50 Books about Peace and Social Justice

Compiled by Megan Schliesman
© 2011 Cooperative Children's Book Center

Originally developed in 2003 as part of a 12-month series in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the Cooperative Children's Book Center, this bibliography was updated in 2011.

Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image.
Complete list of CCBC bibliographies

Paths to Peace: Ideas and Actions for Change -- Picture Books

Gregory, Valiska. When Stories Fell Like Shooting Stars. Illustrated by Stefano Vitale. Simon & Schuster, 1996. 40 pages. Ages 6 - 10

McKee, David. The Conquerors. Handprint Books, 2004. 24 pages. Ages 3-7

Muth, Jon J.. Stone Soup. Scholastic Press, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 8

Radunsky, Vladimir. What Does Peace Feel Like?. An Anne Schwartz Book / Atheneum, 2004. 16 pages. Ages 4-8

Rumford, James. Silent Music: A Story of Bagdhad. A Neal Porter Book / Roaring Brook Press, 2008. 32 pages. Ages 7-9

Thomas, Shelley Moore. Somewhere Today: A Book of Peace. Photographed by Eric Futran. Albert Whitman, 1998. 24 pages. Ages 3 - 7

Paths to Peace: Ideas and Actions for Change -- Fiction

Amnesty International. Free? Stories about Human Rights. U.S. edition: Candlewick Press, 2010. 202 pages. Ages 11 and older

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Illustrated by Ellen Fourney. Litte, Brown, 2007. 240 pages. Ages 13-16

Carmi, Daniella. Samir and Yonatan. Translated by Yael Lotan. U.S. edition: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2000. 183 pages. Age 12 and older

Castellucci, Cecil and Jim Rugg . The Plain Janes. Minx, 2007. 172 pages. Ages 13-16

Coman, Carolyn. Many Stones. Front Street, 2000. 158 pages. Ages 14 - 18

Creech, Sharon. The Unfinished Angel. Joanna Cotler Books / HarperCollins, 2009. 164 pages. Ages 8 - 11

Woodson, Jacqueline . Peace, Locomotion . Putnam, 2009. 134 pages. Ages 10 - 13

Paths to Peace: Ideas and Action for Change -- Non-Fiction

. We Are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures. Frances Lincoln, 2008. 64 pages. Age 5 and older

Alsenas, Linas . Gay America: Struggle for Equality. Amulet, 2008. 160 pages. Age 12 and older

DeSaix, Deborah Durland and Karen Gray Ruelle . Hidden on the Mountain: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon. Holiday House , 2007. 275 pages. Ages 10-15

Levine, Karen. Hana's Suitcase: A True Story. Albert Whitman, 2003. 109 pages. Ages 9-14

Lewis, Barbara A.. The Kid's Guide to Social Action. Free Spirit Press (Revised Edition), 1998. 211 pages. Age 9 and older

Nivola, Claire A.. Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. 32 pages. Ages 8-12

Partridge, Elizabeth. Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary. Viking, 2009. 72 pages. Ages 11 and older

Roads of Heartbreak: The Costs of Conflict and Injustice -- Picture Books

Birtha, Becky. Grandmama's Pride. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. Albert Whitman, 2005. 32 pages. Ages 6-9

Greenfield, Eloise. When the Horses Ride By: Children in the Times of War. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Lee & Low, 2006. 36 pages. Ages 9-12

Karen Lynn, Williams and Khadra Mohammed . Four Feet, Two Sandals. Illustrated by Doug Chayka. Eerdmans, 2007. 32 pages. Ages 7-11

Russo, Marisabina. Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II. An Anne Schwartz Book / Atheneum, 2005. 48 pages. Ages 7-10

Santiago, Chiori. Home to Medicine Mountain. Illustrated by Judith Lowry. Children's Book Press, 1998. 32 pages. Ages 6 - 9

Skarmeta, Antonio. The Composition. Illustrated by Alfonso Ruano. U.S. edition: A Groundwood Book/Douglas & McIntyre, 2000. 36 pages. Ages 9 - 16

Smith, Icy. Half Spoon of Rice: A Survival Story of the Cambodian Genocide. Illustrated by Sopaul Nhem. East West Discovery Press, 2010. 43 pages. Ages 7 - 10

Winter, Jeanette. Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan. Beach Lane, 2009. 40 pages. Ages 6 - 10

