October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but I didn’t know that until I started to do some research to write this blog post. December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I didn’t know that either. As a former special education teacher, it seems like I should have. But, honestly, what I wishContinue reading “Boundless Creativity”
Author Archives: socialjusticeinchildrenslit
Celebration!
Celebration is the word that comes to mind after reading Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids. This is one of the first books published by Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperCollin’s Children’s Books. Edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, it brings together stories from many Native writers centering around a single powwow in Michigan. Each storyContinue reading “Celebration!”
Knowledge of Our Past is Essential to Moving Forward
There are efforts around the country right now to ban the discussion of critical race theory in K-12 schools. Legislatures are doing their best to prevent people of color, particularly Black people, from being able to vote in future elections. In Iowa, where I live, House File 802 specifically prohibits school districts from including certainContinue reading “Knowledge of Our Past is Essential to Moving Forward”
The Shape of Thunder
The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga is truly a book that speaks to issues we need to face today. I am grateful to NetGalley and Balzer+Bray for the opportunity to write this review. Warga has created two characters, Quinn and Cora, who reflect the type of young women that we see in middle schoolsContinue reading “The Shape of Thunder”
Bias on the Brain
Unconscious bias is something I have been reading about and talking about for at least 15 years. So, while reading This is Your Brain on Stereotypes: How Science is Tackling Unconscious Bias, written by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and illustrated by Drew Shannon, I was a bit disturbed by my response to the direction to drawContinue reading “Bias on the Brain”
What’s In a Name?
Many of us know how it feels to have our name pronounced incorrectly. My name is Leah /Lee-uh/. It isn’t pronounced /Lee/ or /Lay-uh/. Most of the time, people get it right the first time and, if they don’t, I am able to correct them. However, there are lots of people who do not hearContinue reading “What’s In a Name?”
An Invincible Hope
There are a lot of rather disheartening things going on in the world right now. I want to give a shout-out to anyone who takes action to improve the life of another human being. If everyone operated with the goal to just help and not harm, imagine what the world would be like. It wouldContinue reading “An Invincible Hope”
Youth Activism in Action
The role of young people in movements for change has become more visible as social media usage has increased. This is not a new phenomenon, though. Children and teens have historically been involved in social movements for change, even if their roles were eclipsed by those of adults with greater individual power. In Kids onContinue reading “Youth Activism in Action”
The Power of Personal History
There are many practical reasons for knowing about family history. It can help people to make medical decisions, inspire intellectual curiosity, or cause us to search for long-lost rich uncles. But I think there is something deeper within our collective psyche that calls us to search for greater knowledge of where we come from andContinue reading “The Power of Personal History”
We Must Speak the Unspeakable
What happened in Washington, D.C., on January 6 was newsworthy, but it certainly wasn’t new. Violent attacks by mobs of white Americans carrying weapons are not as infrequent as so many of us like to pretend. This was history repeating itself. I in no way wish to diminish the significance of these events. Instead, IContinue reading “We Must Speak the Unspeakable”
Teaching Social Justice with Children's Books 