In this research, I analyze how seven teachers in four different school settings use picture book read-alouds to engage their students as growing readers while engaging them in topics of social justice. This study includes both public and private schools in New York City that differ from each other in their student population and in their overall mission. In addition, the teachers also vary in terms of their grade level and years of experience ranging from new teachers to veterans with over a decade of experience. Yet, all of the teachers in this study are committed to teaching from a critical literacy perspective. They began by choosing topics that they felt would make the most impact towards helping their students envision a better world including: war, gender, class, race, disabilities, workers rights, homelessness, and families. With topics of social justice in mind, they each chose three read-alouds for me to observe preceded by and followed by collaborative conversations about the nature of the lessons.