Durham Friends Meeting, Peace & Social Concerns Committee
As members of the religious Society of Friends we have a deep and abiding concern for social justice and racial equity. Values such as community, equality, and harmony are central to our approach and advocating for social justice in the greater community is an important expression of our values. This project grew out of a series of discussions focused on becoming antiracist.
What is the Social Justice Enrichment Project?
Participating teachers will be given a set of children’s books and some teaching resources that focus on the development of social justice in children ages 5-8. We will begin with a small group of teachers, recruiting pairs of teachers from four schools in the Durham Friends Meeting catchment area. Teachers will be able to use the books and resources to enhance their social studies and language arts curriculum as they chose. We will ask for feedback from the teachers mid-year and near the end of the school year. This important information will help us refine the project for the future. We will look for the easiest way for teachers to share their experiences with us, possibly Zoom meetings where they can hear the experiences of others.
Why a focus on young children?
Children in the early elementary grades are developing the values that will guide their behavior throughout their lives. They are focused on the fairness of things and learning to play games with winners and losers as well as working together collaboratively. They are participating in group settings which require rules to function smoothly and fairly. Some Maine children are participating in school communities that are increasingly diverse, but at the same time see mostly white people in positions of power. In preparing our children to be part of the global economy we what them to have a solid foundation in working with people from backgrounds different from themselves. When other cultures are not represented in the classroom, the importance of children’s literature increases.
What are the project goals?
We are selecting children’s books and teaching resources that will help the children:
- Gain understanding and appreciation for diverse peoples and ways of life,
- Build and empathic way of viewing life situations,
- See the value of working collaboratively for the benefit of all,
- Learn about people who work non-violently for justice and equity,
- Learn the importance of caring for the natural world, and
- Learn some history of the Wabanaki peoples of Maine and other Native people.
| Title & Author | Ages | About | Notes/Goals |
| Be Kind, Pat Zietlow Miller | 3-6 | A multicultural picture book about kindness. | 1, 2 |
| Say Something, Peter Reynolds | 4-7 | Powerful story about finding your voice and using it to make the world better. | 1 |
| I Am Enough, Grace Byers | 3-6 | Love who you are, respect one another and be kind to others. | 1 |
| I Believe I Can, Grace Byers | 3-7 | Love and believe in yourself. Affirmation for boys and girls of every background. | 1 |
| Same Same but Different, Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw | 4-7 | Two pen pals, one in the US and one in India, learn about the similarities in their lives along with the differences. | 1 |
| The Word Collector, Peter Reynolds | 4-7 | Named outstanding literary work by NAACP it is about a boy who collects words. | 1 |
| Joseph’s Big Ride, Terry Farish | 4-7 | African refugee comes to US, makes friend and learns to ride bike. | 1, 2 |
| For You are a Kenyan Child, Kelly Cunnane | 3-8 | Introduces life in a Kenyan village through the daily experiences of a little boy | 1 |
| Last Stop on Market Street, Matt De La Pena | 3-6 | Newbury and Coretta Scott King awards winner. | 1, 2 |
| I Love You Like Crazy Cakes, Rose A. Lewis | 3-6 | Story of a woman traveling to China to adopt a baby. | 1 |
| Harriet Gets Carried Away, Jessie Sima | 4-8 | Harriet loves to get dressed up. While her dads prepare her birthday party she dresses as a penguin and imagines being carried away by penguins. | 1 |
| Julian is a Mermaid, Jessica Love | 4-8 | In this celebration of individuality Julian imagines himself as a mermaid. | 1 |
| Julian at the Wedding, Jessica Love | 4-8 | Continuing with the theme of individuality Julian makes a friend, Marisol at a wedding. Marisol gets dirty and Julian wears her flower crown. | 1 |
| Mommy, Mama, and Me, Leslea Newman | 3-7 | A toddler spends the day with two mommies. | 1 |
| When Aidan Became a Brother, Kyle Lukoff | 4-7 | Story of a family’s adjustment to having a transgender child, and their preparation for a new baby. Stonewall Book Award winner. | 1 |
| Ruby’s Wish, Shirin Yin Bridges | 6-10 | Introduces the Chinese tradition of favoring boys, but Ruby wants to go to the university instead of getting married. | 1 |
| She Persisted, Chelsea Clinton | 7-8 | Introduces 13 inspirational women who never took no for an answer. | 1 |
| Dear Librarian, Lydia M. Sigwarth | 4-8 | Homeless girl’s life is changed when she discovers the library. | 1, 2 |
| The Runaway Rice Cake, Ying Chang Compestine | 5-8 | An act of generosity and compassion is rewarded at the time of a Chinese New Year. | 1, 2 |
