” in Bloodline (1967; reprint 1997)
Vintage.
Gaines pairs a traditional
Southern preacher against a college student in a contest of wills.
The
young college student
embraces activism, and in so doing, influences the destiny of the narrator
of the story – an eight year old boy who is gripped with the desire to go
to college and to use his education as a way out of poverty.
YA
Grove, Vicki. The Starplace
. Putnam, 1999.
Celeste is the first black student to attend the white junior high school
in Quiver, Oklahoma, in 1961, and she is treated with contempt by her fellow
students. However, Frannie,
a self-conscious 8th grader becomes her friend, and the two girls
test the limits of that friendship while learning important lessons about
Quiver’s past. Intermediate
Hamilton, Virginia.
Zeely.
Simon & Schuster, 1968.
Geeder's summer at
her uncle's farm is made special because of her friendship with a very tall,
composed woman who raises hogs and who closely resembles the magazine photograph
of a Watutsi queen. The text
includes a fine discussion of African-American women’s history.
Intermediate
Hurston, Zora
Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching
God. (1937; reprint 1992)
Vintage.
After Janie’s grandmother
explains in careful detail the subjugation of African-American women both
during and after the Reconstruction period, Janie goes out into the world
to find her place. Adult
Jennings, Patrick. Faith
and the Electric Dogs. Scholastic,
1996.
In Mexico, a stray dog is called “un perro corriente” – a common or no good
dog – and since the word “corriente”
or “current” is like the word “electric,” the term “un perro electrico” has
evolved and become part of the language.
This fascinating novel, narrated by un perro electrico named Edison,
describes the journey that he and his unhappy owner take in a rocket ship
that she builds herself. You
have to suspend disbelief a great deal, but this narrative is rich in language
and style. A great, inventive
story that should appeal to those of you who are tired of jaded, cynical
protagonists. Intermediate
Johnson, James Weldon. Autobiography
of an Ex-Coloured Man. (1912; reprint 1989) Vintage.
The narrator’s early school experiences with discrimination mark him for
life – a fascinating look at racial politics from the author of “Lift Every
Voice and Sing.” Adult
Kerr, M. E. Deliver
Us From Evie. HarperTrophy,
1995.
Fifteen year old Parr Burrman and his older sister Evie have spent their
lives growing up on a farm in conservative rural Missouri.
When Evie falls in love with a local banker’s daughter, the
two girls incite the anger of their parents and of the town.
This novel, told from Parr’s perspective, chronicles the way
the issues of class and sexual identity influence his relationship with his
sister and with his friends.
YA
Lorbiecki, Marybeth. Sister
Anne’s Hands. Dial, 1998.
In this story set in the 1960s, Anna learns that her new second grade teacher
is Sister Anne, an African American. A hurtful note about the color of Sister
Anne's skin causes tension, but the teacher proves as resilient as her class.
With humor and understanding, Lorbiecki writes about a young girl's coming
to terms with racial differences and about the pain that ignorance can cause.
Early Reader
Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars
. Laurel Leaf, 1994.
Set during WWII, this is the story of a young girl living in Denmark who
joins her family in ferrying to safety a Jewish family.
Intermediate
Martinez, Victor. Parrot
in the Oven, mi vida. HarperCollins,
1996.
This first novel by poet Victor Martinez won the National Book Award, and
deservedly so. In addition to
charting the fourteenth year of Manny Hernandez, a bright high school student
who strives to become a “vato firme” (a respected guy), the novel also contains
a poignant portrait of the Hernandez’s family’s attempt to survive the economic
roller coaster of 1970s Fresno, California.
Intermediate
Mazer, Norma Fox. Good Night,
Maman. Harcourt Brace, 1999.
For those of you who have read WMU Professor Miriam Bat-Ami’s Two Suns
in the Sky, the story of a Jewish refugee boy who is sent to an Emergency
Refugee camp in Otswego, NY, or, if you enjoyed The Diary of Anne Frank
, then this novel is a must-read.
Karin and her younger brother Marc are also sent to the same camp in Otswego,
and there Karin learns English, makes friends, and tries to cope with the
fact that she and her brother had to leave their beloved mother behind in
France. Intermediate
Meyer, Carolyn. White Lilacs
. Gulliver, 1993.
Based on a true story set in 1921, this thought-provoking novel chronicles
the response of a Texas town's black community when they learn that local
whites plan to raze their section of town in order to build a park.
Meyer creates a fine portrait of intergenerational storytelling.
