Attn Kossack Bookworms: Your Help Needed

Hey folks, I need some help.  I have a project for my Children's Literature class, and I'm having trouble finding what I'm looking for on the internet(s).  I'm hoping that a few Kossack bookworms will be so kind as to help me out here.

I have to put together a 40 book prospectus for this class. My theme for the prospectus is "Liberal Values in Children's Literature".  What I'm trying to do is come up with a list of books that teach children progressive values: community, shared responsibility, equality, acceptance, tolerance, etc etc.

You'd think it'd be easy to google up such a list, but I'm coming up practically empty.

What I'm looking for here is recommendations.  I've got my list about halfway done, but like I said, I'm coming up empty when trying to search for similar lists online.

If anyone can recommend liberal children's book or authors, please do post them in the comments.  I'm heading over to our city's central library in about an hour.  I intend to ask the librarians for recommendations, but I live in a very very red area and am not sure whether I'll be able to sniff out a liberal librarian.

I need titles and/or authors... books that you've read or books you've read to your children that teach our values.  Any suggestions would be most welcome at this point, as this is kindof my last resort option.  I've been trying to put this list together for a month now, and asking for your help means I've hit a wall.

The target ages for my list are pre-K through 8th grade.  Anything appropriate for this age group is acceptable.  And no, helping me won't be cheating.  My professor strongly suggested to the class that we use the internet to compile our lists, so any suggestions you make are guilt-free. =)

Thank in advance to anyone who can suggest good liberal reading material!

•  some books on my list

  esperanza rising - pam munoz ryan (teaches tolerace towards immigrants by humanising them)
  why mommy is a democrat - obvious
  hunter and his dog - brian wildsmith (hunting/klling animals for sport is bad)
  the lorax - anti-greed
  a river ran wild - lynn cherry (pro-conservation)

  this is the type of stuff i'm looking for.  thanks in advance to all who make suggestions!

  by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:01:23 AM PDT

•  I'm somewhat bemused by your request.

  Nearly every children's book I've ever seen promotes liberal values.

  All Dr. Seuss
  All Berenstein Bears
  Any religions' kids books
  All little Golden books

  The list is literally endless.

  by lizpolaris on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:02:29 AM PDT

  •  not really what i'm looking for

    but thanks for commenting anyway.

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:15:22 AM PDT

    •  dr seuss

      the butter battle war  promotes peace

      the places you'll go
      the thinks you will think   both promote individuals creativity and free thought.

      ella sarah gets dressed - margaret chodos-irvine (individual expression and creativity)

      to every thing there is a season by leo and diane dillon:  incredibly beautifully illustrated of ecclesiastes (multiculturalism)

      Over in the Ocean in a coral reef, also
      Over in the meadow  both conservation
      and owl moon (caldecott medal)  conservation, family

      by jlms qkw on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:51:46 AM PDT

•  Freddie the Pig

  I believe it was the Tom Robbins in  Village Voice a few years back who reminded the world of the New Deal values expressed in the series.  It's obvious in "Freddie and Simon the Dictator", but subtly reflected in the whole series.

  Of course, I believe that Pippi Longstocking was an anarchist from the word go.

  by sayitaintso on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:06:56 AM PDT

  •  thanks!

    i'll check those out when i pop over to the library this morning.

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:14:54 AM PDT

•  I'll agree

  with the previous comment - how many children's books don't teach liberal values?!

  You would be best off going to your public library and talking to the children's librarian there.

  by sarac on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:09:49 AM PDT

  •  thanks for commenting

    i'm already going to the library today.

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:16:09 AM PDT

•  You might check out

  AS IF!, a blog for young adult authors in support of intellectual freedom.

  The ALA's Banned Books Week site is also usually a good place to find books that other people think are too liberal/progressive, and there are usually quite a lot of children's lit/YA books on there.

