World Day of Social Justice

One fact that’s true of every single person on Earth is the power we each hold to enact positive change in the world.

Learning this from an early age can help to not only shape children into kind, empathetic humans as they grow, but also help them see the pivotal role they can play in fighting for a better world. Despite the reservations of some, no child is too young to learn the value of using their hands, feet and voice to campaign for social justice in the world.

But what exactly is social justice? Well, it’s concerned with fairness and equality in our society – whether related to rights, opportunities, or privileges. The core tenets of social justice include the distribution of wealth, access to resources, equity (not just equality!), diversity, and human rights.

These are quite weighty, abstract concepts to try and teach children. Talk to them about fairness, and they’ll likely be able to share their own experiences of unfairness, but they may struggle to relate this to the wider treatment of people in society. And that’s where books can come in handy, being just one influential portal to teaching concepts such as kindness and accountability to children.

Author Samantha Hawkins, who wrote children’s book My Mummy Marches, says: “Children need to read books teaching them that accountability to the world starts with being kinder to everything and everyone around us. It's about kindness in action!”

So, in this month’s Book Nook, we decided to celebrate World Day of Social Justice (20 February) by curating a selection of books that help to impart these values and ideals to little ones, helping build the change-makers of the future!