Intermediate
Miller, William. Richard
Wright and the Library Card.
Lee & Low, 1997.
A good companion to Wright’s novels, this fictionalized narrative describes
the manner in which Wright circumvented segregationalist practices in order
to check out books from a Memphis library.
Early Reader
Moore, Yvette.
Freedom Songs.
Puffin, 1992.
Families that live
in the North often go own home to visit their Southern roots. In this first-person
narrative set in the 1960s, Sheryl and her family leave their comfortable
Brooklyn home for an Easter visit with Sheryl's grandmother in North Carolina.
Sheryl enjoys the warm, loving, extended family but also experiences the blatant
realities of Jim Crowism. YA
Mowry, Jess. Babylon Boyz
. Aladdin, 1997.
A realistic, poignant and stark depiction of a group of “misfit” boys who
are forced to make difficult decisions against the backdrop of Oakland, California’s
gang culture. YA
Myers, Walter Dean. Monster
. Harpercollins, 1999.
The author of dozens of acclaimed young adult novels, Walter Dean Myers turns
his attention in his most recent book to the juvenile “justice” system.
Sixteen year old Steve Harmon is a serious film student at
one of New York City’s finest high schools.
However, in his Harlem neighborhood, he is a “nobody” – a guy
whom the other boys think is a square.
When Steve tries to prove them wrong, he ends up getting into serious
trouble. This is a fascinating
novel, written in screenplay format, that asks the reader to ponder some
serious philosophical questions.
YA
Nye, Naomi Shihab. Habibi
. Aladdin, 1997.
Fifteen year old Liyana Abboud moves to her father’s hometown of Jerusalem,
after spending her childhood in St. Louis, Missouri.
This lyrical tale, told from her perspective, not only deals
with the relationship between Jewish and Arab citizens of the West Bank,
it provides an excellent portrait of what happens when “old” and “new” world
values co-mingle in a young person’s consciousness.
Intermediate
Ringgold, Faith. Aunt Harriet’s
Underground Railroad in the Sky.
Crown Pub., 1995.
Cassie Louise Lightfoot
and her brother BeBe embark on a magic ride through hundred of years of Civil
Rights history, lead by Harriet Tubman.
As usual, Ringgold’s colorful illustrations bring this story to life.
Early Reader
---. If a Bus Could Talk:
The Story of Rosa Parks.
Simon & Schuster, 1999.
With her usual nod
to folkart and magical realism, Ringgold provides a direct, meaningful account
of Rosa Parks’ historic protest.
Although the talking bus may test the patience of older readers, younger readers
should enjoy the storyline.
Early Reader
---. My Dream of Martin Luther
King. Crown, 1995.
Narrated by the author,
this account of Dr. King’s life and legacy provides the perfect introduction
to the Civil Rights Movement for young readers.
Ringgold is especially successful when she portrays young Martin’s
feelings of frustration when he must attend a segregated school or when he
hears white persons call his father “boy.”
Early Reader
---. Tar Beach.
Dragonfly, 1996.
Cassie Lightfoot, a young girl growing up in Brooklyn, understands that her
father has been denied union membership because of his race.
In her imagination, she flies over the city and the bridge
that her father helped to build and claims them for herself and her family.
This inventive and visually stunning picture book has won acclaim
worldwide and, as an added bonus, includes activity pages and a brief history
of unions. Early Reader
Sacher, Louis. Holes.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998.
The winner of the 1999 Newbery Medal, Holes takes place at Camp Green
Lake, a detention center with no lake and no recreation.
Stanley Yelnats, the victim of mistaken identity, is sentenced
to the camp and is forced, along with other inmates, to dig a five foot by
five foot hole every day. Why
are the boys digging the holes?
Is it a pointless exercise, or are there deeper forces at work?
If you liked Catch-22, you will love this novel.
It is surreal and powerful.
Intermediate
Shange, Ntozake. Whitewash
. Walker & Co., 1997.
A girl and her brother are attacked on the way home from school by a gang,
who spray paint her face white and give her brother a black eye. Devastated,
Helene-Angel refuses to leave the apartment. Her grandmother, who witnessed
such treatment in the South, tells her that she must go back into the world.
Early Reader
Sinclair, April.
Coffee Will Make You Black.
Avon, 1994.
Sinclair’s heroine
Jean”Stevie” Stevenson and her friend Roland Anderson come of age in 1960s
Chicago. Though both are “squares”
in grade school, their growing involvement in the Civil Rights Movement encourages
them to explore life beyond textbooks.
