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https://bookshop.org/books/we-are-the-change-words-of-inspiration-from-civil-rights-leaders-books-for-kid-activists-activism-book-for-children/9781452170398

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Source: Emanu, (www.emanu.se)

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https://bookshop.org/books/the-youngest-marcher-the-story-of-audrey-faye-hendricks-a-young-civil-rights-activist/9781481400701

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https://bookshop.org/books/resist-35-profiles-of-ordinary-people-who-rose-up-against-tyranny-and-injustice/9780062796257

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Nick News Presents: Kids, Race, and Unity | Hosted By Alicia Keys

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Jason Reynolds on what it means to be antiracist

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Jason Reynolds on what it means to be antiracist

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Jason Reynolds on what it means to be antiracist

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Summer reading lists for young people at a time of crisis

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Summer reading lists for young people at a time of crisis

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Amid dual national crises of a pandemic and outrage over racism and police brutality, books provide opportunities both to learn more and to find distraction from reality. Jeffrey Brown talks to writer Jason Reynolds, the Library of Congress' ambassador for young people's literature, about summer reading lists for youth that fit the current moment. It's part of our arts and culture series, Canvas.

Judy Woodruff:
As the pandemic wears on and protests over racial inequity pick up, young people may be looking to books to learn more and find some distraction from the tough realities of the world.

Jeffrey Brown talks to a leading writer and advocate for young people's literature about how summer reading lists may reflect the times.

The conversation is part of our ongoing arts and culture series, Canvas.

Jeffrey Brown:
As the Library of Congress' ambassador for young people's literature, 36-year-old Jason Reynolds is used to sharing his passion for reading and writing.

Jason Reynolds:
I know, these days, we look on the Internet for this kind of stuff, but this thing is like the greatest thing ever made.

Jeffrey Brown:
This is one of the regular talks he does on social media for his Write, Right, Rite project. And in normal, non-pandemic times, he meets often with students around the country.

He's author of 13 books for young people that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His most recent, "Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks," was a National Book Award finalist. He's also recently co-written "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You," an adaptation for young readers of Ibram Kendi's National Book Award-winning history "Stamped From the Beginning."

I spoke with Jason Reynolds recently at his Washington, D.C., home and began by asking what he looks for in books to understand the world in such unusual and difficult times as these.

Jason Reynolds:
I mean, I'm always searching for human stories. I think, ultimately, human beings are human beings' greatest inspirations and greatest influences.

And I recognize that, right now, we're sort of inundated with brilliant pieces of nonfiction, whether it be academic tomes or essay work. And I think those things are important. But, for me, I'm seeking empathy. I'm seeking for something to attach itself to the chemical nature of who I am and change me as a person.

And the best way to do that, for me, is through fiction.

Jeffrey Brown:
Think about young people seeing now the death of George Floyd, the protests going on, all the world kind of exploding around them. What do you recommend?

Jason Reynolds:
Number one, there's a book called "Black Imagination," and it's by a woman named Natasha Marin. It's not technically a book for young people, but I do think young people could gain a lot from it.

It's simply just a collection of notes and moments by people who are not famous, but just saying how they feel about what it means to be black and the beauty of blackness.

There's another book, a collection of short stories that I absolutely love and I'm honored to be a part of called "Black Enough." It was edited by Ibi Zoboi.

I think one of the most important things we can do right now is humanize blackness and humanize culture, right? I think we - right now, people are looking at black people as sort of like petri dish specimens. And the reality is, is that we're just human beings living normal lives. And that book shines a light on that.

And then I think Eloise Greenfield, "Honey, I Love." This is for the little kids. I think this might be one of the best picture books, even though it's sort of a picture book, sort of not, collection of poems for little kids that I - it's just the best.

The illustrations are beautiful, Eloise Greenfield, "Honey, I Love."

Jeffrey Brown:
All right. What about the pandemic, which is still with us, which has, for young people, of course, uprooted their lives, just as for the rest of us?

Jason Reynolds:
You know, there's a book called "Dry" by Neal Shusterman, because I was thinking about this. What would I want young people to read during the pandemic?

And there aren't a lot of books specifically, at least that I know of, about pandemics for young people. But "Dry" is an interesting story because it's about what happens when the natural world turns its back, or what happens when we actually start to use up the resources and all of the sudden there is no more water, right?

And so what happens to us as people? Where do we go? What kind of nature comes out of us? Who do we become when we have to fight for natural resources? And I think a lot of us are up against that right now, because the pandemic has forced us to be up against it in an interesting way.

So, I would suggest that. And I also would suggest a collection of poems by this brilliant poet named Ilya Kaminsky. The collection is "Deaf Republic." Now, again, this isn't necessarily categorized for young people, but I do think that young people can grapple with some of these poems.

The poems are sort of addressing what happens in a world where no one can hear. And I think, right now, for a lot of us locked in our homes, that's kind of what it feels like.

Jeffrey Brown:
We're coming into summer. It's the time we think of usually as sort of escape reading.

And I wonder if you can even think about escaping, because of the heavy things that we have just been talking about.

Jason Reynolds:
I think that there are books that are about escape and that you - that we can look to, books like Lamar Giles' "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer."

I think it's a brilliant book about young kids who are spending the summer in Virginia and go on sort of a whodunit magical fantasy. And I think it's important that we allow and create opportunity for young people to escape and to escape into worlds that are not like their own.

I also think there are ways that we can have summer escape books, escapist books, that also sort of bump up against our reality. So, there are books like "A Song Below Water" by Bethany C. Morrow. This is a fantasy novel, because I don't think we talk enough about fantasy and sci-fi.

I think we live in a world that is sort of touching fantastic elements and sort of the future of sci-fi and what the world looks like as it constantly changes. And this book is about sirens, right, this idea of the siren song and about two young women who use the siren song and how they used it to change their community.

It's beautiful and it's brilliant.

And then, lastly, Elizabeth Acevedo's "Clap When You Land." And this isn't a book that's going to sort of catapult you into some other world, per se, but it is a book that I think is an important read, just because it's about love and family and struggle and reconciliation. And who doesn't want to read about that?

Jeffrey Brown:
All right, some reading for our time for young people and all of us.

Jason Reynolds, thank you very much.

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Summer reading lists for young people at a time of crisis

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Amid dual national crises of a pandemic and outrage over racism and police brutality, books provide opportunities both to learn more and to find distraction from reality. Jeffrey Brown talks to writer Jason Reynolds, the Library of Congress' ambassador for young people's literature, about summer reading lists for youth that fit the current moment.

