This collection of picture books is designed to spark curiosity, conversation, and critical thinking in the classroom. Each featured book includes a brief summary, higher-order thinking questions, and connections to key standards—the NCSS Themes, Social Justice Standards, and Washington State Social Studies Standards.

Whether you’re selecting a book for read-aloud, lesson planning, or building your classroom library, you’ll find stories that invite students to see themselves, understand and respect others, while make sense of the world we share.