Children’s Books That Teach Tolerance

The Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance Library and Archives is proud to announce the winners of the Once Upon a World Children’s Book Award for 2011. It selects two books a year to honor.

The criteria are:

To support and perpetuate the values and mandate of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Museum of Tolerance by honoring children’s books, aimed at young readers (ages 6-10) and young adults (ages 11+), which deal with issues of tolerance, diversity, human understanding, and social justice, thus inspiring readers to promote positive change in the world.

Winning books include chapter books, picture books, and nonfiction and demonstrate the following:

1. Heroic deeds that lead to tolerance and social justice.
2. Acceptance of social and personal responsibility.
3. Good communications between people.
4. A sense of urgency and empowerment of the individual.
5. The importance of history.

 Young Readers (ages 6-11) Winner

Ben and the Emancipation Proclamation by Pat Sherman

Young Adults (Ages 11 and up)

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by Greg Neri

Previous Winners

	ONCE UPON A WORLD Children’s Book Award
	2014 Barbed Wired Baseball by Marissa Mossña Hero on A Bicycle Written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes
	2013 Unspoken by Henry Cole
	2012 A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis by Matt de la Peña The Blood Lie by Shirley Reva Vernick
	2011 Ben and the Emancipation Proclamation by Pat Sherman Yummy: The Last Days of Southside Shorty by Greg Neri
	2010 Bad News for Outlaws by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson & Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
	2009 Libertad by Alma Fullerton & Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola
	2008 Surfer of the Century by Ellie Crowe & Jeannette Rankin: Political Pioneer by Gretchen Woelfle
	2007 Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman
	2006 The Doll With The Yellow Star by Yona Zeldis McDonough Illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root
	2005 Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
	2004 Luba: The Angel of Bergen-Belsen by Michelle R. McCann Luba Tryszynska-Frederick
	2003 Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson
	2002 Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles – New York: Atheneum Books, 2001.
	2001 The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill – New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2000.
	2000 Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges; articles and interviews compiled and edited by Margo Lundell. 1st ed. – New York: Scholastic Press, 1999.
	1999 So Far From The Sea by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Chris Soentpiet – New York: Clarion Books, 1998.
	1998 Gathering The Sun: an alphabet in Spanish and English by Alma Flor Ada; English translation by Rosa Zubizarreta; illustrated by Simon Silva – New York: Lothrop Lee & Shepard Books, 1997.
	1997 The Wagon by Tony Johnston; paintings by James E. Ransome – 1st ed. – New York: Tambourine Books,1996.
	1997 The Day Gogo Went to Vote: South Africa, April 1994 by Elinor Batezat Sisulu; illustrated by Sharon Wilson – 1st ed. – Boston: Little, Brown, 1996.
	1996 A School For Pompey Walker by Michael J. Rosen; illustrated by Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson – 1st ed. – San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1995.

p.s. Related posts:

Books for Kids That Teach Compassion and Tolerance

Teaching Empathy Through Books About The Importance of One’s Name

How To: Teach Your Children About Islam (and tolerance in the process!)

FREE Classroom Empathy Kit: Immigration & Refugees

10 Picture Books About Africa That Teach Empathy

Teaching Tolerance to Kids for Their Special Needs Classmates

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