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14 Antiracist Books for Kids and Teens Recommended by BIPOC Teachers and Librarians

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14 Antiracist Books for Kids and Teens Recommended by BIPOC Teachers and Librarians

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14 Antiracist Books for Kids and Teens Recommended by BIPOC Teachers and Librarians

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We asked librarians and teachers—all Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)—to share books that they’ve found can help kids understand race and racism.

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Jacqueline Woodson Shares Essential Book for Discussing Racism With Kids

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Jacqueline Woodson Shares Essential Book for Discussing Racism With Kids

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These Children’s Books About Race Can Help Start Essential Conversations With Your Kids

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These reads selected by author Jacqueline Woodson will help us “decide whose narrative we will not only choose to see, but choose to believe.”

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An Anti-Racist Graphic Novel Reading List

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An Anti-Racist Graphic Novel Reading List

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In tribute to the memory of George Floyd, who died at the hands of the Minneapolis police, and in support of the worldwide outcry over his death, PW 's comics editors have compiled a list of graphic titles about African American life and history. The titles listed here are primarily nonfiction graphic works that address topics including the Civil Rights Movement, hip-hop, gentrification, white supremacy, the criminal justice system, police brutality, and the lives of black women. In addition the list also offers several works of fiction that offer insights into similar topics via their settings and skillful characterizations. We welcome suggestions for other titles to add to our list.

A Black Woman Did That by Malaika Adero and Chanté Timothy (Downtown Bookworks)
A lively compilation of illustrated biographical profiles of 42 dynamic black women whose accomplishments have transformed the world, including such figures as Michelle Obama, Ida B. Wells, Serena Williams, Ava DuVernay, and Stacey Adams. For young readers.

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin and Jenn St-Onge (Image).
Hazel and Mari, two black teen girls, meet at a bingo hall in 1963 and fall in love but must hide their feelings and go separate ways, only to accidentally reunite decades later-after marriage and raising children-in a lovingly rendered fictional tale about second chance queer love.

Black History in Its Own Words by Ronald Wimberly (Image)

A collection of inspirational quotations from black leaders and artists throughout American history accompanied by Wimberly's evocative drawings.

Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence byGeoffrey Canada with art by Jamar Nicholas (Beacon)

This vivid graphic adaptation of Canada's acclaimed memoir marks his emotional evolution as he moves through escalating levels of neighborhood violence while growing up poor in the Bronx.

Ghetto Brother: Warrior to Peacemaker by Julian Voloj with art by Claudia Ahlering (NBM)

The true story of Bronx legend Benjy Melendez, son of Puerto-Rican immigrants, who founded the notorious Ghetto Brothers gang in the 1960s before establishing peace between the warring gangs in the 1970s in what was a prelude to the Hip-hop era.

Hip Hop Family Tree by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)

This massive 4-volume graphic history of Hip-hop beginning in the 1970s in the Bronx covers four decades of musical, visual, and literary innovation that has transformed music and youth culture around the world.

Hot Comb by Ebony Flowers (Drawn & Quarterly)

Flowers offers a series of poignant and insightful graphic stories that explore the lives of black women, the cultural complexities around their hair, and issues of race and class in the U.S. and in Africa.

Kindred byOctavia Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings (Abrams ComicArts)

Recreated graphically, Butler's acclaimed 1979 novel tells the story of an -African American woman from the 1970s who travels back in time to slavery and meets an unlikely ancestor.

Nat Turner by Kyle Baker (Abrams)

Baker's powerful graphic work depicts the life and times of the self-educated African American preacher who led a slave revolt in Southampton County, Va., in 1831, believing that God wanted him to free the slaves.

Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm by Percy Carey and art by Ron Wimberly (Vertigo)

The true story of the life of legendary Hip Hop MC Percy "MF Grimm" from his time as child actor on Sesame Street, then as a drug dealer who uses a wheelchair after a murder attempt, and his eventual rise to become an underground rap star.

Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem's Legendary Theater by Ted Fox and James Otis Smith (Abrams ComicArts)

Fox's history of the famous venue surveys the personalities and social issues that have impacted the theater and the Harlem neighborhood that surrounds it, over the course of 85 years.

Six Days in Cincinnati: A Graphic Account of the Riots That Shook the Nation a Decade Before Black Lives Matter by Dan Mendez Moore (Microcosm)

An account of an uprising that engulfed Cincinnati in 2001 after 19-year-old Timothy Thomas was killed by the police, as told from the viewpoint of a participant in the civil disobedience.

Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History by Joel Christian Gill (Fulcrum). The lives of little known figures in black American history such as Box Brown and Bass Reeves are featured in biographical stories that bring them back to life.

Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse (First Second).
A pioneering queer/civil rights graphic novel based in-part on Cruse's life, it is the story of a young gay white man growing up in the Jim Crow south and his complex relationships with queer and straight members of the African American community in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement.

Yummy: the last days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri and Randy Duburke (Lee and Low)
A YA graphic novel based on the life and death of Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, an 11-year-old gang member from Chicago's Southside who was killed by members of his own gang.

March Trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell (TopShelf)

The three volumes covering the life of Rep. John Lewis offer a gripping and panoramic narrative of the Civil Rights Movement across the arc of Lewis' heroic social activism and public service.

King: A Comics Biography by Ho Che Anderson (Fantagraphics)

The final deluxe hardcover compilation edition of a pioneering and critically acclaimed graphic biography of Martin Luther King Jr. has been praised for its expansive and creative depiction of King's life.

Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story by Fellowship of Reconciliation, Alfred Hassler, Benton Resnick (Fellowship of Reconciliation)

The landmark 16-page 1957 comic book account of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott led by Rosa Parks details the tenets of the philosophy of nonviolence as well as the tactics used to battle Jim Crow segregation on city buses.

Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank "Big Black" Smith and Jared Reinmuth, art by Améziane. (Archaia)

A graphic memoir by the late Frank "Big Black" Smith, a former Attica prison inmate later turned prisoner-rights advocate, who was an inmate leader during the four-day 1971 Attica prison uprising, a landmark event in the history of mass incarceration.

Race to Incarcerate by Marc Mauer with art by Sabrina Jones (New Press)

Maurer and Jones adapt Maurer's landmark examination of four decades of the explosive and socially corrosive expansion of the American prison population into a graphic work.

The Real Cost of Prisons Comix edited by Lois Ahrens (PM Press)

This anthology of comics looks at the economics, racial disparity, and racist social impact around financing and building prisons.

