Books: Fiction
Books: Fiction
Aani and the Tree Huggers
Book – Fiction. By Jeannine Atkins. Illustrated by Venantius J. Pinto. 2000. 32 pages.
Based on an event that took place in India in the 1970s, children and women in the village hug the trees to save them from being logged.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Book – Fiction. By Sherman Alexie. 2007. 288 pages.
Coming-of-age-tale set on Spokane Indian Reservation.
Alligator Bayou
Book – Fiction. By Donna Jo Napoli. 2010. 288 pages.
Historical fiction for young adults based on the true story of the lynching of Italian Americans in late 19th century Louisiana.
Behind the Mountains
Book – Fiction. By Edwidge Danticat. 2004. 166 pages.
A riveting novel detailing the struggles of a young Haitian girl as she adjusts to life in New York.
The Birchbark House
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 1999. 244 pages.
Historical fiction set in the mid-19th century in the Lake Superior area.
The Bobbin Girl
Book – Fiction. By Emily Arnold McCully. 1996. 36 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary based on a true story about the Lowell textile workers.
A Boy from Ireland
Book – Fiction. By Marie Raphael. 2007. 224 pages. Ages 12+.
Historical fiction about the life of the Irish in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century.
Bread and Roses, Too
Book – Fiction. By Katherine Paterson. 2006. 275 pages.
Moving young adult historical-fiction novel based on a major strike in Lawrence, Mass. in 1912.
Bull Run
Book – Fiction. By Paul Fleischman. 1993. 128 pages.
A historical novel for middle school and above about the Civil War Battle of Bull Run drama told in sixteen voices.
Catch a Tiger by the Toe
Book – Fiction. By Ellen Levine. 2005. 176 pages.
A historical novel for middle school on McCarthyism.
Democracy & Citizenship, Labor, Laws & Citizen Rights, Media
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Book – Fiction. By Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2000. 32 pages.
A barnyard struggle where the cows go on strike and the farmer is forced to negotiate.
Crow
Book – Fiction. By Barbarba Wright. 2012. 304 pages.
A Reconstruction era African American community violently loses its freedom in turn of the century North Carolina.
African American, Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Media
Dzání Yázhí Naazbaa’: Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home
Book – Fiction. By Evangeline Parsons Yazzie. Illustrated by Irving Toddy. 2005. 32 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary about the Navajo Long Walk (forced removal by U.S. soldiers) of 1863-1864.
Fire in the Hole!
Book – Fiction. By Mary Cronk Farrell. 2004. 176 pages.
Based on the true story of a silver miners’ strike in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the book shows the desperate conditions of miners’ lives and how the striking miners were detained illegally in a late 19th century version of Guantanamo.
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule
Book – Fiction. By Harriette Gillem Robinet. 1998. 144 pages.
Historical fiction featuring 12-year-old Pascal, 8-year-old Nellie and their older brother Gideon, Union Army aide, as they claim and farm the land promised to them during Reconstruction.
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
Book – Fiction. By Carole Boston Weatherford. 2007. 32 pages.
Historical fiction in an upper elementary picture book about the Greensboro sit-ins.
Freedom Road
Book – Fiction. By Howard Fast. 1944. 294 pages.
This politics and economics of Reconstruction told through memorable historical fiction.
Freedom School, Yes!
Book – Fiction. By Amy Littlesugar. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 2001. 40 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary about the 1964 Freedom Schools.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
The Game of Silence
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 2006. 288 pages.
The second in a series of novels for middle school and high school students about an Ojibwe family in the mid-19th century. The story parallels the time of the widely read Little House on the Prairie.
The Great Migration: Journey to the North
Book – Fiction. By Eloise Greenfield. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. 2011. 32 pages.
A picture book that introduces the historic story of the Great Migration to young readers.
Haymarket: A Novel
Book – Fiction. By Martin Duberman. 2005. 330 pages.
Historical novel for high school and adults on the Haymarket struggle.
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a celebration of poetry with a beat
Book – Fiction. Edited by Nikki Giovanni. 2008. 80 pages and CD.
A celebration of poetry with a beat. Includes CD with selected recordings of poems and historical background.
Hope For Haiti
Book – Fiction. By Jesse Joshua Watson. 2010. 32 pages.
A boy lives through the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and finds hope amid the hardships of the aftermath.
Hurricane Dancers
Book – Fiction. By Margarita Engle. 2011. 160 pages.
Historical fiction in the form of poetry about the conquest and resistance.
Journey of Dreams
Book – Fiction. By Marge Pellegrino. 2009. 250 pages.
Historical fiction for young adult readers about the experience of Central American refugees and the long journey north.
Kid Blink Beats the World
Book – Fiction. By Don Brown. 2004. 32 pages.
The story of the 1899 strike by the children who sold newspapers on the street.