| Lyla’s Happiness, Mariahdessa Tallie | 4-8 | Lyla exudes happiness, confidence, and comfort in her own skin. | 1, 2 |
| This is How We Do It, Matt La Lamonthe | 6-8 | One day in the lives of 7 children from around the world. | 1 |
| The Proudest Blue, Ibtihaj Muhammad | 5-9 | The first day of school in a hijab and learning to deal with hurtful words. | 1 |
| My Name is Sangoel, Karen Williams & Khadra Mohammed | 6-8 | A refugee from Sudan finds the U.S. a strange place and has trouble teaching his classmates to pronounce his name. | 1, 2 |
| Tar Beach, Faith Ringgold | 5-8 | Coretta Scott King & Caldecott winner. Magical story that begins on the roof top of a Harlem apartment building. | 1, 2 |
| The Day You Begin, Jacqueline Woodson | 5-8 | The difficulties of entering new places where everyone seems different from you. | 1, 2 |
| Thank You, Omu! Oge Mora | 4-8 | Generous Omu gives away all her stew and is then rewarded by her community. | 1, 2 |
| Sugar in Milk, Thirty Umrigar | 4-8 or 6-8 | Persian legend about embracing change, accepting others, and living in a diverse society. | 1, 2 |
| A World of Kindness, Ann Featherstone | 4-6 | Asks children where they will show kindness to others. Shows impact of everyday social interactions. | 2 |
| What is Given from the Heart, Patricia McKissack | 4-8 | Coretta Scott King award winner. African-American story about generosity even in difficult times. | 1, 2, 3 |
| Let the Children March, Monica Clark-Robinson | 6-9 | The true story of children who marched against Jim Crow laws in Birmingham AL in 1963. Illustrator won Coretta Scott King Honor. | 1, 3, 4 |
| I’m Sorry, Barry Timms | 3-6 | Best friends quarrel and find a way to say “I’m sorry” and mend their relationship. | 2, 3 |
| The Buddy Bench, Patty Brozo | 4-6 | Children make plans to have buddies rather than have anyone be lonely. | 2, 3, 4 |
| Strictly No Elephants, Lisa Mantchev | 2-5 | A story about inclusion told through a pet club. | 2, 3, 4 |
| Lessons from Mother Earth, Elain McCloud | 3-6 | This Native American story teaches appreciation and care for the natural world. | 1, 2, 5, 6 |
| We are Water Protectors, Carole Lindstrom | 3-7 | Inspired by Indigenous led movements to protect the water. Won Caldecott Medal. | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 |
| Title & Author | Ages | About | Notes |
| Wangari’s Trees of Peace, Jeanette Winter | 4-7 | Based on a true story, Wangari won Nobel Peace Prize for her tree planting in Kenya. | 1, 4, 5 |
| Most People, Michael Leannah | 2-7 | An antidote to scary images children see. Two children navigate the city noticing many acts of kindness. | 1, 2, 3 |
| Title & Author | Ages | About | Notes | ||
| The Story of Ruby Bridges, Robert Coles | 6-9 | In 1960 a judge orders a black 6 year old, Ruby, to attend a white school. The story displays Ruby’s courage in the face of much adversity. | 1, 2, 4 | ||
| Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, Deborah Hopkinson | 3-7 | Clara, a slave, makes a map to the underground railroad in a quilt. | 1, 4 | ||
| America my Love, America my Heart, Daria Peoples-Riley | 6-8 | Asks questions children of color have about America | |||
| So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom, Gary Schmidt | 8-10 | Biography of giant in the civil rights struggle. | 2, 4 | ||
| Desmond and the Very Mean Word, Desmond Tutu | 6-9 2nd | Based on true stories of Desmond Tutu’s childhood. | 1, 4 | ||
| The First Blade of Sweetgrass, Suzanne Greenlaw | 6-8 | About Wabanaki basket making. Available early Aug. | 1, 6 | ||
| The Canoe Maker, Jean Flahive & Donald Soctomah | 5-9 | Based on the life of David Moses Bridges, a Passamaquoddy Birch Bark Artist. This is the story of David teaching his son to make birch bark canoes. | 1, 5, 6 | ||
| Thanks to the Animals, Alan Sockabasin | 6-8 | Passamaquoddy folk tale. Named to top 10 Native American books for elementary schools by American Indians in Children’s Literature. | 1, 5, 6 | ||
| Circle of Thanks, Susi Gregg Fowler | 4 & up | Alaskan Native boy and his mother have an adventure on the tundra. Provides an example of the interdependence of the. Natural world. | 1, 3, 5, 6 | ||
| A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story, Sharon Langley & Amy Norton | 6-9 | In 1963 a community collaborates to desegregate an amusement park in Maryland. | 2, 3, 4 | ||
| When We are Kind, Monique Gray Smith | 3-5 | Celebrates simple acts of kindness with Indigenous characters. | 1, 2, 5, 6 | ||
| Title & Author | Older | About | Notes | ||
| We are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know, Traci Sorell | 9 and up | Historical & contemporary laws, policies, struggles, & victories in Native life. | 1, 2, 6 | ||
| Ten Amazing People and How They Changed the World, Maura Shaw | 9-11 | Stories of ten famous people who worked to make the world a better place. | 4 | ||
| Freedom Over Me, Ashley Bryan | 8-10 | Using original estate documents that list 11 slave names, sex, and prices; the author creates stories of each slaves lives and dreams. A Newberry Honor Book | 1, 2 | ||