Race and Social Justice

Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-Nehesi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze (Marvel)

The classic Marvel black superhero, the Black Panther T'Challa, King of the Afrofuturist African domain of Wakanda, has been reimagined for a new generation by National Book Award -winner Coates.

BTTM FDRS byEzra Claytan Daniels and Ben Passmore (Fantagraphics)

An irresistible combination of satire and horror in a quirky graphic exploration of urban gentrification, racial tropes, and class among the young and insufferably hip in a former working class Chicago neighborhood.

I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Media with art by Stacey Robinson and John Jennings (Lee and Low)

This complex and inspirational graphic novel is aimed at young adults and memorializes a number of victims of police violence (among them Eleanor Bumpurs, Amadou Diallo, and writer Henry Dumas), while also probing the issues surrounding police brutality and Black Lives Matter.

Your Black Friend and Other Strangers by Ben Passmore (Silver Sprocket).

These thoughtful and dazzlingly illustrated short stories and graphic essays focus on contemporary responses to race, prisons, police brutality, gentrification, radical politics, and more.

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An Anti-Racist Graphic Novel Reading List

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In tribute to the memory of George Floyd, who died at the hands of the Minneapolis police, and in support of the worldwide outcry over his death, the 'PW' comics editors have compiled a list of graphic titles about African American life and history.

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Students Learn A Powerful Lesson About Privilege

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Students Learn A Powerful Lesson About Privilege

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Students Learn A Powerful Lesson About Privilege

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Discrimination Explained for Kids | Pop'n'Olly | Olly Pike

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https://bookshop.org/books/rise-up-the-art-of-protest/9781623541507

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https://bookshop.org/books/separate-is-never-equal-sylvia-mendez-and-her-family-s-fight-for-desegregation/9781419710544

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https://bookshop.org/books/dictionary-for-a-better-world-poems-quotes-and-anecdotes-from-a-to-z/9781541557758

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Systemic Racism: Is That Really a Thing?

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Systemic Racism: Is That Really a Thing?

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https://bookshop.org/books/say-her-name/9781368045247

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https://bookshop.org/books/something-happened-in-our-town-a-child-s-story-about-racial-injustice/9781433828546

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https://bookshop.org/books/the-power-book-what-is-it-who-has-it-and-why/9781782409274

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Source: Michael de Adder, cartoonist (http://deadder.net)

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https://bookshop.org/books/all-are-welcome/9780525579649

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https://bookshop.org/books/we-re-different-we-re-the-same-sesame-street/9780679832270

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https://bookshop.org/books/the-skin-you-live-in/9780975958001

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https://bookshop.org/books/an-abc-of-equality/9781786037428

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https://bookshop.org/books/no-my-first-book-of-protest/9781950587025

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https://bookshop.org/books/skin-again/9781484799239

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The Danger of a Single Story - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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The Danger of a Single Story - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present

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Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present

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2020

2020 Author Winner

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Jerry Craft, author of "New Kid". "New Kid"published by HarperCollins Children's Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, tells the story of Jordan Banks, an artistic Black middle school student who has transferred from public school to an elite, predominantly White private school and must contend not only with typical middle school challenges but also with microaggressions and code-switching. Told in a graphic novel format, Jordan's experiences are rendered highly accessible to young people and include his own doodles, journal entries and handbooks for middle school students.

Author and Illustrator Jerry Craft creates impactful picture books, middle grade and graphic novels, and comics. He has won five African American literary awards and has co-founded Schomburg's prestigious Annual Black Comic Book Festival. Born in New York City, Craft lives in Norwalk, CT.

2020 Illustrator Winner

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Kadir Nelson, illustrator of "The Undefeated" written by Kwame Alexander and published by Versity, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "The Undefeated" is an emotional deep dive into the unapologetic brilliance of the Black experience in the face of unspeakable injustice. Capturing the excellence of iconic figures in Black history, as well as the known and unknown victims of brutality, this book showcases the raw humanity of generations of determination and will. Themes of survival, hope, and resilience permeate in this masterful picture book,

Kadir Nelson is the author and illustrator of numerous titles, as well as the illustrator of several commemorative postage stamps. Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor Award winner. He received an NAACP Image Award for the book Just the Two of Us. For his book, We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, he received the 2008 CASEY Award for best baseball book, the 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the 2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award.

2020 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author)

The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Author goes to Alicia D. Williamsfor "Genesis Begins Again," published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book. There are 96 things that Genesis hates about herself, and her dark skin is at the top of the list. Genesis tries to hold her family together as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Williams' authentic youthful storytelling explores how Genesis navigates poverty, family relationships, bullying, and overcomes the feelings of self-hate due to the trauma of colorism.

Alicia Williams is a graduate of the MFA program at Hamline University. An oral storyteller in the African American tradition, she is also a teacher who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Genesis Begins Again is her debut novel.

2019 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator)

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Illustrator is April Harrison for "What Is Given from the Heart," published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Harrison's soft illustrations, a mix of collage and acrylic painting, tell the story of James who knows what it's like to have very little. When his close friend Sarah's family loses all they own in a fire, he struggles to come up with a suitable gift to give her. The carefully pieced together illustrations and earthy tones are a suitable pairing for this tale that reminds the reader that a gift that comes from the heart is always priceless.

April Harrison is self-taught and paints images primarily in acrylics, powders, watercolors, pencils, and collage. She resides in Greenville, SC.

2020 Author Honor Books

"Look Both Ways," by Jason Reynolds, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book.

"The Stars and the Blackness Between Them," by Junauda Petrus, and published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

"Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky," by Kwame Mbalia, and published by Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group.

2020 Illustrator Honor Books

"The Bell Rang," illustrated by written by James E. Ransome and published by Atheneum Books For Young Readers, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book

"Infinite Hope: A Black Artist's Journey from World War II to Peace" illustrated and written by Ashley Bryan and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book.

"Sulwe," illustrated by Vashti Harrison written by Lupita Nyong'o, and published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

2020 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (Author and/or Illustrator)

Mildred D. Taylor, is the recipient of the 2020 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. Born in Mississippi in 1943 and raised in Ohio, Taylor resides in Colorado. "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry," won the 1977 Newbery Award and a Coretta Scott King Book Award honor. Taylor received the international 2003 inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature. Her books earned national recognition including four CSK author awards and two author honors. Her 2020 Logan family series conclusion "All the Days Past, All the Days to Come" continues addressing systemic injustice, entrenched inequality and the roots of racism.