  You might also want to look at the links on the ALA's Social Responsibilities Round Table site.

  by musing85 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:10:20 AM PDT

  •  thanks so much

    for the links.  that's the type of stuff i was hoping people would post.  thanks musing!

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:14:35 AM PDT

•  Tick thru the Newbery list

  Christopher Paul Curtis, Louis Sachar , Sharon Creech.

  I think you'd need to search long and far for quality kids lit that doesn't fit the bill.

  I agree that you'll need to  narrow your search .

  by sayitaintso on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:14:27 AM PDT

  •  thanks for the author suggestions

    they're now on the list of things i need to read at the library today.  TYVM!

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:17:10 AM PDT

•  Stellaluna is a great book

  about a fruit bat who winds up in a nest of baby birds.  It is about appreciating each other's differences.  Beautiful illustrations also.

  by BluejayRN on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:14:55 AM PDT

  •  brilliant

    i'll take a look at that at the library today.  TYVM!!

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:16:36 AM PDT

•  Check this out

  I run What Are You Reading every Friday morning. (see link in my sig for today's).  A while back, I did

  Progressives, the next geneartion which is full of good books for raising progressives.

  But, since some won't click, I'll put the list here (but click on that link to read the comments)

  Cruise of the Aardvark by Ogden Nash (often imitated, never duplicated).  About an aardvark who takes a cruise to get out of rainy England, and discovers that the world is better when there are lots of different kinds of animals.  

  To be a Slave by Julius Lester.  I don't remember much about this book, but I do remember it being a sort of wake-up call.

  Many of Robert Heinlein's books.  Although Heinlein was libertarian, and more and more annoyingly so as he got older, some of his earlier work was very good, in that it stressed the pro-freedom side of libertarianism.  I remember in particular
  Citizen of the Galaxy about a beggar who frees a slave

  The Moon is a Harsh Mistress about a revolution in a penal colony on the moon.  (Some sort of combination of Australia and the USA, with some other stuff thrown in.....although a side plot gets into some of liberatarianisms more annoying aspects)

  and, of course Stranger in a Strange Land which is now in the original, uncut edition.

  (dang, could that man tell a story, amazing he only turned to writing because he was unable to stay in the Navy due to injuries)

  The book that turned me into a reader, and which I praise often, is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle.  About fighting evil, accepting people who they are, and the power of love.

  For kids

  In addition to the above (all of which are for older kids) these days there's

  For very young kids Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  Harold uses a purple crayon in all sorts of inventive ways.  Includes the memorable line
  "Harold wasn't getting anywhere on the long straight path"

  Lots of simple pictures, simple words, and unusual ideas.

  For slightly older kids, a LOT of Dr. Seuss has a progressive message, in particular (and no links because these are easy to find)

  The Lorax            about the environment
  Yertle the Turtle    about how the lowly can dethrone the mighty
  The Sneetches        about prejudice
  The Zax              about not being a pigheaded fool

  and, although it's really more for adults....I really like
  Hooray for Diffendoofer Day    which is about how stupid NCLB is.  (Amazing, he wrote it before NCLB came about....but the dumb parts were already in the air).

  by plf515 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:16:43 AM PDT

  •  plf, you rock

    i was trying to remember who was running the WAYR diaries, as i commented in one a few weeks back when i first started this class.  thanks so much for the link!!!  i'm going to skim through it and take a list to the library today.  TYVM!

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:18:38 AM PDT

  •  Some more Heinlein

    Farmer in the Sky--good on ecology, promotes Scouting values, and not a bad read.

    Double Star--good on politics, though probably not too appropriate for the target audience on the project the diarist is working on, given there's some allusions to sex.

    by musing85 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:42:52 AM PDT

    •  I love Heinlein's

      Friday, but again, probably too much sex for this particular project.

      by elfling on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:30:05 AM PDT

  •  Yes, Wrinkle in Time cannot be beat

    L'Engle was my hero.

    by cfk on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 12:59:50 PM PDT

•  I don't have kids...

  but this woman does, and she has a peak oil blog. Some of them I'll bet are winners:

  100 Children's Books that Encourage Sustainable Values Part I

  by mem from somerville on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:17:07 AM PDT

•  Timothy of the Cay

  For relationships between the races

  by rock the ground on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:17:34 AM PDT

  •  Isn't it just called "the Cay"?

