Description: The book examines social issues prevalent in nonfiction literature and texts for children, their impact on society, and offers ideas on how educators might guide students to engage these issues effectively and critically.
Brief description: Vivian Yenika-Agbaw is professor of children's literature and literacy at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park. She teaches courses on children's and adolescent literature.
Review Quotes:
"Facts...or alternative facts. Now is an era when critical reading of nonfiction texts is vitally important, a need which this timely volume addresses. Its nine chapters focus on some of the most pressing issues of our time--racism, immigration, bullying--framed by critical lenses and demonstrated through teaching examples and current, noteworthy nonfiction titles. A new important resource for both classroom practitioners and teacher educators who empower students to strive for social justice!" --Barbara Lehman, professor emeritus, The Ohio State University
"Reading this book feels like participating in a seminar in social justice literature. The authors present a wide variety of voices that make readers eager to dive into the examined texts. Chapter by chapter, readers will gain inspiration and courage to modify their teaching. Classroom by classroom, this book will help change the world." --Janet Wong, co-author, "HERE WE GO: A Poetry Friday Power Book" "This book is a timely, much-needed resource for teachers who seek to engage their students in examining the issues of equality and power that we all face in today's complex and interconnected world. Using nonfiction literature as a springboard, teachers can tap into the examples and strategies provided to promote critical inquiry and dialogue in the safe space of their classrooms. The authors show teachers how to spur students to dig deeper into a wide range of social justice topics, using a problem-posing stance to investigate point-of-view, subjectivity, and accuracy of nonfiction literature." --Gail V. Ritchie, PhD, National Board Certified Teacher, retired instructional coach, Fairfax County Public Schools