Social justice is the pursuit of fairness in society based on the belief that all people deserve equal opportunities and rights. We curated the following study guide collection (including books for middle-grade and young adult readers) to help readers get the most out of books that cover contemporary issues and topics in social justice.
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Sociology, Race / Racism, History: U.S., History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America, Patrick Phillips’ first nonfictional book, is an expertly crafted narrative of the horrific racial violence that took place during the 20th century in Forsyth County, Georgia. Published in 2016, the book quickly gained critical acclaim from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and the Smithsonian. The skillfully researched text includes primary documents from turn of the century Forsyth, in addition to descriptions based on recent... Read Blood at the Root Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Blood in the Water is a 2016 historical non-fiction book written by American historian Heather Ann Thompson. In it, she explores the uprising at Attica prison in New York State in 1971 and its bloody suppression by the state. As well as the causes of these events, Blood in the Water looks at their legal and political aftermath, in terms of both the state’s prosecution of prisoners and inmate efforts to find justice for violence... Read Blood in the Water Summary
Publication year 1962
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Lyric Poem, Free verse, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Cold War, American Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Poverty, Indian Literature, Class, Politics / Government, Incarceration, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Mental Illness, Social Justice, History: U.S., Biography
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Black Arts Movement
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Incarceration, Internet Culture / Social Media, Journalism, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Politics / Government, Psychology, Relationships, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Social Justice
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Music, Society: Community
Tags Arts / Culture, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Social Justice, Poverty, Music
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Young Adult Edition) is an abridged version of the original 2005 non-fiction historical account of the origin and evolution of hip-hop culture written by Jeff Chang and David “Davey D” Cook. Jeff Chang is an American journalist, music critic, and historian who, in 1993, co-founded the hip-hop label Solesides, which aided in the launching of artists like DJ Shadow and Blackalicious. Jeff Chang earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the... Read Can't Stop Won't Stop (Young Adult Edition) Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter, History: U.S., Sociology, History: World, Social Justice
Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is a 2020 historical and narrative nonfiction work about the nature of inequality in the United States, India, and Nazi Germany. Wilkerson is a writer and former journalist, best known for her work in the New York Times, for which she received a Pulitzer Prize. She achieved further acclaim with her 2010 work, The Warmth of Other Suns. Wilkerson has also taught journalism at many colleges and... Read Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Satire, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, Business / Economics, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Incarceration, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Social Justice, Fantasy
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Sociology, Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology
Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs is a 2015 work of investigative nonfiction by British-Swiss author Johann Hari. Hari explores the so-called international war on drugs by looking deeply into its historical roots, its legal and social implications, and the possibility for reform. He examines addiction and the consequences of past and present drug laws across nine continents and 30,000 miles. A major focus is the criminalization and... Read Chasing the Scream Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Black Lives Matter, Creative Nonfiction, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric is a genre-bending meditation on race, racism, and citizenship in 21st-century America. Published in 2014, Citizen combines prose, poetry, and images to paint a provocative portrait of the African American experience and racism in the so-called “post-racial” United States. Claudia Rankine is an essayist, poet, playwright and the editor of several anthologies; she is currently the Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry at Yale University. Citizen is the winner of... Read Citizen: An American Lyric Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education
Tags Poverty, Social Justice, Education, Education, Sociology, Biography, Politics / Government
Publication year 2009
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Anthropology, Class, Depression / Suicide, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Sociology, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Cloud Atlas is a 2004 dystopian novel by British author David Mitchell. The sprawling narrative is composed of a series of nested stories, spanning centuries into the past and the future. In addition to winning numerous literary and science fiction awards, the novel was adapted into a 2012 film of the same name. This guide uses the 2014 Sceptre edition of Cloud Atlas.Content Warning: The novel and this guide depict slavery and discuss racism, death... Read Cloud Atlas Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: African , Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Technology, Social Justice, Science / Nature, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Black Lives Matter, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Class, Incarceration, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World