Recently, people are paying more attention to how society treats its members. They pay attention to topics such as wealth distribution and social privileges and universal healthcare. They see the importance of social institutions such as public schools and the ease of social mobility. They combat institutional racism and sexism, and advocate for the environment, immigrants, the elderly, children, and other marginalized populations. Starting with the philosophies of Thomas Paine and Augustine Hippo, social justice has long since expanded to include what society should do for its members, and how to take care of the weak.

But despite its noble goals, social justice does have its criticisms. Political realists believe that social justice is just another way to preserve the status quo. And while other individuals agree that all humans are entitled to basic rights, it’s just as true that their governments might not be able to provide other rights for its citizens, such as universal healthcare, due to financial limitations. Then, of course, there are individuals such as moral skeptics and moral nihilists who deny the existence of objective goals in the context of justice. They may argue that there’s no such thing as good and evil, and all we really are doing, as a species, is following our biological directive to ensure humanity’s survival.

However, even with its flaws, social justice can provide some sort of moral backbone to society. It encourages citizens to be treated fairly and asserts the rights of others respectfully. As unattainable it may seem, it allows people to see how kindness shapes the world around them, and to strive to improve their situations. In fact, many social justice concepts are incorporated into children’s literature.

For instance, Stepping Stones by Margriet Ruurs delves into the hardships of a refugee’s family as they travel from their village to Europe. Dear Martin by Nic Stone talks about a young man who had a bright future ahead of him, a future that means next to nothing when a police officer arrests him for a murder he didn’t commit. These books teach about some of the challenges that marginalized groups may go through, from the experiences of dealing with unfair prejudices to persevering against nightmarish situations no child should even have to go through. Moreover, it provides a way for children of these groups to see themselves portrayed in a respectful way. Children’s history books, especially those that teach the works of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, are taught to children in a way that emphasizes the importance of equality. At the same time, many of these books also emphasize on the importance of kindness and respect for others, such as The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig and Be Kind by Pat Miller.

It’s important to remember that, from a very young age, children are exposed to lessons the world has to offer. While those lessons might be a little more than cruel, others offer realistic ways that children can learn how to, at the very least, be decent human beings. It might not seem like a big step forward, but as writers, we know it’s important to set the stage for the next generation so that they can make the world just a bit brighter. And what better way to do that than incorporate social justice into children’s literature.