Homelessness is a stubborn, tragic issue that can only be addressed through education, dialogue and collaboration. Reading and hearing stories about and by people experiencing homelessness, people in vulnerable situations and marginalized individuals is important in reducing the stigma these individuals face.
The Queen on Our Corner by Lucy Christopher and Nia Tudor
Nobody notices the queen on the corner. Nobody, that is... except one young girl. Through her eyes, the woman who dwells in the abandoned plot is a warrior queen, with many battles fought and won. When, one day, danger comes to the street and the queen on the corner sounds the alarm, the little girl must find a way to thank her. Can she bring the community together to turn the queen's corner into a home? Ages 4-8.
The One with the Scraggly Beard by Elizabeth Withey and Lynn Scurfield
The One With the Scraggly Beard is defined by a simple narrative in which a child's curiosity and perceptiveness act as catalysts for understanding fear, suffering and resilience while exploring themes of homelessness, belonging and compassion. Ages 3-5.
It's a No-Money Day by Kate Milner
Mum works really hard, but today there is no money left and no food in the cupboards. Forced to visit the local foodbank, Mum feels ashamed that they have to rely on the kindness of others. Maybe one day things will be different but for now together they brighten up even the darkest of days. Ages 3 and up.
Aunt Pearl by Monica Kulling and Irene Luxbacher
Aunt Pearl is homeless. Her sister Rose invites her to come live with her family. Marta is happy to meet her aunt, but almost immediately, Pearl and Rose start to clash--over Pearl's belongings and over Rose's household rules. As time passes, Pearl grows quieter and more withdrawn, until, one morning, she is gone. Ages 4-7.
On Our Street: Our First Talk About Poverty by Jillian Roberts, Jaime Casap and Jane Heinrichs
On Our Street explores the realities of people living with inadequate resources. Using age-appropriate language, this book addresses mental illness, homelessness and refugee status as they are connected to this issue. Insightful quotes from individuals and organizations such as UNICEF are included throughout to add further perspective on the issue. Ages 6-8.
Teen Homelessness by H. Craig Erskine
Whether they're crashing on someone's couch, living in cars, staying in shelters, or literally sleeping on the street, studies show that the plight of homeless youths is only growing worse. The viewpoints in this book tackle the economic and societal factors that contribute to teen homelessness, the stark situations faced by young transients today, and what can be done to curb this alarming trend.
What I Want You to See by Catherine Linka
Living in her car until she receives an art school scholarship, Sabine is determined to hide her living situation and prove to everyone that she belongs at the California Institute for the Visual Arts. When a handsome grad student offers a solution, Sabine is thrilled…until she discovers that she has been drawn into an art crime.
Into the Dangerous World by Julie Chibbaro
After a family tragedy, Ror retreats to a homeless residence with her mother and sister in Manhattan. Entering the world of graffiti, Ror must navigate love, danger and peer pressure.
Kicked Out by Sassafras Lowrey
Kicked Out brings together the voices of current and former homeless LGBTQ youth and tells the forgotten stories of some of America's most vulnerable citizens. This anthology includes stories of escaping hostile environments and building chosen families.
Girlbomb: A Halfway Homeless Memoir by Janice Erlbaum
This memoir was written by a blogger and magazine columnist who spent a year in the New York City shelter system as a young teen. Janice Erlbaum recounts her experiences with violence and drugs, but also love and friendship with other young women in this vivid and entertaining title about living on the street.
Where I Live by Brenda Rufener
Teen Linden Rose has a secret: her high school is not only a place of learning, but the place where she sleeps at night. Trying her best to fly under the radar, Linden has to confront her past and jeopardize her secret in order to help a student who comes to school with a bloody lip.
Her Name was Margaret: Life and Death on the Streets by Denise Davy
A look at the life of Margaret Jacobson, from her childhood to her admittance to hospital in her teens for mental health issues, and to her life and eventual death as a homeless woman on the streets of Hamilton, Ontario.
This is All I Got: A New Mother's Search for Home by Lauren Sandler
Camila is a twenty-two-year-old new mother. She has no family to rely on, no partner, and no home. Despite her intelligence and determination, the odds are firmly stacked against her. Award-winning journalist Lauren Sandler tells the story of a year in Camila's life--from the birth of her son to his first birthday--as she navigates the labyrinth of poverty and homelessness in America.
A Knapsack Full of Dreams: Memoirs of a Street Nurse by Cathy Crowe
In A Knapsack Full of Dreams, Cathy Crowe details her lifelong commitment as a nurse and social justice activist-particularly her thirty years as a Street Nurse-with passion, grace, and fortitude. Presented through the lens of someone dedicated to the power and beauty of film, A Knapsack Full of Dreams will move you, then inspire you to act.
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America by Chris Arnade
Chris Arnade cuts through the jargon and abstractions to expose the reality of our current class divide in stark pictures and unforgettable true stories. The people he got to know, from Alabama to California and Maine to Nevada, gave Arnade a new respect for the dignity and resilience of what he calls America's Back Row. This book is his attempt to help the rest of us truly see, hear, and respect millions of people who've been left behind.
Bootstraps Need Boots: One Lonely Tory's Fight to End Poverty in Canada by Hugh Segal
A self-described Red Tory warrior who disdains "bootstrap" approaches to poverty, Hugh Segal has always promoted policies, especially a basic annual income, to help the most economically vulnerable. Why would a life-long Tory support something so radical? In this revealing memoir, Segal shares how his life and experiences brought him to this most unlikely of places, beginning with his childhood in a poor immigrant family in Montreal to his time as a chief of staff for Prime Minister Mulroney.
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur "Genius" Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of 21st-century America's most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.
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