The novel contains an excellent description of the riots that occurred
after Dr. King’s assassination.
Adult
Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl
. Knopf, 2000.
Stargirl Carraway, a home schooled iconoclast, enrolls in the eleventh grade
at Mica Area High School and makes an impact on the first day of class.
Dressed in outlandish outfits and eager to perform random acts
of kindness, Stargirl becomes the most popular girl in school…for a while.
Then, in the amazingly fast manner that high school opinion
shifts, she is an outcast. Told
from the viewpoint of Leo Borlock, a fellow classmate who falls in love with
Stargirl, this novel is quirky, yet deep.
Intermediate
Soto, Gary. Buried Onions
. HarperCollins, 1997.
Like many of Soto’s protagonists, Fresno native Eddie just wants to go to
college and make a good living, but the discrimination and poverty that characterize
his city are formidable opponents.
Some critics have pointed out that Soto’s bleak, almost naturalistic
depiction of Fresno lends a helplessness to his characters that is too nilihilistic.
Many of my students, however, would term Soto’s style “gritty
realism.” YA
Tate, Eleanora.
The Secret of Gumbo Grove.
Bantam, 1997.
Raisin Stackhouse
doesn't mind doing odd jobs for old Miss Effie Pfluggins, but when Miss Effie
talks her into cleaning up the old church cemetery, she has no idea what
trouble she might dig up. Mama says Miss Effie talks much too much, but Raisin
loves hearing her remember the old days--especially when one of her stories
puts Raisin smack in the middle of real-life mystery.
Intermediate
---.
Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Yearling, 1992.
The children of Gumbo Grove Elementary School discover the contributions
of many famous Afro-Americans during Black History Month.
Intermediate
Taylor, Mildred.
Song of the Trees.
Dial, 1975. Early Reader
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Dial, 1976.
Intermediate
Let the Circle Be Unbroken.
Dial, 1981.
Intermediate
The Friendship.
Dial, 1987. Early Reader
The Road to Memphis.
Dial, 1990. YA
Mississippi Bridge, Dial, 1992. Early Reader
The Well: David’s
Story. Dial, 1994. Early
Reader
The Land.
Harper Collins,
2001. Intermediate
Taylor describes the early Civil Rights struggles of the Logans, one
of the few
African-American landowning families in their section of Mississippi.
In each of
these texts, the older family members share stories of their struggles during
Reconstruction and the younger family member fight their own battles during
the
1930s and 1940s.
Wilson, August.
The Piano Lesson.
Plume Drama, 1990.
Wilson’s award-winning
play chronicles three generations in the struggle of one African-American
family for dignity and peace. Adult
Wolff, Virginia. Bat 6
. Scholastic, 1998.
Set in post-WWII
Oregon, this fascinating novel is told from the viewpoints of a number of
sixth grade girls who compete in a legendary softball tournament.
The voices ring true to the period, especially as the girls
quite literally fight it out over whether Japanese Americans should be welcomed
back to their towns after they are released from “relocation centers.”
Intermediate
Wright, Richard.
Black Boy. (1945; reprint 1993) Harpercollins.
The unabridged edition
of this text highlights the activist education that Wright received during
his years
working for socialist causes.
Adult
Yamanaka, Lois Ann. Name
Me Nobody. Hyperion, 1999.
Emi-lou and her best friend Yvonne have always been close, but when Yvonne
falls for a fellow softball team member, Emi-lou must learn to accept her
friend’s lesbianism and to find her own sense of self without Yvonne’s constant
coaching. Yamanaka’s artful
use of Hawaiian dialect adds to the verisimilitude of the novel.
YA
Yep, Laurence. The Amah
. Putnam, 1999.
Twelve-year old Amy Chin’s world is turned upside down when her father’s
death compels her mother to serve as a nanny (“an amah”) to another twelve-year
old girl, Stephanie. Now, Amy
must take care of her four siblings and endure the fact that Stephanie seems
to be taking over her house and monopolizing her mother.
A really well-crafted story of intergenerational conflict and
peer relationships set in contemporary San Francisco.
Intermediate
Yolen, Jane. The Devil’s
Arithmetic. Viking, 1988.
Hannah, a privileged
New York teenager, is suddenly transported into a Nazi concentration camp,
where she is eventually called upon to act in a courageous manner.
This cautionary tale is rich in descriptive detail and historical
information. A must read for
those students who were moved by Anne Frank’s diary.
Intermediate