Roads of Heartbreak: The Costs of Conflict and Injustice -- Fiction

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Where the Streets Had a Name. U.S. edition: Scholastic Press, 2010. 320 pages. Ages 12 and older

Compestine, Ying Chang. Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party. Henry Holt, 2007. 248 pages. Ages 10-14

Flake, Sharon. Money Hungry. Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2001. 187 pages. Ages 12 - 16

Frost, Helen. Crossing Stones. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009. 184 pages. Ages 13 and older

Gerstein, Mordicai. The Old Country. Roaring Brook Press, 2005. 130 pages. Ages 10-14

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. HarperCollins, 1999. 1999 pages. Ages 13 and older

Naidoo, Beverley. Out of Bounds: Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope. U.S. edition: HarperCollins, 2003. 175 pages. Ages 12 - 18

Schmidt, Gary D.. Trouble. Clarion, 2008. 297 pages. Age 13 and older

Sepetys, Ruta . Between Shades of Gray. Philomel, 2011. 352 pages. Age 14 and older

Roads of Heartbreak: The Costs of Conflict and Injustice -- Non-Fiction

Bausum, Ann. Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration. National Geographic, 2009. 111 pages. Ages 12 and older

Crowe, Chris. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Phyllis Fogelman Books / Penguin, 2003. 128 pages. 12 and older

Ellis, Deborah. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood / Douglas & McIntyre, 2004. 110 pages. Ages 12-18

Krinitz, Esther Nisenthal and Bernice Steinhardt . Memories of Survival. Hyperion, 2005. 64 pages. Age 10-18

Kuklin, Susan. No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row. Henry Holt, 2008. 212 pages. Age 14 and older

Oppenheim, Joanne. Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference. Scholastic Nonfiction / Scholastic , 2006. 287 pages. Age 11 and older

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Pantheon, 2003. 160 pages. Age 15 and older

Weatherford, Carole Boston. Birmingham, 1963. Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press, 2007. 39 pages. Age 10 and older

