|
Age range
|
Title
|
Author
|
Description
|
Category
|
Pub. date
|
Source
|
|
Elementary school (grade 3-5)
|
Sidewalk Story
|
Mathis, Sharon Bell
|
Lilly Etta is upset when her friend's family is evicted from their apartment and no one seems to care. Her determination to make someone pay attention brings about an extraordinary outcome. This book demonstrates the difference that one committed person can make.
|
Hunger and poverty |
1971
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade 3-6) |
Lives Turned Upside Down: Homeless Children in Their Own Words and Photographs
|
Hubbard, Jim
|
Jim Hubbard is founder of Shooting Back, a program that gives at-risk youth the chance to document their own lives through photography. Combining interviews with homeless children, and with their own photographs, the book personalizes the issue of homelessness and testifies to the spirit and resilience of young people.
|
Hunger and poverty |
1996
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade 3-6) |
Monkey Island
|
Fox, Paula
|
One boy's adventures living in a park for several months after his mom abandoned him at the shelter in which they had been staying. An adventure story with a positive ending emphasizing that anyone could face circumstances causing homelessness.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1991
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade 3-6) |
No Place to Be: Voices of Homeless Children.
|
Berck, Judith, forward by Robert Coles.
|
An excellent overview of the issues of poverty and homelessness, particularly as they affect children. Includes excerpts from interviews with homeless children, poems, and photos.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1992
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade 3-6)
|
Sophie and the Sidewalk Man
|
Tolan, Stephanie S., illustrated by Susan Avishai
|
Sophie is saving all of her money to buy the teddy bear she desperately wants from the toy store. When she notices a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk, however, she realizes that sharing is a lot more important.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1992
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade 3-6) |
Voices From the Field: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories.
|
Atkin, S. Beth
|
Combines interviews with children of migrant farmer families with photographs and original poetry. A beautiful portrayal of the struggles this population faces, as well as those of many recent immigrants and minority groups in the United States. |
Hunger and poverty |
1993
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade 5-6) |
Rich and Famous Like My Mom
|
Colman, Hila
|
The over privileged, lonely daughter of a famous and popular singer seeks to find her own identity through a friendship with a street lady.
|
Homelessness
|
1988
|
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-2)
|
Gettin' Through Thursday
|
Cooper, Melrose, illustrated by Nneka Bennett
|
For Andre and his family, it's always a struggle to get through the week until Mom gets her paycheck on Friday.
When he makes the honor roll at school on Thursday, though, his family has an extra special celebration.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1998
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-2) |
Sam and the Lucky Money
|
Chin, Karen
|
Sam must decide how to spend the lucky money he received for the Chinese New Year and ends up donating his money to a homeless man.
|
|
1997 |
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-2)
|
The Braids Girl
|
McCourt, Lisa, illustrated by Tim Ladwig
|
Izzy meets the Braids Girl when she volunteers with her grandpa at a shelter. The Braids Girl really wants not Izzy's old clothes, but her friendship. The story illustrates our common need for love and companionship regardless of age, race, gender, or social standing.
|
Hunger and poverty |
1998
|
Link
|
|
Age range
|
Title
|
Author
|
Description
|
Category
|
Pub. date
|
Source
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-2) |
The Lady in the Box
|
McGovern, Ann, illustrated by Marni Backer
|
A storybook about two young children who notice a homeless woman in their neighborhood and are inspired to help by volunteering at a local soup kitchen.
|
Hunger and poverty |
1997
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-2) |
Tight Times
|
Hazen, Barbara Shook, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
|
A young boy struggles with the frustration of wanting a dog when his father has lost his job. May be used to stimulate discussion about circumstances that cause people to go hungry.
|
Hunger and poverty |
1979
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-2) |
Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen
|
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne
|
A young boy learns about hunger and poverty in his community by volunteering with his Uncle Willie at the local soup kitchen. A useful introduction to the emergency food network and other local efforts to fight hunger.
|
Hunger and poverty |
1991
|
Link
|
|
Elementary school (grade K-6) |
Why Are People Hungry?
|
Versfeld, Ruth
|
This book introduces the concept of chronic hunger and reasons why people are hungry world wide. Touches on issues of colonialism, natural disasters, the global economy, foreign aid, joblessness, and the high cost of living.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1988
|
Link
|
|
Elementary School to Middle School
|
The Big Help Book: 365 Ways You Can Make a Difference By Volunteering
|
Goodman, Alan
|
Designed to empower children ages 6-14 to perform volunteer services in their community by offering numerous ideas and projects.
