You may not have heard of Cicily Lewis, but hers is a powerful voice in social justice and school librarianship. In 2017, Ms. Lewis, a librarian at Meadowcreek High School in Georgia, came across the Stay Woke edition of Essence magazine, and this inspired her to start the Read Woke Challenge, which encourages readers to read books that:
- Challenge a social norm
- Give voice to the voiceless
- Provide information about a group that has been disenfranchised
- Seek to challenge the status quo
- Have a protagonist from an underrepresented or oppressed group
In 2020, Ms. Lewis was named School Librarian of the Year, by the School Library Journal, a publication to which she regularly contributes. Click this link for her articles and take a look at these lists which can help you find books that meet the Read Woke criteria:
- We Need Diverse Books
- Diverse Book Finder
- Stay Woke from Home
- Antiracist Resources and Reads: Lists for All Ages
Finally, here are some Read Woke books you can check out from the library today!