The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of beloved children's author Virginia Hamilton. In even years (i.e. 2017, 2018, 2020...), the award is presented to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution.

(c) 2020
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards seal images and award names are solely and exclusively owned by the American Library Association.
2019

2019 Author Winner

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Claire Hartfield, author of "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919," published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" is a meticulously researched exposition of the socio-economic landscape and racial tensions that led to the death of a black teen who wanted to swim, and the violent clash that resulted. In twenty chapters, Hartfield's balanced, eye-opening account contextualizes a range of social justice issues that persist to this day

2019 Illustrator Winner

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "The Stuff of Stars" written by Marion Dane Bauer and published by Candlewick Press. In "The Stuff of Stars," Holmes uses hand marbled paper and collage to create a lush explosion of color that brings to life the formation of the universe while distinctly reflecting the essence of the African diaspora.

Ekua Holmes is a native and current resident of Boston, Massachusetts, who has worked as an artist, curator, and active member of Boston's art community. She was influenced by the need to fill the void of what she perceived as an absence of positive Black images in her childhood neighborhoods.

2019 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author)

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Author goes to Tiffany D. Jackon, author of "Monday's Not Coming," published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In the timely thriller "Monday's Not Coming," Jackson examines friendship, child abuse, and family relationships. In alternating chapters, the reader is immediately pulled into the angst that Claudia feels as she struggles to piece together this fragmented tale that concludes with a mind-blowing resolution of Monday's disappearance.

2019 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator)

The 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Awards John Steptoe Award for New Talent Illustrator is Oge Mora, illustrator and author of "Thank You, Omu," published by Little, Brown Young Readers. "Thank You, Omu!" is a fresh take on a timeless tale of altruism and community-mindedness. Mora's collage work is skillfully pieced together with acrylic, marker, pastels, patterned paper, and old book clippings, creating a visual smorgasbord. Mora brings to life an amalgamation of many grandmothers and captures the African spirit of generosity and community.

2019 Author Honor Books

"Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome, published by Holiday House.

"The Parker inheritance" by Varian Johnson, published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

"The season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon, published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

2019 Illustrator Honor Books

"Hidden Figures" illustrated by Laura Freeman, written by Margot Lee Shetterly, published by HarperCollins Children's Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.

"Let the Children March" illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Monica Clark-Robinson, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

"Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop" illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Alice Faye Duncan, published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Highlights.

2019 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (Practitioner)

Dr. Pauletta Bracy is Professor of Library Science and Director of the Office of University Accreditation at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She has successfully merged scholarship and service with publications such as "Libraries, Literacy and African American Youth "(co-edited with Sandra Hughes Hassell and Casey H. Rawson) as well as her work with the Coretta Scott King Book Awards and with workshops and conferences dedicated to promoting African American books for children and teens. She recently served as co-organizer for Celebrating Our Voices: Black Children's Literature Symposium and Book Festival held at NCCU.

(c) 2019
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards seal images and award names are solely and exclusively owned by the American Library Association.
2018

2018 Author Award Winner

The 2018 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Renée Watson, author of "Piecing Me Together," published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. "Piecing Me Together" is an inspiring tale in which Watson pulls the reader into Jade's world by sharing Jade's love for the Spanish language and providing a different, yet necessary story of Black womanhood.

Renée Watson is an author, educator, and activist from Portland, Oregon, who now lives in New York City. Watson has taught creative writing and theater in public schools and community centers throughout the U.S. for over twenty years. She often focuses on the lived experiences of Black girls and women. "Watson brings us a coming-of-age tale that eloquently explores the many facets of Jade, a brilliant and creative teen on the brink of young adulthood," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Sam Bloom.

2018 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2018 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets," written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, published by Candlewick Press.

In "Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets," Ekua Holmes's mixed-media collage images balance the tone and tenor of the new poems created by the authors, while paying homage to each of the featured poets in the subtle detailas extracted from various aspects. "Holmes expertly infuses the multilayered poetry with the richness of the Black art aesthetic in her original, evocative, vibrantly colored compositions," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Sam Bloom.

Ekua Holmes is a native and current resident of Boston, Massachusetts, who has worked as an artist, curator, and active member of Boston's art community. She was influenced by the need to fill the void of what she perceived as an absence of positive Black images in her childhood neighborhoods.

2018 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author)

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African-American creator of children's books. This year's winning Author is David Barclay Moore for "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

"The Stars Beneath Our Feet" provides a realistic lens on the Black American experience and infuses it with heart, soul, and imagination. Moore plays with language, culture, stereotypes, and reality to create an engaging book that will resonate with youth in urban communities everywhere searching for positive survival techniques.

2018 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Illustrator)

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African-American creator of children's books. This year's winning illustrator is Charly Palmer for "Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song" published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

"Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song" visually tells the story of the singer's career through the use of vibrant, colorful illustrations that juxtapose her rise in fame in comparison to the South African people's civil rights struggle with apartheid. Palmer's bold illustrations expertly complement the text in a riveting duet.

2018 Author Honor Books

"Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James, and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denine Millner Book.

"Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds, published by Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book.

"The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas, published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

2018 Illustrator Honor Books

"Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" illustrated by Gordon C. James, written by Derrick Barnes, and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book.

"Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman" illustrated by James E. Ransome, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, and published by Holiday House.

2018 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Eloise Greenfield is the recipient of the 2018 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

"Eloise Greenfield is a trailblazer whose extraordinary books of poetry and prose have influenced many and continue to resonate with children today. Her rich body of work inspires and enriches readers," said Award Committee Chair Deborah D. Taylor.

Eloise Greenfield was born in Parmele, North Carolina, and currently resides in Washington D.C. Early in life, she discovered a love of reading and writing and realized there were few books that showed the fullness of African American life. She published her first book in 1972 and went on to write and publish more than 40 books. From "Honey, I Love" to "The Great Migration," this multiple award-winning author has captivated audiences through the years.

The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of beloved children's author Virginia Hamilton. The annual award is presented in even years to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution.

(c) 2018
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards seal images and award names are solely and exclusively owned by the American Library Association.
2017

2017 Author Award Winner

The 2017 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is given to Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin for "March Book: Three," published by Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works LLC.

"March: Book Three," is a first-hand account of the Civil Rights Movement through Lewis' eyes. Using vivid language and dynamic visual storytelling, it details events from the Freedom Summer to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Readers experience the realities of segregation, the sacrifices required for the struggle and the courage that defines true leaders.

