Books in this category address a wide range of historical and current forms of bigotry, prejudice that is both intentional and systemic and prejudice that is unintentional, but just as hurtful. In some books prejudice is the primary focus of the story; in others it is part of the fabric of the book but not its central theme.
This is whichCatvalue: 6
All Books in the Prejudice & Discrimination Category
The Bus Ride William Miller (Author), John Ward (Illustrator) A young African-American child protests an unjust law in this story loosely based on Rosa Parks' historic refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1953. [Grade Level: K - 3]
The Butterfly Written and Illustrated by Patricia Polacco A young French girl living in Nazi Europe discovers that her mother has been hiding a Jewish family in their home; the story of the author's aunt's childhood in WW II France. [Grade Level: K - 3]
Carla's Sandwich Debbie Herman (Author), Sheila Bailey (Illustrator) Carla likes to bring in creative lunches to eat in school. Carla's classmates tease her because they think it is "unusual". [Grade Level: Pre-K - 3]
Cartas a mi mama Teresa Cardenas (Author), David Unger (Adapter) The narrator of Cartas a mi mamá is a young Afro-Cuban girl who, upon the death of her mother, is forced to live with her aunt and cousins who tease and taunt her about her dark skin color. To keep her mother’s memory alive, and to remember that she was once deeply loved for who she is, she writes letters telling "Mami" what she is feeling. [Grade Level: 6 & Up]
Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl's Baseball Dream Crystal Hubbard (Author), Randy Duburke (Illustrator) Marcenia Lyle wants to be a professional baseball player, but her parents make clear that the only jobs available to African American women in that time (the 1930s) are teacher, nurse and maid. When the St. Louis Cardinals manager forms a baseball camp, he denies admission to Marcenia because of her gender. However, Marcenia dazzles him with her skill until he agrees to let her join. An afterword reveals that Marcenia, under the name Toni Stone, became the first female member of an all-male baseball team, filling the spot vacated by Hank Aaron when he joined the Major Leagues. [Grade Level: 1 - 4]
The Cats in Krasinski Square Karen Hesse (Author), Wendy Watson (Illustrator) When Karen Hesse came upon a short article about cats out-foxing the Gestapo at the train station in Warsaw during WWII, she couldn't get the story out of her mind. The result is this account of two Jewish sisters, escapees of the infamous Warsaw ghetto, who devise a plan to thwart an attempt by the Gestapo to intercept food bound for starving people behind the dark Wall. [Grade Level: 2 - 5]
Chernowitz! Written by Fran Arrick The story of a Jewish boy who is routinely taunted and teased by a school bully whose anti-Semitic antics escalate. [Grade Level: 4 - 6]
