Children's Books - Human Rights
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Character Education/Citizen Activism
Environmental Preservation
Animal Protection
Food and Diet
Media, Culture & Consumerism
Human Rights:
Fiction - Picture Books:
My Pal Victor/Mi Amigo, Victor by Diane Gonzales Bertrand. 2004 (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
Why is Victor such a great friend? Dominic explains just how special he is, from his terrific stories to his fabulous floating frog stroke.
Bilingual. Friendship. People with disabilities.
Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting. 1991. (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
A young boy talks about his and his father’s lives living in an airport and has hope for himself when he sees a trapped bird find freedom.
Birds. Homeless.
Shin-chi’s Canoe by Nicola Campbell. 2008. (40 pgs) Gr. 1-5.
Shi-shi-etko and her brother Shin-chi are forced to leave their family and attend a boarding school far away, where they are taught the White ways of living and learning. Shin-chi finds solace in the little canoe his father carved for him, until he and his sister can return to their family for the summer.
Canada. Discrimination. Family. Indians. Native Americans. Racism.
Operation Marriage by Cynthia Chin-Lee. 2011. (32 pgs) Gr. 1-4.
A few months before Prop 8 in California, Alex and her brother work to convince their two moms to have a real wedding.
Families. Gay marriage. Human rights. 
!Si, Se Puede! By Diana Cohn. 2005. (32 pgs.) gr. PreS-3. (Bilingual)
A chronicle of the April 2000 Janitor Strike in Los Angeles, told through the eyes of a young boy whose mom is one of those striking workers.
Citizen activism. Labor unions.
King and King by Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland. 2004 (32 pgs) Gr. 2-5.
A prince reluctantly agrees to marry, but none of the eligible princesses strikes his fancy...and then he meets Prince Lee.
Homosexuality. Love. Same-sex couples.
Bella’s Chocolate Surprise by Adam Guillain. 2008 (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
When Bella wonders where the chocolate from her birthday cake comes from, she’s lead on a journey to learn about fair trade chocolate in Ghana.
Child labor. Chocolate. Fair trade.
A Shelter in Our Car by Monica Gunning. 2004. (32 pgs) Gr. 1-5.
Since moving to America from Jamaica after her father died, Zettie and her mom live in their car while they both go to school and plan for a real home.
Homelessness. Perseverance.
My Name Was Hussein by Hristo Kyuchukov. 2004. (32 pgs) Gr. 1-4.
Hussein, a Muslim Roma who lives in Bulgaria, has a happy life until soldiers come and the government tells his family they all must become Christians and change their names.
Discrimination. Islam. Persecution. Religion.
Dad and Me in the Morning by Patricia Lakin. 1994 (32 pgs) Gr. K-3.
Jacob, who’s deaf, enjoys a beautiful, special sunrise at the beach with his father.
Deafness. Nature. Parents. People with disabilities. Sense of wonder.
Selavi: That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope by Youme Landowne. 2005. (40 pgs.) gr. 1-4.
Haitian street children band together and work to create a life for themselves.
Cooperation. Determination. Haiti. Homelessness. Street children.
The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern. 1997 (40 pgs) Gr. 2-5.
When two siblings discover a homeless woman living in their neighborhood, they discover how easy it can be to make a difference in someone’s life.
Generosity. Helpfulness. Homeless. Volunteering.
The Peace Book by Todd Parr. 2005 (32 pages) Gr. P-K.
Describes peace as making new friends, sharing a meal, feeling good about yourself, and more.
Peace.
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss. 1984. (56 pgs) Gr. K-5.
An allegorical tale chronicling the war between the Zooks and the Yooks over a very serious difference (how they butter their bread).
Conflict. Intolerance. War.
The Carpet Boy’s Gift by Pegi Deitz Shea. 2003. (32 pgs). Gr. 2-5.
A young boy who labors in a carpet factory is inspired by former child slave Iqbal Masih and summons the courage to fight for his freedom & lead the children in the factory to the new school in town.
Child labor. Courage. Human rights. Slavery.
The Composition by Antonio Skarmeta. 2003 (32 pgs) Gr. 2-6.
Children living under a military dictatorship are pressured to reveal “What My Family Does at Night” through writing a composition. What can Pedro do?
Freedom. Military Dictatorships. Oppression.
This Child, Every Child: A Book About the World's Children by David J. Smith. 2011. (36 pgs) Gr. 2-6.
Uses the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as a springboard to explore the lives, rights and needs of children around the world.
Children. Diversity. Human rights.
Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams. 2005. (40 pgs) Gr. 2-5.
Garang is 8 when his parents are killed and his village is destroyed. He bands together with other “lost boys” to try to find their way to a new home. (Based on a true story.)
Leadership. Orphans. Refugees. Sudan. War.
Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis. 2000. (28 pgs) Gr. PreK-2.
Simple rhyming text shows the many things that Susan can do. Only on the last page do we see her wheelchair.
Assumptions. Individuality. People with disabilities.
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