    It's been a while, I read it in 6th grade.
    They also made us read "Death be not proud", "Hiroshima" and "Lord of the Flies" that year.
    I'm still not sure what was up with that teacher.

    by HugoDog on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:37:07 AM PDT

    •  It probably is

      just "The Cay", now that you say it.

      by rock the ground on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 10:07:47 AM PDT

•  Danny the Champion of the World

  for economic justice

  by rock the ground on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:18:15 AM PDT

•  I went googling

  Trying to find the name of that book about the cricket in Times Square, which as it turns out, is called The Cricket in Times Square (duh).  I can't remember why I think this is a liberal values book, but I think it is.  While googling I came accross this one that my son read in school:

  Curtis, Christopher Paul
  The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963
  Delacorte, 1995
  In the height of the Civil Rights Movement, a family travels to Alabama and experiences racial injustice first-hand, surviving through love and humor. A Coretta Scott King Honor book.

  Also - I remember Free to Be You and Me which is a book and a recording with Marlo Thomas.

  by Willow72 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:20:46 AM PDT

  •  i LOVED free to be as a child

    i had the records and the books, and it's already on my list. ;^)

    by anna on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:22:38 AM PDT

    •  she has a new one

      thanks and giving all year round.  much loved in our home.  

      by jlms qkw on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:54:20 AM PDT

  •  Cricket in Times Square

    is a great video, too. It can serve as a friendly introduction to classical music for the younger set.

    by HugoDog on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:38:03 AM PDT

•  The Little Prince

  a classic but I don't recal author's name.

  "Time is for careful people, not passionate ones"

  by roseeriter on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:31:12 AM PDT

  •  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (n/t)

    by musing85 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:35:39 AM PDT

•  To Kill a Mockingbird,

  at least for 8th graders.

  The Diary of Anne Frank

  by LanceBoyle on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:35:45 AM PDT

•  If you want a liberal Christian one in there...

  how about Praying With Our Feet by Lisa Weaver?  It's a children's picture book about a congregation leading a peace march against the war in Iraq, and has a nice bit about going to talk to the characters' elected representatives.

  by AnnieJo on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:36:25 AM PDT

•  Where the wild things are

  The value (and danger) of freedom.

  Harry Potter and anything; these books are pretty liberal -- non discrimination, the menace of dictatorship.

  I'd second the recommendation for Pippi Longstocking.

  Also check out Librarything.com.  You can join for free, there is a "Progresive and Liberal"  Group for bookdiscussions, as well as groups that discuss Children's books--between these you could probably harvest a slew of suggestions.  My only warning is that the site is very addictive, even worse then Daily Kos.

  Librarything.com

  by barbwires on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:37:28 AM PDT

•  My daughter loves these...

  Catch That Goat (African Culture)
  Monkey For Sale (African Culture);
  This Land Is Your Land (a beautiful envisioning of Woody Guthrie's classic song);
  One Grain Of Sand (a beautiful envisioning of Pete Seeger's lullaby);
  The Great Kapok Tree (Central American Rainforest, environmentalist);
  Pascual's Magic Pictures (Central American culture);

  and the entire catalog of

  Barefoot Books.

  by WarrenS on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:42:33 AM PDT

•  Any book by Bill Peet

  The Wump World - about pollution effects
  Buford the Bighorn Sheep - about accepting individual    differences
  and numerous others.  My kids loved all his books and
  have grown up to be wonderful liberals!

  by moose67 on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:42:40 AM PDT

•  Native American

  To learn about us Indians I recomend Jack Weatherfords book, "Indian Givers" which dispite the title is the best book about Indian contributions to the modern world. For older kids they can learn about some truths not taught in schools by reading "1491" but I've forgotten the author. In fiction "Laughing Boy" is a great book written by a non-Indian about a Navajo boy caught between two worlds.

