The best books to inspire kid activists

This poetic, richly illustrated picture book was inspired by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and all Indigenous Nations’ fight for the land and water. I love the way that author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade portray the young water protector in this story—as a girl who is fiercely determined to rally her people together, standing up for the importance of clean water. As the author’s note says, “This is not just a Native American issue; this is a humanitarian issue.” When the main character says, “Take courage!” I hope all readers feel inspired to become “stewards of the Earth.”

“You have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow,” is how this wonderful picture book opens. Like We Are Water Protectors, Pride shows how one person’s voice has the power to create positive change. I was familiar with the rainbow flag as a symbol of LGBTQIA+ rights, but Sanders’ biography of lawmaker and activist Harvey Milk filled in important historical details for me. This book gave me context for understanding how the flag represents the joy, hope—and sometimes the risk—of advocating for equal rights.

Editors Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson call their book of essays, poems, mini-memoirs, and art from fifty children’s book creators a treasury. It is a treasure, offering support, understanding, and encouragement to young readers. As Sharon G. Flake writes in her piece “When I Think of You”: “Every generation faces a series of storms that seem insurmountable,” but “hard times do not always harden people. Often, they reveal what we’re made of—who we are inside.” Those children who are scared when they observe community divisiveness or experience discrimination will feel embraced and inspired by the warm, motivating words and pictures in We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices. I wish my children were still young enough to gather around and read this inviting, honest book as a family.

This middle-grade satire was one of my favorite reads of 2021! In the not-too-distant future, seventh-grader Ahab and his friends discover what just might be the last living bullfrog in the United States. Hoping to save the species, they decide not to give Alph the frog to authorities. Instead, the crew takes off on a not-quite legal bike trip to find a mate for Alph. In the process, author Madelyn Rosenberg shows us the world as it might be, if we don’t make an effort to save the climate. A bumbling environmental police force and indoor theme park/recreation center had me giggling, even as I got the message of this brilliant climate fiction novel.

Tired of girls at Fisher Middle School being singled out for dress code violations, Molly Frost starts a podcast called Dress Coded. I connected with Molly’s engaging, frustrated voice from page one. She acknowledges that, while she wants to advocate for change at her school, she doesn’t know how to go about it. Molly’s on-air interviews with classmates and former victims of dress code harassment paint a realistic picture: the students of Fisher Middle School feel disempowered. Slowly, the kids realize that they are a valuable part of their school community and find a way to make their voices heard. Dress Coded is a must-read for young feminists of any gender.