Social Justice Begins with Me Book Club for Kids
Grand Rapids Public Library, Mich.
Innovation Synopsis
To cultivate an inclusive community, the Grand Rapids Public Library partnered with the Grand Valley State University School of Social Work to develop a monthly book club where children ages four through 11 could explore social justice topics that impact their daily lives through children’s literature.
Challenge/Opportunity
Many parents find it difficult to talk to their children about difference. The goal of the program was to teach parents how to have age appropriate conversations with their children and provide a safe space to allow kids to process the world around them. SJBWM empowered parents to have conversations with their children using characters in books. This gave them the tools to discover what their child was thinking/feeling around a certain social justice topic.
Key Elements of Innovation
The partnership with GVSU allowed us access into different segments of the community that may not regularly visit the library. It also provided library staff and GVSU students the opportunity to model and practice inclusion and created community for those who might feel different. Volunteer readers were paired with a topic that they could identify with, creating an open platform to discuss difficult themes. For example, at the Abelism talk, a deaf boy said it was the first time he had seen others like him at the library
Achieved Outcomes
The book club provides a space for kids to learn about loving others for their differences, without bringing up “grown-up” topics like politics. Many parents requested the discussion questions to practice with their kids and the books continually circulate. Parents expressed that they appreciated being involved online through the reading list even if they were unable to make the program. They also noted that their kids could articulate in a thoughtful way how to process the world around them.
