(Note: This entry points you towards a guest post for guest post for the Michigan Chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Graphic used with their permission.)

In a prior post, I provided a look inside my social justice graduate course at the University of Michigan School of Education. Aimed at educators, that blog offered a big-picture look at approaching social justice in the context of teacher preparation.

In this post, I focus on a different audience important to my work: children’s book creators. Like teachers, creators of “kid lit” directly impact on the development of kids. This raises the stakes on why we need to understand social justice and integrate it into our work.

In response, the Society for Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators, the professional association for creators, is championing diversity and justice. Our Michigan Chapter’s Equity and Inclusion team is leading efforts in our state, and I’m honored that they asked me to write this guest post for their blog. The short piece offers an overview of social justice and applications for writers.