  by cacamp on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:48:36 AM PDT

  •  Charles Mann wrote 1491....n/t

    by carver on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:50:18 AM PDT

•  "how to behave and why"

  an oldie, i think the last name is miro, also
  horton hears a whoo  by Dr. Suess
  and the empire has no clothes (re speaking truth to power),
  also most of the dr. suess books

  by mad cow on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:48:49 AM PDT

•  Some ideas

  Tamora Pierce has been writing several fantasy series in juvenile fiction. They are very feminist and also talk about class and race in a very approachable way. Her writing is definitely getting better as she goes. Her books about Tortall focus on female knights (in the first series, the girl swaps places with a twin brother to study for the knighthood). As an adult reader, I kind of prefer her "Circle of Magic" (starts with Sandry's Book) and "The Circle Opens" series, which she wrote later, where 4 orphaned kids from very different backgrounds: a noble, a thief, a trader, and a merchant become friends and a powerful magical unit. A lesbian pair mentors the group. In the second series, each of the 4 in turn take on students, again from a wide range of backgrounds. They're very readable and very progressive.

  by elfling on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:51:37 AM PDT

  •  Another

    Beatrice's Goat is a children's picture book depicting the program of Heifer International, an organization that gives animals to needy families in poor villages to help them raise their standard of living.

    by elfling on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:54:47 AM PDT

  •  And another

    Pickle-Chiffon Pie is the standard "3 princes quest for the princess" book, but with a very funny overlay, and of course the kindest prince wins in the end.

    The description from Chinaberry:

    Fans consider this villain-free tale from 1967 to be a timeless classic, and there are a lot of fans. Before it was recently republished, it was selling on the Internet for $100 a copy and more. The author says this book generated more mail than any of his other books. The reason might be that it so effectively advocates the virtues of selflessness, love, and caring for others -- all rare commodities these days. With the humor of a whacky comedy and the wisdom of an ancient proverb, this story provides an invaluable template for making difficult choices in life.

    Chinaberry is one of my favorite sources for new children's books - they seem to really find the the gems out there. I've never been disappointed by a book ordered from them. They highlight some great adult titles, too.

    by elfling on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:26:13 AM PDT

•  my name is hanna

  k-2 a book about a little girl go immigrates from china in the 60's and has to wait for her green card

  by mad cow on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:52:23 AM PDT

•  Here are a couple of my faves...

  I totally would've suggested A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry. Awesome... I developed a unit that incorporated Social Studies/History concepts along with environmental awareness for 3rd graders using that book. It was a great book to use.

  I also have enjoyed reading Angel Child, Dragon Child, by M. M. Surat, to 1st and 2nd graders. Very good themes including immigration issues/bullying/problem solving/community, etc. Beautiful story with a very positive message.

  Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney - making the world more beautiful.

  Books by Jonathan London - many of his books have an environmentalist slant including one called Condor's Egg and a couple about wolves, I can't recall the titles.

  The Legend of Jumping Mouse - a Native American tale retold by John Steptoe - beautiful tale about sacrificing for others who are in need, etc.

  So many more... I love children's literature. Have fun collecting titles.

  by Wide Awake in NJ on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 10:06:11 AM PDT

•  "liberal" just political?

  and can you go up to youth fiction?

  there's a pagan fiction book here, some of which are youth fiction:

  http://www.webrary.org/...

  they also have a "life-changing books for teens" list, so maybe for the 8th graders:

  http://www.webrary.org/...

  I think the Harry Potter books teach values of friendship, loyalty & doing the right thing.

  by anotherdemocrat on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 04:53:55 PM PDT

•  maybe too late, but

  I just noticed that no one mentioned And Tango Makes Three

  by anotherdemocrat on Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 10:09:36 AM PDT