2020 Notable Social Studies Trade Books
Book recommendations from social studies educators for librarians, booksellers, educators, parents, and guardians of the best children’s books with social studies content in 2019
A Green Place to Be
By: Ashley Benham Yazdani
Illustrated by:
Ashley Benham Yazdani
Ashley Benham Yazdani
ISBN: 9780763696955
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
A Place to Land
By: Barry Wittenstein
Illustrated by:
Jerry Pinkney
Jerry Pinkney
ISBN: 9780823443314
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
A Royal Ride
By: Kristen Fulton
Illustrated by:
Lucy Fleming
Lucy Fleming
ISBN: 9781481496575
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
A Sky Without Lines
By: Krystia Basil
Illustrated by:
Laura Borrás
Laura Borrás
ISBN: 9789888341894
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Akissi
By: Marguerite Abouet
Illustrated by:
Mathieu Sapin
Mathieu Sapin
ISBN: 9781912497171
Fiction, 7-12, Graphic Novel
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People
By: Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Debbie Reese, and Jean Mendoza
ISBN: 9780807049396
Nonfiction, Teen, History
Another
By: Christian Robinson
Illustrated by:
Christian Robinson
Christian Robinson
ISBN: 9781534421677
Fiction, 7-12, Picture Book
At the Mountain’s Base
By: Traci Sorell
Illustrated by:
Weshoyot Alvitre
Weshoyot Alvitre
ISBN: 9780735230606
Fiction, 4-6, Historical Fiction
Away With Words
By: Lori Mortensen
Illustrated by:
Kristy Caldwell
Kristy Caldwell
ISBN: 9781682630051
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Back to School
By: Maya Ajmera
Illustrated by:
John D. Ivanko
John D. Ivanko
ISBN: 9781580898409
Nonfiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Between Us and Abuela
By: Mitali Perkins
Illustrated by:
Sara Palacios
Sara Palacios
ISBN: 9780374303730
Fiction, 7-12, Picture Book
Bilal Cooks Daal
By: Aisha Saeed
Illustrated by:
Anoosha Syed
Anoosha Syed
ISBN: 9781534418103
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Brave Ballerina
By: Michelle Meadows
Illustrated by:
Ebony Glenn
Ebony Glenn
ISBN: 9781250127730
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Brave with Beauty
By: Maxine Rose Schur
Illustrated by:
Patricia Grush, Robin Dewitt, and Golsa Yaghoobi
Patricia Grush, Robin Dewitt, and Golsa Yaghoobi
ISBN: 9781949528978
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Bringing Down the President
By: Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy
Illustrated by:
Tim Foley
Tim Foley
ISBN: 9781250176790
Nonfiction, Teen, History
Carter Reads the Newspaper
By: Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrated by:
Don Tate
Don Tate
ISBN: 9781561459346
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Child of St Kilda
By: Beth Waters
Illustrated by:
Beth Waters
Beth Waters
ISBN: 9781786281883
Nonfiction, 7-12, History
Child of the Dream (A Memoir of 1963)
By: Sharon Robinson
ISBN: 9781338282801
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Clothesline Clues to the First Day of School
By: Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
Illustrated by:
Andy Robert Davies
Andy Robert Davies
ISBN: 9781580898249
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Dancing Hands
By: Margarita Engle
Illustrated by:
Rafael López
Rafael López
ISBN: 9781481487405
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Dreams from Many Rivers
By: Margarita Engle
Illustrated by:
Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez
Beatriz Gutierrez Hernandez
ISBN: 9781627795319
Fiction, Teen, Historical Fiction
Fault Lines in the Constitution
By: Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson
ISBN: 9781682631065
Nonfiction, Teen, History
Fighter in Velvet Gloves
By: Annie Boochever and Roy Peratrovich
ISBN: 9781602233706
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Follow Chester!
