These contemporary realistic fiction children's picturebooks, published in the United States or Canada, offer glimpses into experiences connected to income instability, housing instability (including homelessness), and food insecurity. They invite children to encounter perspectives and circumstances that may be familiar to some readers while offering opportunities for reflection and meaning-making among all readers. This is not an endorsed or exhaustive list. As with all depictions of less visible lives in children's literature, these stories require thoughtful curation and reflection. Readers and educators should remain attentive to potential stereotypes, oversimplifications, or inaccuracies. By engaging with multiple depictions and perspectives, children can respond to texts, draw upon their own experiences, and develop evolving understandings of the economic circumstances and lived experiences explored through these stories.
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A young boy and his parents are experiencing homelessness, living together in a school bus after leaving a home marked with a “For Rent” sign. |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness. living doubled-up |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Individual Response: food provision-Family resourcefulness: fishing and food gathering |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Community Response: food provision- food assistance |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Community Response: food provision- food assistance |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Community Response: food provision- food assistance |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Community Response: food provision- soup kitchen |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Community Response: food provision- food assistance |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Community Response: food provision- soup kitchen |
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| Experiencing Food Insecurity / Individual Response: food provision-Family resourcefulness: food gathering |
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| Income Instability & Resource Limited Neighborhood |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living doubled-up |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living in seasonal migrant camp |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living in a shelter |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered in car |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets & doubled-up |
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| Housing Instability: living in short term, no lease rentals |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered in an airport |
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| Income Instability & Housing Instability: Relocation to trailer housing and new living circumstance (isolated trailer) |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered on the streets |
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| Income Instability & "Resource" Limited Neighborhood |
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| Income Instability & Resource Limited Neighborhood |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living in a shelter |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living unsheltered in the streets |
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| Food Insecurity & Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living in a hotel |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living in a shelter |
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| Housing Instability / Community Response: housing support- repairing unsafe housing |
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| Housing Instability: experiencing homelessness, living on the streets |
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| Income & Housing Instability: Relocation to trailer housing and new living circumstance (trailer park) |
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| Income & Housing Instability / Relocation due to economic circumstances, Individual Response |
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| Income Instability: Migrant labor / low-wage work / limited employment opportunities |
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| Income Instability: single income, low-wage work |
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| Income Instability: single income, low-wage work |
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| Income Instability: job change or loss |
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| Income Instability: single income, low-wage work |
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| Income Instability |
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| Income Instability: seasonal work, variable income |
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| Income Instability |
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| Income Instability |
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| Income Instability |
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| Income Instability: seasonal work, variable income |
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| Income Instability: Migrant labor / low-wage work / limited employment opportunities |
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| Income Instability |
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| Income Instability |