Little Brother
Book – Fiction. By Cory Doctorow. 2008. 384 pages.
A contemporary novel for teenagers that explores Homeland Security and freedom of speech in the post-9/11 United States.
Lyddie
Book – Fiction. By Katherine Paterson. 1995. 192 pages.
A young girl works in the mills and gets involved in labor activism.
Missing From Haymarket Square
Book – Fiction. By Harriette Gillem Robinet. 2003. 142 pages.
Historical fiction chapter book on the Haymarket labor struggles and massacre.
Mississippi Trial, 1955
Book – Fiction. By Chris Crowe. 2003. 240 pages.
Historical fiction for high school students about the murder of Emmett Till.
A Moment in the Sun
Book – Fiction. By John Sayles. 2011. 968 pages.
Spanning five years and half a dozen countries, Sayles’ novel paints a picture of the late 1890s — from the racist coup in Wilmington, North Carolina, to the bloody dawn of U.S. interventionism in Cuba and the Philippines.
My Mother the Cheerleader
Book – Fiction. By Robert Sharenow. 2007. 304 pages.
Louise’s mother spends her mornings at the local elementary school with a group of women known as the Cheerleaders, who harass the school’s first black student, six-year-old Ruby Bridges.
Nettie’s Trip South
Book – Fiction. By Ann Turner and Ronald Himler. 1995. 32 pages.
Based on the diary of the author’s great-grandmother, this is a poignant and compelling look at slavery through the eyes of a young girl.
Ninth Ward
Book – Fiction. by Jewell Parker Rhodes. 2010. 217 pages.
Through this historical fiction, middle and high school readers can learn about the devastation caused by the levees breaking in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the how people drew on their wits, community, and history to survive.
No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller
Book – Fiction. By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Artwork by R. Gregory Christie. 2012. 188 pages. About the life of Lewis Micheaux, owner of the famous National Memorial African Bookstore.
One Crazy Summer
Book – Fiction. By Rita Williams-Garcia. 2010. 224 pages.
Chapter book for middle school introduces readers to the Black Panthers in 1960s Oakland.
Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
Book – Fiction. By Walter Dean Myers. 2005. 40 pages. Upper elementary.
Sophisticated picture book on one soldier’s patrol in Vietnam.
Pink and Say
Book – Fiction. By Patricia Polacco. 1994. Upper elementary.
The narrative of two young boys who meet and help each other during the Civil War.
The Porcupine Year
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 2010. 244 pages.
The third in a series of novels for middle and high school students about an Ojibwe family in the mid-19th century. The story parallels the time of the widely read Little House on the Prairie.
Remember: The Journey to School Integration
Book – Fiction. By Toni Morrison. 2004. 80 pages. Upper elementary and above.
Fictional story and real photographs tell the story of desegregation.
Riot
Book – Fiction. By Walter Dean Myers. 2011. 176 pages.
Historical novel for young adults about the 1863 draft riots in New York.
The Rock and the River
Book – Fiction. By Kekla Magoon. 2010. 304 pages.
Coming-of-age story that shows the close connections between the civil rights and black power movements through an intimate and relatable lens.
Ruth and the Green Book
Book – Fiction. By Calvin Alexander Ramsey. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 2010. 32 pages.
Historical fiction for children about travels through the South during Jim Crow and the networks of support and services listed in The Green Book.
Sacred Leaf
Book – Fiction. By Deborah Ellis. 2009. 206 pages.
A story based in Bolivia about a group of peasants who organize against the military.
Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow
Book – Fiction. 96 pages. 2007. By James Sturm and Rich Tommaso with an introduction by Gerald Early.
Told from the point of view of a sharecropper, this narrative in graphic novel format follows baseball champion Satchel Paige as he travels throughout the segregated South.
Scraps of Time 1928: A Song for Harlem
Book – Fiction. By Patricia C. McKissack. 2007. 108 pages.
Story for young readers about a 12-year-old girl’s education during the Harlem Renaissance with Zora Neale Hurston as her teacher.
Scraps of Time: Abby Takes a Stand, 1960
Book – Fiction. By Patricia McKissack. 2006. 112 pages. For ages 9+.
Historical fiction about the lunch counter sit-ins.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity, Social Class
¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A.
Book – Fiction. By Diana Cohn and illustrated by Francisco Delgado. 2008. 31 pages.
A children’s book based on the true story of the Justice for Janitors strike.
The Streets are Free
Book – Fiction. By Karusa. Illustrated by Monica Doppert. 1985 (reissued 2008). 48 pages.
A group of children organize to convince the mayor that they need a playground and when they do not get it they organize the neighbors to help them build one.
Sunrise Over Fallujah
Book – Fiction. By Walter Dean Myers.