|
Community service |
|
|
|
Middle School
|
A Diamond in the Dust
|
Carla Johnson
|
Despite her mother's objections, Katy is determined to find a better life beyond her family's poverty in an Illinois coal mining community in 1905.
|
Poverty
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle school
|
A Kid's Guide to Social Action: How to Solve the Social Problems You Choose - and Turn Creative Thinking into Positive Action
|
Barbara A. Lewis, Pamela Espeland, and Caryn Perner
|
This book provides youth (age 10 and up) with inspiring stories of youth who made a difference in their community by taking action and the tools to take action, including step-by-step instructions for writing letter, making speeches,
conducting interviews, and much more.
|
Community service
|
|
|
|
Middle school
|
A Kids' Guide to Hunger & Homelessness: How to Take Action! (Service Learning for Kids)
|
Kaye, Cathryn Berger
|
Kids learn about the causes and effects of hunger and homelessness, read about what other people (including young people) have done and are doing to help, explore what their community needs, and develop a service project. Includes facts, quotations, real-life examples, write-on pages, resources, a note to teachers and other adults - and a lot of inspiration to get out there and make a difference in the world. A hands-on, get-involved student workbook to use as a stand-alone or in conjunction with The Complete Guide to Service Learning.
|
Community service
|
2007
|
Link
|
|
Middle school
|
Children of Welfare
|
Johnson, Joan J. , and Coil, Suzanne M.
|
This examination of welfare focuses not on the politics of federal assistance but on people caught in the safety net. It is an evenhanded assessment that combines statistics with vivid anecdotes from recipients who see monthly checks or food stamps as a new start in life, as well as those who see it as a way of life.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle school
|
Come the Morning
|
Harris, Mark Jonathan
|
A beautifully presented but sobering look at a homeless family in this novel aimed at children 12 and older .
|
|
1989
|
|
|
Middle School
|
Darnell Rock Reporting
|
Walter Dean Myers
|
Things change when Darnell joins the school paper and writes an editorial suggesting the school use its empty parking lot as a garden for the local homeless.
|
Homelessness
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle School
|
Esperanza Rising
|
Pam Munoz Ryan
|
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth in Mexico to work in the labor camps of Southern California during the Great Depression.
|
Poverty
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle school
|
Generation Fix: Young Ideas for a Better World
|
Elizabeth Rusch and Pamela Hobbs
|
An anthology of true stories about youth taking action to make their community a better place.
|
Community service
|
|
|
|
Middle School
|
Gracie's Girl
|
Ellen Wittlinger
|
It's bad enough Bess's mother spends all her time working at a community soup kitchen, but her best friend, Ethan wants to volunteer also. Bess soon befriends Gracie, an elderly homeless woman at the soup kitchen. When her mother spearheads an effort to create a permanent shelter for women, Bess and Ethan try to help Gracie on their own.
|
Homelessness
|
2002
|
Link
|
|
Middle School
|
Leaves in October
|
Karen Ackerman
|
Nine year old Livvy tries to understand the turn of recent events that have occurred: her father loses his job, her mother leaves the family, and they are forced to live in a shelter.
|
Homelessness
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle School
|
Melody's Incredible Adventure
|
Carroll, Rebecca
|
Melody learns to understand and reach out to those who are less fortunate through her guardian angel - a homeless woman.
|
|
1998
|
Link
|
|
Middle school
|
Patty Dillman of Hot Dog Fame
|
Wojciechowski, Susan
|
When Patty reluctantly accompanies her mother to volunteer at a homeless shelter, she finds that the homeless are not that much different from her. In the end, she uses the money she has saved for a coveted ski trip to buy gloves for the men she has come to know and respect.
|
Homelessness
|
1989
|
|
|
Middle School
|
Sam and the Moon Queen
|
Alison Cragin Herzig
|
Sympathetic to a homeless girl's plight, Sam tries to help her find food and medical aid for her injured dog.
|
Homelessness
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle School
|
Sounder
|
William H. Armstrong
|
A sharecropper steals to feed his family and is arrested, changing his young boy's life.
|
Poverty
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle School
|
The Journal of Jenny September
|
Isaacsen-Bright
|
Jenny's teacher required her students to keep a daily journal, but never expected to read what Jenny turned in. Jenny's mother has left her and her father and they soon become homeless. Jenny uses the journal to describe the difficulties and problems she faces.
|
|
1998
|
Link
|
|
Middle School
|
The King of Dragons
|
Carol Fenner
|
Eleven year old Ian and his father have been homeless for years. When Ian's father does not return, Ian must survive on his own by remembering what his father taught him.