This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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	Awards & Best-of-the-Year Lists CCBC Bibliographies & Booklists Charlotte Zolotow Award CCBC Online Presentations CCBC Podcasts CCBC Specialized Information CCBC - Net 50 Books about Peace and Social Justice Compiled by Megan Schliesman © 2011 Cooperative Children's Book Center Originally developed in 2003 as part of a 12-month series in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the Cooperative Children's Book Center, this bibliography was updated in 2011. Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image. Complete list of CCBC bibliographies Paths to Peace: Ideas and Actions for Change -- Picture Books Gregory, Valiska. When Stories Fell Like Shooting Stars. Illustrated by Stefano Vitale. Simon & Schuster, 1996. 40 pages. Ages 6 - 10 McKee, David. The Conquerors. Handprint Books, 2004. 24 pages. Ages 3-7 Muth, Jon J.. Stone Soup. Scholastic Press, 2003. 32 pages. Ages 5 - 8 Radunsky, Vladimir. What Does Peace Feel Like?. An Anne Schwartz Book / Atheneum, 2004. 16 pages. Ages 4-8 Rumford, James. Silent Music: A Story of Bagdhad. A Neal Porter Book / Roaring Brook Press, 2008. 32 pages. Ages 7-9 Thomas, Shelley Moore. Somewhere Today: A Book of Peace. Photographed by Eric Futran. Albert Whitman, 1998. 24 pages. Ages 3 - 7 Paths to Peace: Ideas and Actions for Change -- Fiction Amnesty International. Free? Stories about Human Rights. U.S. edition: Candlewick Press, 2010. 202 pages. Ages 11 and older Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Illustrated by Ellen Fourney. Litte, Brown, 2007. 240 pages. Ages 13-16 Carmi, Daniella. Samir and Yonatan. Translated by Yael Lotan. U.S. edition: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2000. 183 pages. Age 12 and older Castellucci, Cecil and Jim Rugg . The Plain Janes. Minx, 2007. 172 pages. Ages 13-16 Coman, Carolyn. Many Stones. Front Street, 2000. 158 pages. Ages 14 - 18 Creech, Sharon. The Unfinished Angel. Joanna Cotler Books / HarperCollins, 2009. 164 pages. Ages 8 - 11 Woodson, Jacqueline . Peace, Locomotion . Putnam, 2009. 134 pages. Ages 10 - 13 Paths to Peace: Ideas and Action for Change -- Non-Fiction . We Are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures. Frances Lincoln, 2008. 64 pages. Age 5 and older Alsenas, Linas . Gay America: Struggle for Equality. Amulet, 2008. 160 pages. Age 12 and older DeSaix, Deborah Durland and Karen Gray Ruelle . Hidden on the Mountain: Stories of Children Sheltered from the Nazis in Le Chambon. Holiday House , 2007. 275 pages. Ages 10-15 Levine, Karen. Hana's Suitcase: A True Story. Albert Whitman, 2003. 109 pages. Ages 9-14 Lewis, Barbara A.. The Kid's Guide to Social Action. Free Spirit Press (Revised Edition), 1998. 211 pages. Age 9 and older Nivola, Claire A.. Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. 32 pages. Ages 8-12 Partridge, Elizabeth. Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary. Viking, 2009. 72 pages. Ages 11 and older Roads of Heartbreak: The Costs of Conflict and Injustice -- Picture Books Birtha, Becky. Grandmama's Pride. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. Albert Whitman, 2005. 32 pages. Ages 6-9 Greenfield, Eloise. When the Horses Ride By: Children in the Times of War. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Lee & Low, 2006. 36 pages. Ages 9-12 Karen Lynn, Williams and Khadra Mohammed . Four Feet, Two Sandals. Illustrated by Doug Chayka. Eerdmans, 2007. 32 pages. Ages 7-11 Russo, Marisabina. Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II. An Anne Schwartz Book / Atheneum, 2005. 48 pages. Ages 7-10 Santiago, Chiori. Home to Medicine Mountain. Illustrated by Judith Lowry. Children's Book Press, 1998. 32 pages. Ages 6 - 9 Skarmeta, Antonio. The Composition. Illustrated by Alfonso Ruano. U.S. edition: A Groundwood Book/Douglas & McIntyre, 2000. 36 pages. Ages 9 - 16 Smith, Icy. Half Spoon of Rice: A Survival Story of the Cambodian Genocide. Illustrated by Sopaul Nhem. East West Discovery Press, 2010. 43 pages. Ages 7 - 10 Winter, Jeanette. Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan. Beach Lane, 2009. 40 pages. Ages 6 - 10 Roads of Heartbreak: The Costs of Conflict and Injustice -- Fiction Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Where the Streets Had a Name. U.S. edition: Scholastic Press, 2010. 320 pages. Ages 12 and older Compestine, Ying Chang. Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party. Henry Holt, 2007. 248 pages. Ages 10-14 Flake, Sharon. Money Hungry. Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2001. 187 pages. Ages 12 - 16 Frost, Helen. Crossing Stones. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2009. 184 pages. Ages 13 and older Gerstein, Mordicai. The Old Country. Roaring Brook Press, 2005. 130 pages. Ages 10-14 Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. HarperCollins, 1999. 1999 pages. Ages 13 and older Naidoo, Beverley. Out of Bounds: Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope. U.S. edition: HarperCollins, 2003. 175 pages. Ages 12 - 18 Schmidt, Gary D.. Trouble. Clarion, 2008. 297 pages. Age 13 and older Sepetys, Ruta . Between Shades of Gray. Philomel, 2011. 352 pages. Age 14 and older Roads of Heartbreak: The Costs of Conflict and Injustice -- Non-Fiction Bausum, Ann. Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration. National Geographic, 2009. 111 pages. Ages 12 and older Crowe, Chris. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Phyllis Fogelman Books / Penguin, 2003. 128 pages. 12 and older Ellis, Deborah. Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Groundwood / Douglas & McIntyre, 2004. 110 pages. Ages 12-18 Krinitz, Esther Nisenthal and Bernice Steinhardt . Memories of Survival. Hyperion, 2005. 64 pages. Age 10-18 Kuklin, Susan. No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row. Henry Holt, 2008. 212 pages. Age 14 and older Oppenheim, Joanne. Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference. Scholastic Nonfiction / Scholastic , 2006. 287 pages. Age 11 and older Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood. Pantheon, 2003. 160 pages. Age 15 and older Weatherford, Carole Boston. Birmingham, 1963. Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press, 2007. 39 pages. Age 10 and older This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.