Co-author John Lewis is the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 5 th congressional district and an iconic African-American civil rights activist, who chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Co-author Andrew Aydin is the digital director and policy advisor in Rep. Lewis's Washington, D.C. office. They won a Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award in 2014 for the first volume in the series, "March: Book One."

"'March: Book Three' is a riveting and multilayered graphic personal history of the civil rights movement and a window into the mind and experiences of a living legend," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

2017 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2017 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Javaka Steptoe, illustrator and author of "Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat," published by Little, Brown and Company.

In "Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat," collage style paintings with rich texture, bold colors and thick lines take readers on an emotional journey. Steptoe's style blends with motifs from Basquiat's own art to create this stunning picture book biography.

"Steptoe's illustrations for 'Radiant Child' are striking. Painted on found wood, they echo the 'sloppy, ugly, and sometimes weird, but somehow still beautiful' quality of Jean-Michel Basquiat's art, while relating the story of his difficult life," said Bishop.

Javaka Steptoe is an artist, designer and children's book illustrator. His debut work, "In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers," an anthology featuring poetry from notable poets, including Folami Abiade, Dinah Johnson and Carole Boston Weatherford, Angela Johnson and Sonia Sanchez, earned him his first Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, in 1998; "Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow" (written by Gary Golio), received a CSK Illustrator Honor in 2011. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

2017 John Steptoe Award for New Talent (Author)

"The Sun is Also a Star" written by Nicola Yoon, and published by Delacort Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC

2017 Author Honor Books

"As Brave as You" written by Jason Reynolds, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

"Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan" illustrated and written by Ashley Bryan, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishinig Division

2017 Illustrator Honor Books

"Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan" illustrated and written by Ashley Bryan, and published by Atheneum Books for Young readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

"Freedom in Congo Square" illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, and published by Little Bee Books, an imprint of Bonnier Publisher Group

"In Plain Sight" illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, written by Richard Jackson, and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership

2017 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop

Dr. Bishop is a winner of numerous awards and has served as a respected member of many book awards committees over the course of her long and distinguished career. Her influential writing, speaking, and teaching articulates the history and cultural significance of African-American children's literature. Her globally cited work, "Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors," has inspired movements for increased diversity in books for young people, and provides the basis for the best multicultural practice and inquiry for students, teachers, writers and publishing houses.

(c) 2017
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards seal images and award names are solely and exclusively owned by the American Library Association.
2016

2016 Author Award Winner

The 2016 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is given to Rita Williams-Garcia, author of "Gone Crazy in Alabama."

"Gone Crazy in Alabama," published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is the final book in Williams-Garcia's trilogy about the Gaither sisters. She blends cultural and family history in a vivid, readable way, laced with humor. Each sister is a distinct individual, growing, changing, and helping to change the perspectives of their elders.

Rita Williams-Garcia is the author of several award-winning books for young people, including the 2014 Coretta Scott King Book Award for "P.S. Be Eleven" and "One Crazy Summer," recipient of the 2011 Coretta Scott King Book Award and Newbery Honor title. Williams-Garcia is also the recipient of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. She lives in Jamaica, N.Y., and is on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts' Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.

"Rita Williams-Garcia has written a convincing, often humorous portrayal of three young sisters from Brooklyn spending the summer in the South, living and learning in the bosom of a complicated but loving multigenerational family," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

2016 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2016 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Bryan Collier, illustrator of "Trombone Shorty."

In "Trombone Shorty," written by Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Bill Taylor, and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS, Collier creates vibrant, bold color collages and realistic images that portray the musical growth of a young boy in the jazz tradition of the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans.

"Collier's illustrations beautifully capture important events in Andrews's life, as well as the spirit of his beloved city and the music that is at the heart of both New Orleans and Trombone Shorty," said Bishop.

Bryan Collier is the illustrator of over 25 picture books and the recipient of multiple awards, including the Coretta Scott King Book Award, Caldecott Honor, and Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award. He lives with his family in upstate New York, where he creates illustrations and visits classrooms to share his books and art.

2016 John Steptoe Award for New Talent

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent affirms new talent and offers visibility for excellence in writing and/or illustration at the beginning of a career as a published African American creator of children's books. This year's winners are Ronald L. Smith, author of "Hoodoo," published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company; and Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement," written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Candlewick Press.

"Hoodoo" is the rich, atmospheric tale of a boy trying to ward off an evil spirit in 1930s small-town Alabama. When the foreboding Stranger comes to town, Hoodoo Hatcher must use the folk magic passed down in his extended family to save the day.

"Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement" is a powerful biography of the heroic Civil Rights leader. Told with inspiring poetry and vivid images, Hamer's humanity shines through in this impressive collection.

2016 Author Honor Books

"All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

"The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

"X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon, published by Candlewick Press.

2016 Illustrator Honor Books

"The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore," illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, and published by Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

"Last Stop on Market Street," illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Matt de la Peña, and published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group.

Jerry Pinkney is the recipient of the 2016 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA), during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held Jan. 8-12, in Boston.

2015

2015 Author Award Winner

The 2015 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is given to Jacqueline Woodson, author of "brown girl dreaming."

Published by Nancy Paulson Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, Penguin Group (USA) LLC, is an absorbing free verse memoir of a young girl growing up black and female in the 1960s and '70s full of arresting details and vivid imagery. Her choice of events and memories incorporate important historical events and her own evolution into the award-winning writer she has become.

From the time she was a child scribbling her name, Woodson told stories both true and not so true. After graduating from Adelphi University, she published her first book in 1990. Winner of many book awards, most recently the 2014 National Book Award Young People's Literature, her published works range from picture books to young adult novels.

2015 Illustrator Award Winner

The 2015 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is given to Christopher Myers, illustrator of "Firebird."

Written by Misty Copeland and published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Group USA, the illustrations of Myers depict the brilliant colorful world of the ballerina with its dancers on en pointe.

"The vibrant lines and colors mirror the movement of Copeland's "Firebird", says Patton. "Encased in gorgeous collages and endpaper, balletic poses, leaping and bounding into the air at tremendous heights spur the imagination and inspire a young girl's hopes and dreams," said Patton.

Born in New York, Myers is a graduate of Brown University. He also participated in the Whitney Museum of Art Independent Studio Program. His illustrations have received numerous awards, including a Caldecott Honor, and four Coretta Scott King Honors. Meyers lives in Brooklyn, where, in addition to his illustrating children's books, he is also a photographer and clothing designer.

