Set in Nigeria during the late 19th century, this tragic novel problematises the battle between tradition and change, the role of colonialism, religion and patriarchy. Okonkwo is a respected member of his community, the Igbo people. When white missionaries arrive, Okonkwo’s son, like many others, converts to Christianity. Tensions rise between the natives and the […]
This anthropomorphic novel full of rabbits tells the tale of social unrest, community and hope, all kick-started by man-made environmental destruction. Fiver, a young rabbit with a sixth sense, is part of the Sandleford warren. He starts having disturbing visions of his home’s destruction and, along with his older brother Hazel, tries, to no avail, […]
This illustrated short fiction about hope, love, feeling lost and life itself discovers the remarkable and most unusual friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse. Following the quartet on their journey, the reader explores with them the power of imagination, as well as universal questions and answers. The picture book is […]
A drama movie about family, love and staying true to oneself: Ben and his wife Leslie decided to raise their six children far away from the quite possibly corrupting influences of modern day society, so they moved to the Washington wilderness and built their own camp. There they spend their days training their bodies and […]
In this dystopian series of five novels on racism, oppression and the abuse of power, a black majority (the Crosses) rules over a white minority (the Noughts) after African people colonized Europe. Set in Britain in an alternate reality, this paves the way for a love story a la Romeo and Juliet. The story invites […]
Combining humour, loss and grit, this teenage novel tells a travel adventure from the perspective of a strong and colourful female narrator. 10-year-old ‘Rat’ is a real character, tough, outgoing, soccer-loving and adventurous. When her father dies suddenly, she’s determined to go to New York with her brother ‘Bob’ in search of their long-lost uncle […]
This historical novel about racism, war, the abuse of power and the holocaust, is the kick-off to a series of five: Felix is a 9-year-old Jewish boy hiding in Nazi-occupied Poland 1942. Separated from his parents, he is waiting in an orphanage, under the impression that his parents are just trying to save their book […]
This collection of 10 short stories is full of suspense and may not be for the faint of heart – featuring a little bit of everything of the horror genre – from mystery and ghost fiction to aliens and witchcraft. The stories are easy to read, illustrated (each one by a different artist) and are […]
This verse novel explores the author’s childhood in South Carolina and New York in the 1960s and 1970s: Growing up as an African American woman both with the aftermath of Jim Crow laws and the beginning Civil Rights movement. Her poems feature topics of racism, religion, spiritualism, family, history and the power of memory, storytelling, […]
This satirical young-adult-novel problematises reality TV, sexism, stereotypes and body image. When the plane of 50 Miss Teen Dream contestants crashes on a desert island, it is time for them to re-evaluate their priorities. In isolation, they start to realise the crash may not have been an accident and odd incidents just keep piling up. […]
This children’s novel problematises gender stereotyping, prejudice and homophobia. Dennis is a 12-year-old interested in both football and fashion – he enjoys dressing up as a girl (cross-dressing). One of those hobbies is accepted by his father as a suitable hobby for boys, the other is not. He struggles with his parents’ divorce, his father’s […]
This novel opens new perspectives on religious fundamentalism, mental health and drug abuse. When Dawn was 13, her father abandoned his family to join a Christian sect. Since then, her mother has suffered from alcoholism and depression. For Dawn, it’s her father’s religious extremism that started all her problems, so she sets out to kill […]
A young adult novel about the difficult topic of school shootings, their victims and longlasting consequences. Valerie’s boyfriend Nick opens fire in their school’s cafeteria. A list the two composed, their so-called hate list, served to choose his targets. Although Valerie is wounded in her attempt to stop Nick, her guilt will follow her for […]
Based on the actual events of a fatal police shooting, this movie drama tells the story of Oscar Grant’s last 24 hours – a young African American who was shot by the police during New Year’s Eve 2008/09. This movie might serve as a starting point for an interdisciplinary teaching project on #BlackLivesMatter.
Throughout this sociocritical movie drama, Ricky, his wife and his children are struggeling with the financial crisis of 2008: With the promise of a safe income, Ricky is lured into buying a van. His plan is to deliver mail as a contractor. Soon, both his boss and this exploitative system is revealed for what they […]
In this film about racism, otherness and football culture following a true story, Michael Oher is a black orphan growing up in poverty. After making friends with another boy named Sean Jr., Sean Jr.’s parents decide to adopt Michael. While he does not excel academically, Michael’s protective instincts seem to be exceptionally developed, leading him […]
Following a true story, this legal drama movie portays lawyer and social justice activist Bryan Stevenson. Despite having many lucrative options after graduating from Harvard University, he instead founds the Equal Justice Initiative to defend people who have wrongfully been convicted. One of his most famous cases is the one of Johnny D., who has […]