Kashmira Sheth, Boys Without Names (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2010). Age Level: 8 and up Publisher Description: For eleven-year-old Gopal and his family, life in their rural Indian village is over: We stay, we starve, his baba has warned. They flee to the big city of Mumbai in hopes of finding work and a brighter future. Gopal is eager to help support his struggling family, so when a stranger approaches him with the promise of a factory job, he jumps at the offer. But there is no factory, just a stuffy sweatshop where he and five other boys are forced to work for no money and little food. The boys are forbidden to talk or even to call one another by their real names. Locked away in a rundown building, Gopal despairs of ever seeing his family again. But late one night, when Gopal decides to share kahanis, or stories, he realizes that storytelling might be the boys' key to survival. If he can make them feel more like brothers than enemies, their lives will be more bearable in the shop and they might even find a way to escape.

Heather Forest and Susan Gaber, Stone Soup (Little Rock: August House Little Folk, 1998). Age Level: 4 and up Publisher Description: Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be in greater need than we are.

Judith L. Roth and Brooke Rothshank, Cups Held Out (Scottdale: Herald Press, 2006). Age Level: 4 and up Publisher Description: A young girl and her father cross the border into Mexico where the child encounters poverty for the first time. Together they ponder the question, "What can we do about poor people?" Should they put money into every outstretched cup? Will buying a blanket make a difference? What about that shiny bike back home? There are no pat solutions to the problem of poverty, but there is value in asking the question and searching for personal answers. This book opens discussion for parents and children responsibility toward the poor of the world.

Jeanette Winter, Wangari's Trees of Peace (Orlando: Harcourt Books, 2008). Age Level: 4-8 years Publisher Description: As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something-and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans. This true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a shining example of how one woman's passion, vision, and determination inspired great change.

Katie Smith Milway and Eugene Fernandes, One Hen (Tonawanda: Kids Can Press Ltd., 2008). Age Level: 8 and up Publisher Description: Inspired by true events, One Hen tells the story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm and a livelihood for many. After his father died, Kojo had to quit school to help his mother collect firewood to sell at the market. When his mother receives a loan from some village families, she gives a little money to her son. With this tiny loan, Kojo buys a hen. A year later, Kojo has built up a flock of 25 hens. With his earnings Kojo is able to return to school. Soon Kojo's farm grows to become the largest in the region. Kojo's story is inspired by the life of Kwabena Darko, who as a boy started a tiny poultry farm just like Kojo's, which later grew to be the largest in Ghana, and one of the largest in west Africa. Kwabena also started a trust that gives out small loans to people who cannot get a loan from a bank. One Hen shows what happens when a little help makes a big difference. This help comes in the form of a microloan, a lending system for people in developing countries who have no collateral and no access to conventional banking. Microloans have begun to receive more media attention in recent years. In 2006 Muhammad Yunus, a Bangledeshi economist who pioneered microloan banking, won the Nobel Peace Prize.The final pages of One Hen explain the microloan system and include a list of relevant organizations for children to explore. Organization Affiliation: CitizenKid

Seymour Simon, Guts: Our Digestive System (New York: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2005). Age Level: 6-10 years Publisher Description: The latest in Simon's books about the human body explains how the digestive system works. In his signature style, accessible without being cute or condescending, he describes the complex facts and processes of the physiology, from the time food enters the mouth until all the various organs transform it into energy, nutrients, and waste. Some of the text is quite dense, but the clearly labeled, full-page color photos show the anatomy close-up, from an X-ray of the colon and a photo of a dissected pancreas to a microscopic view of what heartburn looks like in the stomach. Simon also includes a page about a healthy diet. The facts of how the body works are astonishing. Readers older than the target audience may want to look at this, too.

Harvey Croze, Africa for Kids: Exploring a Vibrant Continent, 19 Activities (Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2006). Age Level: 9 and up Publisher Description: Africa is brought to life in this imaginative look at the plants, animals, and people that make it such a fascinating continent. Studies of both traditional tribes and modern African cities showcase Africa's diversity, and authentic activities allow kids to dive into the rich culture by making a Maasai bivouac shelter, writing a fable in the African style, working as a field biologist, making a ritual elephant mask, and learning to tie an African Kanga dress. This cross-cultural study also shows kids what challenges Africa faces today while giving them a look at what it is like to live on this interesting continent.

Greg Mortenson et al., Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World One Child at a Time (Young Reader's Edition) (New York: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2009). Age Level: 8 and up Publisher Description: This young readers edition of the worldwide bestseller Three Cups of Tea has been specially adapted for younger readers and updated by Greg Mortenson to bring his remarkable story of humanitarianism up to date for the present. Includes new photos and illustrations, as well as a special interview by Greg's twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children.

Linda Sue Park, A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story (New York: Clarion Books, 2010). Age Level: 10 and up Publisher Description: When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Silva becomes seperated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva Dut, who after emigrating to America in 1996, began a project to dig water wells in the Sudan.