2015 John Steptoe Award for New Talent

The 2015 John Steptoe Award for New Talent is given to Jason Reynolds, author of "When I Was the Greatest," published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

Reynolds' lively and engaging portrayal of urban teenage boys is a compelling story about neighborhood, family, friendship, values and the acceptance of difference.

Living in an underserved neighborhood in Brooklyn, Allen/Ali befriends Noodles and his brother Needles, who has Tourette syndrome. In an authentic contemporary voice, Reynolds focuses on the importance of family, the acceptance of responsibility and the obligations of friendship and portrays a likeable teenager learning how to be a good man.

2015 Author Honor Books

"The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

"How I Discovered Poetry" by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Hadley Hooper and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

"How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon, and published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

2015 Illustrator Honor Books

"JOSEPHINE: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker" illustrated by Christian Robinson written by Patricia Hruby Powell and published by Chronicle Books LLC.

"Little Melba and Her Big Trombone" illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Katheryn Russell-Brown and published by Lee and Low Books, Inc.

Deborah D. Taylor, coordinator of School and Student Services, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, is the recipient of the 2015 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA) during the ALA Midwinter Meeting, held Jan.30 - Feb. 3 in Chicago.

2014
2014 Author Award Winner
Rita Williams-Garcia, author of"P.S. Be Eleven" published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In this spirited stand-alone sequel to "One Crazy Summer," the Gaither sisters return to Brooklyn after a summer spent with their mother in Oakland, California. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern thrive in the tumultuous era of the late 1960s, but Delphine is tasked by her mother to, "P.S. Be Eleven."

Rita Williams-Garcia, the author of the Newbery Honor-winning novel " One Crazy Summer," also a winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, a National Book Award finalist, and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Residing in Jamaica, N.Y., she is on the faculty at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
2014 Illustrator Award Winner
Bryan Collier, illustrator of "Knock knock: my dad's dream for me" illustrated by Bryan Collier and published by Little, Brown and Company, Hachette Book Group. In "Knock knock: my dad's dream for me," Bryan Collier brings to life Daniel Beaty's powerful narrative of a son's longing for his absent father. With his distinctive watercolor and collage technique, Collier captures the nuances of the urban setting and the son's journey to manhood.
2014 John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Theodore Taylor III, illustrator of for "When the beat was born: DJ Kool Herc and the creation of hip hop" written by Laban Carrick Hill and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership . Taylor's stylish artwork shows young Clive Campbell's transformation into the DJ who helped launch hip-hop in the early 70's. Using retro cartoon-style illustrations rendered in a palette that emphasizes browns, greens, reds and greys he transforms words on a page into a rhythmic beat that brings the words alive.
2014 Author Honor
John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, authors of "March: Book One," illustrated by Nate Powell, and published by Top Shelf Productions

Walter Dean Myers, authors of "Darius & Twig," published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publisher

Nikki Grimes, author of "Words with Wings," published by WordSong, an imprint of Highlights
2014 Illustrator Honor
Kadir Nelson, illustrator and author of "Nelson Mandela," published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Patricia and Frederick McKissack, award-winning authors of books for children and young adults
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards seal images and award names are solely and exclusively owned by the American Library Association.
2013
Author Award Winner

Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America, published by Disney/Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.
Illustrator Award Winner

Bryan Collier, illustrator of I, Too, Am America, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.
Author Honor

Jacqueline Woodson, author of Each Kindness, illustrated by E. B. Lewis, and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, author of No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Micheaux, Harlem Bookseller, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, and published by Carolrhoda Lab, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
Illustrator Honor

Daniel Minter, illustrator of Ellen's Broom, written by Kelly Starling Lyons, and published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group

Christopher Myers, illustrator and author of H. O. R. S. E., published by Egmont USA

Kadir Nelson, illustrator of I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., written by Martin Luther King, Jr., and published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
No award presented
Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Demetria Tucker, Family and youth services librarian for the Pearl Bailey Library, a branch of the Newport News (Va.) Public Library System

2012

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John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Ashley Bryan, storyteller, artist, author, poet, and musician

2011

Author Award Winner

Rita Williams-Garcia, author of One Crazy Summer (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)

Illustrator Award Winner

Author Honor

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John Steptoe Award for New Talent

Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon, authors of Zora and Me (Candlewick Press)

Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Dr. Henrietta Mays Smith, professor emerita at the University of South Florida, Tampa, School of Library and Information Science

2010
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (inaugural year)

2009

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2008

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2007

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2006

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2005

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2004

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Hope Anita Smith, author of The Way a Door Closes, illustrated by Shane W. Evans (Henry Holt)

Elbrite Brown, illustrator of My Family Plays Music, written by Judy Cox (Holiday House)

2003

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2002

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2001

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2000

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1999

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1998

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1997

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Martha Southgate, author of Another Way to Dance (Delacorte)

1996

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No award presented.

1995

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John Steptoe Award for New Talent (inaugural year)

1994

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1993

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Patricia C. McKissack, author of The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Knopf)

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1992

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1991

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1990

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1989

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1988

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1987

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1986

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1985

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1984

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1983

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1982

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1981

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1980

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1978

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1977

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1974

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1973

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1972

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1971

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1970

Author Award Winner

Lillie Patterson, author of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace (Garrard)
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards Winner, Honor, and John Steptoe Award for New Talent seals are property of the American Library Association and cannot be used in any form or reproduced without permission of the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.

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-ethnic and multicultural information exchange round table

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Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present

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The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author Winner is Jerry Craft, author of "New Kid". "New Kid"published by HarperCollins Children's Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, tells the story of Jordan Banks, an artistic Black middle school student who has transferred from public school to an elite, predominantly White private school and must contend not only with typical middle school challenges but also with microaggressions and code-switching.

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https://bookshop.org/books/intersectionallies-we-make-room-for-all/9781948340083

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Source: Epic Reads

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Source: Epic Reads

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https://bookshop.org/books/voice-of-freedom-fannie-lou-hamer-the-spirit-of-the-civil-rights-movement/9781536203257

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Source: Leftycartoons.com

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30 books to help you talk to your kids about racism

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30 books to help you talk to your kids about racism

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Talking to your kids about racism can be tough. Here are some books to help get them thinking about it.

