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 1933
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice
Publication year 2016
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Relationships, African American Literature, Education, Education, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Social Justice, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Politics / Government, Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, Sociology, History: World, Social Justice
Steve Bogira’s nonfiction work Courtroom 302: A Year Behind the Scenes in an American Criminal Courthouse was published in 2005. Bogira, as a Chicago native and long-time writer for the Chicago Reader, is a social justice advocate and focuses much of his work on poverty and segregation. The work addresses themes of The Injustices of the US Justice System, The Prison-Industrial Complex, and The Influences of Corruption and Politics on Criminal Courts.Content Warning: The source... Read Courtroom 302 Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Science / Nature, Social Justice
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Education
Tags Social Justice, Race / Racism, Education
Publication year 1969
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice
Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto was written in 1969 by Vine Deloria Jr., a historian, theologian, activist, and member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. The work explores the oppression and exploitation of Native people in the United States, outlines the history of Indian resistance, and recommends a course of action for modern Indigenous people. Extremely influential in the 1960s and 1970s Native American Movement, Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto remains... Read Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto Summary
Publication year 1993
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Social Justice, Crime / Legal, Incarceration, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, Biography
Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States is a memoir originally published in 1993 by Sister Helen Prejean. In the book, Prejean, a Catholic nun with the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille (now the Congregation of Saint Joseph), describes her ministry to death-row inmates Elmo Patrick Sonnier and Robert Lee Willie in Louisiana in the early 1980s. Her experience with Sonnier, who was ultimately put to death... Read Dead Man Walking Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Race / Racism, LGBTQ, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Biography
Dear America—Notes of an Undocumented Citizen is a collection of essays written by Jose Antonio Vargas, published in 2018. The book relates the author’s struggle of coming to the United States from the Philippines in an illegal manner and growing up in America without the full documentation that would have made him a legal immigrant.As a 12-year-old boy in the Philippines, the author is surprised by his mother one morning. She rushes him to the... Read Dear America Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender
Tags Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Social Justice, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Education, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race
Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
Dear Martin by Nic Stone was originally published in 2017. It is a work of realistic fiction that provides a frank depiction of identity, racism, and adolescence in contemporary America. The New York Times bestseller also gained attention when it was named as a finalist for the William C. Morris Award. Stone's other well-known works include Dear Justyce (2020) and Fast Pitch (2021).This guide uses the paperback version of the novel, published by the Ember... Read Dear Martin Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Literature, History: World, Social Justice
Publication year 2020
Genre Anthology/Varied Collection, Nonfiction
Tags Disability, Social Justice, Diversity
Publication year 1957
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2012
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Inspirational, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Class, Poverty, Incarceration, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Biography
Publication year 2005
Genre Play, Fiction
Tags Play: Drama, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Social Justice, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Doubt: A Parable is a 2005 play by John Patrick Shanley that analyzes an instance of doubt and suspicion in a Catholic school in the Bronx in the 1960s. In nine scenes, the play tells the story of principal Sister Aloysius’s suspicions about an inappropriate relationship between a priest, Father Flynn, and a young male student.The play opens with Father Flynn giving a sermon, utilizing a parable about a young sailor whose ship sinks and... Read Doubt: A Parable Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction