Whether educators broach controversial topics in a learning context or not, young people will encounter plenty of related content. Social media all too easily fills the void, fueling misinformation while suppressing critical reflection. NCSS, the National Council for the Social Studies, offers encouragement and materials to support important discussion.

Fiction and nonfiction booklists for kids who are enthralled with the Disney movie, astronomy, or both. 

How did Suzanne Collins dream up Panem and the Hunger Games? Influences range from Roman Gladiators to the Vietnam War, as this booklist shows.