Written by Jael Ealey Richardson and illustrated by Matt James, Groundwood Books (AGES 4-9) A children's version of a book Richardson wrote about her dad, Chuck Ealey, The Stone Thrower tells the story of Chuck's life growing up as black kid in a then-racially segregated Portsmouth, Ohio. Chuck loved football, and though he faced many challenges, including poverty and racial taunts, he had an unbeaten record as a quarterback in both high school and university due to his determination. Even with all of this talent, he wasn't chosen to play that position in the NFL because of his race. Instead, he became a quarterback in the Canadian Football League, and in his first year, led his team (the Hamilton Tiger-Cats) to win the Grey Cup in 1972. $19, houseofanansi.com
Read more:
5 books to teach your kids about privilege and socioeconomic differences
16 kids' books about refugees
12 kids' books that combat anti-Semitism

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27 books to help you talk to your kids about racism

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Talking to your kids about racism can be tough. Here are some books to help get them thinking about it. Written by Jael Ealey Richardson and illustrated by Matt James, Groundwood Books (AGES 4-9) A children's version of a book Richardson wrote about her dad, Chuck Ealey, The Stone Thrower tells the story of Chuck's life growing up as black kid in a then-racially segregated Portsmouth, Ohio.

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9 Children's Books About Police Violence

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9 Children's Books About Police Violence

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10 Children's Books About Police Brutality

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Botham Jean. Sandra Bland. Philando Castille. Alton Sterling. Tamir Rice. Eric Harris. Michael Garner. Michael Brown, Jr., Adam Toledo. George Floyd. Brionna Taylor. These names represent just a few of the black lives taken by police in America since 2014. There are many police officers all o

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*Contains explicit language*

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https://akidsbookabout.com/products/a-kids-book-about-racism

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https://bookshop.org/books/all-the-colors-we-are-todos-los-colores-de-nuestra-piel-the-story-of-how-we-get-our-skin-color-la-historia-de-por-que-tenemos-diferentes-colores-de-p/9781605540795

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https://bookshop.org/books/not-my-idea-a-book-about-whiteness/9781948340007

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https://bookshop.org/books/this-book-is-anti-racist-20-lessons-on-how-to-wake-up-take-action-and-do-the-work/9780711245211

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"I can't breathe...again!" - Nick Cannon

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"I can't breathe...again!" - Nick Cannon

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*Contains explicit language*

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https://bookshop.org/books/thirteen-ways-of-looking-at-a-black-boy/9780998799940

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https://bookshop.org/books/woke-baby/9781250308986

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*Contains explicit language*

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Kyla Lacey - "White Privilege" | (NPS '16)

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Source: Jane Mount, artist (https://janemount.com)

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When we think about the social issues of our age poverty, materialism, and violence are probably the first things that come to mind. But there's another problem of great substance - privilege.

When we say privileged, we're not talking about those people who were born into royalty or those with millionaire parents in a simple black and white Poor Vs. Rich comparison. We merely mean those folks who have perhaps had a helping hand or two in life while others weren't given such assistance. You can't blame people for being given opportunities, but it's always good to spare a thought for how the other half lives and to better the better-self in helping those who are not that lucky. In this comic strip below, privilege meaning turns more into a psychological subject, rather than the material one.

Check out this comic to see what we mean. It's a short story called "On A Plate," and it's been "liked" more than 200,000 times. The comic is simple, but we're sure you'll agree that the message explaining what a privilege is, is pretty powerful.

More info: Toby Morris (h/t: The Wireless)

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This Simple Comic Perfectly Explains Privilege, And Everyone Must Read It

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Auckland-based illustrator Toby Morris perfectly summarizes what it means to be privileged with this thought-provoking comic strip. When we say privileged, we're not talking about those people who were born into royalty, or those with millionaire parents. We simply mean those folks who have perhaps had a helping hand or two in life while others weren't afforded such assistance.

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22 Books That Teach Young Kids About Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality

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22 Books That Teach Young Kids About Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality

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It is incumbent upon white Americans to be stronger, more active, and more consistent allies in the fight for racial equality. White parents, in particular, must ask ourselves how we can raise children who will be part of the solution to the racial inequities and injustices that pervade our society. Children perceive race before they're even a year old, so our work in raising antiracist children needs to start at the very beginning. We need to introduce our children to the concepts of representation and inclusivity early and often, and one easy way to do this is by thoughtfully choosing the books we read to them.

The lack of representation and inclusivity has long been an issue in children's literature. A 2019 study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison showed that more children's books featured animals as main characters than depicted Black, Asian, Latinx, or Indigenous characters. Unfortunately, it's much harder to find children's books that are widely representative than it should be. We know that it's incredibly important for people of color to see themselves represented in media, but it's also very important for white children to see characters unlike themselves, too.

Here is a list that we've compiled for books that we recommend parents read to their young kids, starting from birth. Some of these books are examples of the type of representation we want to see more of in children's books, and others teach valuable lessons of inclusion and equality. And we want to be clear - this is just one small step that parents can take. There are so many things that white parents can do to become better allies. We should read books and educate ourselves about race in America. We should talk to our kids about race and white privilege. We should model antiracism for our kids by thinking critically about everyday choices and actions we make. We should recognize that this is just the beginning of a long conversation, and that our efforts toward raising antiracist children should be an integral part of our everyday lives.

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26 Books That Teach Young Kids About Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality

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It is incumbent upon white Americans to be stronger, more active, and more consistent allies in the fight for racial equality. White parents, in particular, must ask ourselves how we can raise children who will be part of the solution to the racial inequities and injustices that pervade our society.

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https://bookshop.org/books/woke-a-young-poet-s-call-to-justice/9781250311207?aid=1473

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https://bookshop.org/books/the-undefeated-9781328780966/9781328780966

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https://bookshop.org/books/antiracist-baby/9780593110416

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https://bookshop.org/books/a-is-for-activist/9781609805395

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https://bookshop.org/books/let-s-talk-about-race/9780064462266

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White Privilege Explained in One Simple Comic

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White privilege can be a tricky thing for people to wrap their heads around. If you’ve ever called out white privilege before, chances are you’ve heard responses like “But I didn’t ask to be born…

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https://bookshop.org/books/the-skin-i-m-in-a-first-look-at-racism/9780764124594

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https://bookshop.org/books/the-colors-of-us-9780805058642/9780805071634

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10 Antiracist Books for Young Adults | Kirkus Reviews

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Weekly book lists of exciting new releases, bestsellers, classics, and more. The lists are curated by the editors of Kirkus Reviews.

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https://bookshop.org/books/we-rise-we-resist-we-raise-our-voices/9780525580454

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Common Sense Media editors help you choose Books to Inspire Young Activists. Stories and practical tips to help kids change the world.

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31 Children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance

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31 Children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance

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Update: This booklist has been updated and added to since its initial publication.