Young adult novel about a U.S. soldier in Iraq. In addition to the day to day experiences of the war, Walter Dean Myers weaves in the limited media coverage of the war and raises questions about the US government “intelligence.”
Swimmy
Book – Fiction. By Leo Lionni. 1973. 32 pages.
A classic tale for young children about the power of organizing.
Sylvia & Aki
Book – Historical fiction. By Winifred Conkling. 2011. 160 pages.
Based on the true story of two girls who meet in 1940s California and a landmark lawsuit on education.
Asian American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Latino, Laws & Citizen Rights, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
A Thousand Never Evers
Book – Fiction. By Shana Burg. 2008. 320 pages.
Set in 1963 Mississippi, this historical fiction introduces middle/high school readers to the life at that time through the experiences of 12-year-old Addie Ann Pickett.
Tough Times
Book – Fiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2007. 176 pages.
A historical novel about a child of immigrants during the Great Depression, including his participation in the Bonus March.
Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba
Book – Fiction. 2009. 208 pages. Daniel has escaped Nazi Germany and must make his way in Cuba once New York turns away his ship full of refugees.
Immigration, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Trouble in Timbuktu
Book – Fiction. By Cristina Kessler. 2009. 368 pages.
Two young people take great risks to protect the ancient manuscripts of their city from being stolen by two tourists.
Underground Man
Book – Fiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2006. 288 pages.
An historically accurate novel on abolitionists and the Underground Railroad for middle school readers.
Uprising
Book – Fiction. By Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2007. 352 pages.
Three young women march against unfair labor practices in the Shirtwaist Strike of 1909-10, only to find themselves engulfed in the raging flames consuming the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.
Zora and Me
Book – Fiction. By Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon. 2010. 186 pages.
A coming-of-age story inspired by the early life of Zora Neale Hurston for ages 10 and up.
Picture Books
Aani and the Tree Huggers
Book – Fiction. By Jeannine Atkins. Illustrated by Venantius J. Pinto. 2000. 32 pages.
Based on an event that took place in India in the 1970s, children and women in the village hug the trees to save them from being logged.
The Bobbin Girl
Book – Fiction. By Emily Arnold McCully. 1996. 36 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary based on a true story about the Lowell textile workers.
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Book – Fiction. By Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2000. 32 pages.
A barnyard struggle where the cows go on strike and the farmer is forced to negotiate.
Dzání Yázhí Naazbaa’: Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home
Book – Fiction. By Evangeline Parsons Yazzie. Illustrated by Irving Toddy. 2005. 32 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary about the Navajo Long Walk (forced removal by U.S. soldiers) of 1863-1864.
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
Book – Fiction. By Carole Boston Weatherford. 2007. 32 pages.
Historical fiction in an upper elementary picture book about the Greensboro sit-ins.
Freedom School, Yes!
Book – Fiction. By Amy Littlesugar. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 2001. 40 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary about the 1964 Freedom Schools.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a celebration of poetry with a beat
Book – Fiction. Edited by Nikki Giovanni. 2008. 80 pages and CD.
A celebration of poetry with a beat. Includes CD with selected recordings of poems and historical background.
Kid Blink Beats the World
Book – Fiction. By Don Brown. 2004. 32 pages.
The story of the 1899 strike by the children who sold newspapers on the street.
Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
Book – Fiction. By Walter Dean Myers. 2005. 40 pages. Upper elementary.
Sophisticated picture book on one soldier’s patrol in Vietnam.
Pink and Say
Book – Fiction. By Patricia Polacco. 1994. Upper elementary.
The narrative of two young boys who meet and help each other during the Civil War.
Ruth and the Green Book
Book – Fiction. By Calvin Alexander Ramsey. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 2010. 32 pages.
Historical fiction for children about travels through the South during Jim Crow and the networks of support and services listed in The Green Book.
¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A.
Book – Fiction. By Diana Cohn and illustrated by Francisco Delgado. 2008. 31 pages.
A children’s book based on the true story of the Justice for Janitors strike.
The Streets are Free
Book – Fiction. By Karusa. Illustrated by Monica Doppert. 1985 (reissued 2008). 48 pages.
A group of children organize to convince the mayor that they need a playground and when they do not get it they organize the neighbors to help them build one.
Swimmy
Book – Fiction. By Leo Lionni. 1973. 32 pages.
A classic tale for young children about the power of organizing.
Spanish/Bilingual
¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A.
Book – Fiction. By Diana Cohn and illustrated by Francisco Delgado. 2008. 31 pages.
A children’s book based on the true story of the Justice for Janitors strike.
List of Resources
- Articles
- Audio
- Books: Fiction
- Books: Non-Fiction
- Films
- Picture Books
- Posters
- Profiles
- Songs and Poems
- Spanish/Bilingual
- Teaching Activity PDFs
- Teaching Guides
- Websites