By: Gloria Respress-Churchwell
Illustrated by:
Laura Freeman
Laura Freeman
ISBN: 9781580898355
Fiction, 4-6, Historical Fiction
Freedom Soup
By: Tami Charles
Illustrated by:
Jacqueline Alcántara
Jacqueline Alcántara
ISBN: 9780763689773
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Fry Bread
By: Kevin Noble Maillard
Illustrated by:
Juana Martinez-Neal
Juana Martinez-Neal
ISBN: 9781626727465
Fiction, 4-6, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Going Down Home With Daddy
By: Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrated by:
Daniel Minter
Daniel Minter
ISBN: 9781561459384
Fiction, 7-12, Picture Book
Groundbreaking Guys
By: Stephanie True Peters
Illustrated by:
Shamel Washington
Shamel Washington
ISBN: 9780316529419
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Her Own Two Feet
By: Meredith Davis
Illustrated by:
Rebeka Uwitonze
Rebeka Uwitonze
ISBN: 9781338356373
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Home in the Woods
By: Eliza Wheeler
Illustrated by:
Eliza Wheeler
Eliza Wheeler
ISBN: 9780399162909
Fiction, 4-6, Historical Fiction
Home Is a Window
By: Stephanie Parsley Ledyard
Illustrated by:
Chris Sasaki
Chris Sasaki
ISBN: 9780823441563
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Infinite Hope
By: Ashley Bryan
Illustrated by:
Ashley Bryan
Ashley Bryan
ISBN: 9781534404908
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Instructions Not Included
By: Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn
Illustrated by:
Chelsea Beck
Chelsea Beck
ISBN: 9781368011051
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
It Began with a Page
By: Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by:
Julie Morstad
Julie Morstad
ISBN: 9780062447623
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Jacob’s Room to Choose
By: Sarah Hoffman and Ian Hoffman
Illustrated by:
Christopher Case
Christopher Case
ISBN: 9781433830730
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Just Like Rube Goldberg
By: Sarah Aronson
Illustrated by:
Robert Neubecker
Robert Neubecker
ISBN: 9781481476683
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Leading the Way
By: Janet Howell and Theresa Howell
Illustrated by:
Alexandra Bye and Kylie Akia
Alexandra Bye and Kylie Akia
ISBN: 9781536208467
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Let ‘Er Buck!
By: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Illustrated by:
Gordon C. James
Gordon C. James
ISBN: 9781512498080
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Little Libraries, Big Heroes
By: Miranda Paul
Illustrated by:
John Parra
John Parra
ISBN: 9780544800274
Nonfiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Look Up with Me
By: Jennifer Berne
Illustrated by:
Lorraine Nam
Lorraine Nam
ISBN: 9780062844941
Nonfiction, 4-6, Science
Love and the Rocking Chair
By: Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon
Illustrated by:
Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon
Diane Dillon and Leo Dillon
ISBN: 9781338332650
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Mary Wears What She Wants
By: Keith Negley
Illustrated by:
Keith Negley
Keith Negley
ISBN: 9780062846792
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Meet Miss Fancy
By: Irene Latham
Illustrated by:
John Holyfield
John Holyfield
ISBN: 9780399546686
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Mommy Sayang
By: Rosana Sullivan
Illustrated by:
Rosana Sullivan
Rosana Sullivan
ISBN: 9781368015905
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Monument Maker
By: Linda Booth Sweeney
Illustrated by:
Shawn Fields
Shawn Fields
ISBN: 9780884486435
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge
By: Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleve
ISBN: 9781534416178
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Nya’s Long Walk
By: Linda Sue Park
Illustrated by:
Brian Pinkney
Brian Pinkney
ISBN: 9781328781338
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
O Captain, My Captain
By: Robert Burleigh
Illustrated by:
Sterling Hundley
Sterling Hundley
ISBN: 9781419733581
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Paper Son
By: Julie Leung
Illustrated by:
Chris Sasaki
Chris Sasaki
ISBN: 9781524771874
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Planting Stories
By: Anika Aldamuy Denise
Illustrated by:
Paola Escobar
Paola Escobar
ISBN: 9780062748683
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Playlist
By: James Rhodes
Illustrated by:
Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
ISBN: 9781536212143
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography / Memoir