|
Homelessness
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle school to adult
|
The Working Poor: Invisible in America
|
Shipler, David
|
Shipler draws upon personal accounts of the working poor to explain the complex forces which prevent Americans from rising above the poverty line despite working full time. Shepler not only dissects the issue affecting these individuals, but offers suggestions for change.
|
Poverty
|
|
Link
|
|
Middle school/high school |
Girls and Young Women Leading the Way
|
Karnes, Frances & Bean, Suzanne
|
Here are 20 examples of leadership, written by females who took action in their schools and communities to solve a particular problem or initiate social change.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1993
|
Link
|
|
Middle school/high school |
Lives On The Line: American Families Struggle To Make Ends Meet
|
Shirk, M., Bennett, N., and Aber, L.(ed)
|
Examination of the difficulties families living in or at poverty level have in different parts of the U.S. Told in the words of the family members with information on their specific monthly budget concerns.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1999
|
Link
|
|
Middle school/high school |
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
|
Ehrenreich, Barbara
|
Investigative report on the status of people trying to live on low wages in service jobs. The author goes undercover to work a number of jobs and live the life of a working poor person.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
2001
|
Link
|
|
Middle school/high school |
The Street Lawyer
|
Grisham, John
|
A popular novelist's view of a homeless shelter.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1998
|
Link
|
|
High school |
160 Ways to Help the World: Community Service Projects for Young People
|
Duper, Linda Leeb
|
Using the motto, "Think globally, act locally," this book provides young adults with a variety of projects and volunteer opportunities.
|
Community service
|
|
Link
|
|
High school
|
Helping the Ill, the Poor, and the Elderly: Opportunities to Volunteer
|
Ryan, Bernard
|
This book provides a description of the nature of volunteer work and its rewards, it also help you decide what volunteer opportunity is right for you and provides a list of opportunities that you can volunteer for.
|
Community service
|
|
|
|
High school
|
Sweet Charity? Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement.
|
Poppendieck, Janet
|
Sociological view of the evolution of emergency food programs across the U.S. from 1970's. Creates argument that reliance on voluntary charity relief efforts removes the burden of support from the government. High school.
|
Hunger and poverty
|
1998
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Black Boy (American Hunger): A Record of Childhood and Youth
|
Wright, Richard
|
A true story of the author's experiences during the Jim Crow South period
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Children in Poverty: Child Development and Public Policy
|
Huston, Aletha C., ed.
|
A focus on the role of public policy on the issue of poverty and how poverty has affected a child's physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being.
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Down on Their Luck: A Study of Homeless Street People
|
Snow, David A., and Anderson, Leon
|
Case studies using thorough in-depth interviews, organizational records, and direct observation of the street life of homeless males in Austin, Texas.
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
For Hunger Proof Cities
|
edited by Koc, Mustafa; MacRae, Rod; Mougeot , Luc J.A; Welsh, Jennifer
|
This book examines the current food system in urban environments, encouraging the creation of a sustainable, community-supported agricultural system; offering suggestions to increase food availability and accessibility; and providing solutions to alleviate hunger.
|
Hunger
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Homelessness: A Sourcebook
|
Fantasia, Rick and Isserman,
Maurice
|
In A-Z format, this book provides relevant sociological concepts, contemporary figures, US legislation and major court decisions that involve hunger and hunger-related issues. Also included: a list of organizations that aid the homeless.
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Old and Homeless: Double Jeopardy
|
Rich, Diane Wiatt (editor) et al
|
Fourteen essays that provide a comprehensive look at the issues specific to the older homeless population.
|
|
|
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Rachel and Her Children: Homeless Families in America
|
Jonathan Kozol
|
A depiction of the homeless in America through the voices of women and children.
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
The Color of Hunger: Race and Hunger in National and International Perspective
|
Shields, David L.
|
An examination of the links between race and hunger.
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
The New Poverty: Homeless Families in America
|
Nunez, Ralph da Costa
|
The description of a family-based system of comprehensive residential, education, and employment centers as a response to poverty.
|
|
|
|
|
High school/Adult
|
The Third Freedom: Ending Hunger In Our Time
|
McGovern, George
|
George McGovern experienced the issue hunger first hand as a bomber pilot in Italy in 1944. He spent much of his career in public service. His book offers a 5-point plan to eradicate hunger.
|
|
|
Link
|
|
High school/Adult
|
Homeless Mothers: Face to Face With Women and Poverty
|
Connolly, Deborah R
|
A glimpse of the life of homeless mothers through their own stories.
|
|
|
Link
|