Research from Harvard University suggests that children as young as three years old, when exposed to racism and prejudice, tend to embrace and accept it, even though they might not understand the feelings. By age 5, white children are strongly biased towards whiteness. To counter this bias, experts recommend acknowledging and naming race and racism with children as early and as often as possible. Children's books are one of the most effective and practical tools for initiating these critical conversations; and they can also be used to model what it means to resist and dismantle oppression.​

Beyond addressing issues of race and racism, this children's reading list focuses on taking action. It highlights resistance, resilience and activism; and seeks to empower youth to participate in the ongoing movement for racial justice. These books showcase the diverse ways people of all ages and races have engaged in anti-racist activism, and highlight how race intersects with other issues, such as capitalism, class and colonization. The majority of books center activists of color, whose lives and bodies have been on the front lines of racial justice work, yet whose stories often go untold. The essential work of white activists is also included - to underscore that anti-racist work is not the responsibility of people of color; and exemplify the ways white allies have stood up against racial injustice. This list was curated by critical literacy organizations, The Conscious Kid and American Indians in Children's Literature.

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31 Children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance

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Update: This booklist has been updated and added to since its initial publication. Research from Harvard University suggests that children as young as three years old, when exposed to racism and prejudice, tend to embrace and accept it, even though they might not understand the feelings.

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Social Justice: Fifteen titles to address inequity, equality, and organizing for young readers

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Social Justice: Fifteen titles to address inequity, equality, and organizing for young readers

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A collection of titles across all genres to build up resources for budding young activists.

With leaders like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, youth are making themselves heard. These titles elevate the voices of young activists, inspire calls to action, and explain complex issues such as racism, sexism, environmentalism, and immigration. Though the books are all aimed at middle grade readers, they vary widely; the poetry and biography picks are best for younger readers, while the fiction and general nonfiction selections skew older. While far from an exhaustive list, these texts will be a strong foundation for school and public libraries serving budding activists.

We also highly recommend several books that provide further historical context, inspiration, and examples for readers: Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell; An Indigenous People's History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and adapted by Jean Mendoza and Debbie Reese; Kid Activists: True Tales of Childhood from Champions of Change by Robin Stevenson; The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani; Zenobia by Morten Dürr and Lars Horneman; and Y ou Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino.

Fiction

RAMÉE, Lisa Moore. A Good Kind of Trouble. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. 2019. ISBN 9780062836687.
Gr 4-8 -This brilliant exploration of race and activism is ideal for readers not quite ready for Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give. When Shayla becomes more involved with the Black Lives Matter movement after a police officer who shoots a Black man is acquitted, she must make difficult decisions about her friends, family, and school. Ramée's writing is exceptional, and Shayla's story will resonate.

Read:YA Books Reflect the Activism of Real-Life Teens

Nonfiction

JEWELL, Tiffany. This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How To Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work. illus. by Aurelia Durand. Quarto/Frances Lincoln.Jan. 2020.ISBN 9780711245211.
Gr 6 Up -Jewell invites readers to grab a notebook and work their way through four themed sections, with plenty of room for reflection and conversation. With an activity called "Disrupt!" the author offers suggestions for what to do if readers observe two Black men being detained by police. While Jewell acknowledges that the consequences of these actions will depend on readers' position and privilege, she doesn't fully explore the risks at stake. Still, there's no substitute for this interactive guide.

YOUSAFZAI, Malala with Patricia McCormick. Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls' Rights. Little, Brown. 2018.ISBN 9780316527149.
Gr 3-5 -Yousafzai's story has been written and adapted for adults, teens, middle graders, and young children. Though appropriate for middle graders, this text doesn't shy away from the reality of Yousafzai's life. After learning about her work with women's rights, her journey, and the support and education she received from her family, readers will feel that they, too, are capable of making a difference.

Read:On Being Comfortable with Discomfort: Tiffany Jewell Explains What It Means To Be Anti-Racist

Poetry

BROWNE, Mahogany L. with others. Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice. illus. by Theodore Taylor III. Roaring Brook. Mar. 2020. ISBN 9781250311207.
Gr 3-6 -The poems in this eloquent and instructive glossary of social justice address allyship, privilege, silencing, protest, and more, providing clear definitions and context. This short but robust title is a great classroom resource, though middle graders will also enjoy reading it cover to cover.

HUDSON, Wade & Cheryl Willis Hudson, eds. We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices. Crown. 2018. ISBN 9780525580423.
Gr 3-7 -An impressive array of authors and artists share their experiences through letters, short stories, poems, and music. Whether reading one piece at a time or cover to cover, this collection will bolster and inspire readers when the world falls short of their expectations. The topics here are complex, but never overwhelming. Those feeling hurt, confused, and lost in our persistently chaotic world will find respite here.

LATHAM, Irene & Charles Waters. Dictionary for a Better World. illus. by Mehrdokht Amini. Carolrhoda. Feb. 2020.
Gr 4 Up -Authors Latham and Waters ( Can I Touch Your Hair?) tackle an alphabet's worth of topics in this poetic dictionary: belonging, diversity, freedom, netiquette, tenacity, and zest. A "Try It" section, notes from the authors, and quotes follow each poem. Ideal for both elementary and middle school demographics.

Graphic Novels
Taylor Worley (she/her/hers) is the Youth Services Librarian for Springfield Public Library in Oregon and an SLJ reviewer. Find her on Twitter @that1librarian and Instagram @thatonelibrarian, where she reads things, makes things, and occasionally goes places.
Illustration of prostester holding sign: Getty Images/nadia_bormotova

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Social Justice: Fifteen titles to address inequity, equality, and organizing for young readers | Great Books

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A collection of titles across all genres to build up resources for budding young activists. With leaders like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, youth are making themselves heard. These titles elevate the voices of young activists, inspire calls to action, and explain complex issues such as racism, sexism, environmentalism, and immigration.

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https://bookshop.org/books/stamped-racism-antiracism-and-you-a-remix-of-the-national-book-award-winning-stamped-from-the-beginning/9780316453691

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https://www.esowonbookstore.com/search/site/An%20Indigenous%20Peoples%27%20History%20Of%20The%20United%20States%20For%20Young%20People

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Decoded | Season 7 Episodes (TV Series) | MTV

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Comedian and activist Franchesca Ramsey tackles race, pop culture and other issues through thought-provoking sketch comedy and vlogging.

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George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper 

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George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper 

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George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper | The Daily Social Distancing Show