Prairie Boy
By: Barb Rosenstock
Illustrated by:
Christopher Silas Neal
Christopher Silas Neal
ISBN: 9781629794402
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Raise Your Hand
By: Alice Paul Tapper
Illustrated by:
Marta Kissi
Marta Kissi
ISBN: 9781524791209
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Riding a Donkey Backwards
By: Sean Taylor and The Khayaal Theatre
Illustrated by:
Shirin Adl
Shirin Adl
ISBN: 9781536205077
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Sing a Song
By: Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrated by:
Keith Mallett
Keith Mallett
ISBN: 9780525516095
Fiction, 4-6, Historical Fiction
Sisters
By: Jeanette Winter
Illustrated by:
Jeanette Winter
Jeanette Winter
ISBN: 9781534431218
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Stonewall
By: Rob Sanders
Illustrated by:
Jamey Christoph
Jamey Christoph
ISBN: 9781524719524
Nonfiction, 4-6, History
Sulwe
By: Lupita Nyong'o
Illustrated by:
Vashti Harrison
Vashti Harrison
ISBN: 9781534425361
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
Survivors of the Holocaust
By: Edited by Kath Shackleton
Illustrated by:
Zane Whittingham
Zane Whittingham
ISBN: 9781492688921
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Sweet Dreams, Sarah
By: Vivian Kirkfield
Illustrated by:
Chris Ewald
Chris Ewald
ISBN: 9781939547316
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon
By: Dean Robbins
Illustrated by:
Sean Rubin
Sean Rubin
ISBN: 9781338259537
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography / Memoir
The Book Rescuer
By: Sue Macy
Illustrated by:
Stacy Innerst
Stacy Innerst
ISBN: 9781481472203
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
The Boy Who Grew a Forest
By: Sophia Gholz
Illustrated by:
Kayla Harren
Kayla Harren
ISBN: 9781534110243
Nonfiction, 4-6, Science
The Cool Bean
By: Jory John
Illustrated by:
Pete Oswald
Pete Oswald
ISBN: 9780062954527
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
The Crayon Man
By: Natascha Biebow
Illustrated by:
Steven Salerno
Steven Salerno
ISBN: 9781328866844
Nonfiction, 4-6 / 7-12, Biography
The Far Away Brothers (Adapted for Young Adults)
By: Lauren Markham
ISBN: 9781984829771
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
The Good Son
By: Pierre-Jacques Ober
Illustrated by:
Jules Ober and Felicity Coonan
Jules Ober and Felicity Coonan
ISBN: 9781536204827
Fiction, Teen, Historical Fiction
The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown
By: Mac Barnett
Illustrated by:
Sarah Jacoby
Sarah Jacoby
ISBN: 9780062393449
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden
By: Heather Smith
Illustrated by:
Rachel Wada
Rachel Wada
ISBN: 9781459821033
Fiction, 4-6
The Sad Little Fact
By: Jonah Winter
Illustrated by:
Pete Oswald
Pete Oswald
ISBN: 9780525581796
Fiction, 7-12, Picture Book
The Undefeated
By: Kwame Alexander
Illustrated by:
Kadir Nelson
Kadir Nelson
ISBN: 9781328780966
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA
By: Brenda Woods
ISBN: 9781524737092
Fiction, Teen, Historical Fiction
The Voyage
By: Robert Vescio
Illustrated by:
Andrea Edmonds
Andrea Edmonds
ISBN: 9781925820034
Fiction, 4-6, Picture Book
This Promise of Change
By: Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy
ISBN: 9781681198521
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
Thurgood
By: Jonah Winter
Illustrated by:
Bryan Collier
Bryan Collier
ISBN: 9781524765330
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Titan and the Wild Boars
By: Susan Hood and Pathana Sornhiran
Illustrated by:
Dow Phumiruk
Dow Phumiruk
ISBN: 9780062907721
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Two Brothers, Four Hands
By: Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
Illustrated by:
Hadley Hooper
Hadley Hooper
ISBN: 9780823441709
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
We Are Here to Stay
By: Susan Kuklin
Illustrated by:
Susan Kuklin
Susan Kuklin
ISBN: 9780763678845
Nonfiction, Teen, Biography
When Sue Found Sue
By: Toni Buzzeo
Illustrated by:
Diana Sudyka
Diana Sudyka
ISBN: 9781419731631
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Who Did It First?
By: Julie Leung
Illustrated by:
Caitlin Kuhwald
Caitlin Kuhwald
ISBN: 9781250211712
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography
Wild Horse Annie
By: Tracey Fern
Illustrated by:
Steven Salerno
Steven Salerno
ISBN: 9780374303068
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
Wilma’s Way Home
By: Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by:
Linda Kukuk
Linda Kukuk
ISBN: 9781484747186
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography
