A Dozen Books on Activism
Children and adolescents are taking action and making a difference in their communities and across the globe each day. This WOW Dozen highlights titles around the theme of activism. Each picturebook or novel shows how young people are working for change on causes that matter to them such as: saving a lending library, turning a vacant lot into a natural space for butterflies or creating light for a community in the dark. Other titles may inspire readers to speak up for climate change, demonstrate peacefully or sing for transformation. Reading aloud these titles could encourage K-8 readers to think about the needs or changes in their own communities to change our world.
In simple rhyme each letter of the alphabet stresses equality, diversity, justice, love and freedom.
Yasmin visits a lending library every day after school, but when it is shut down she rallies her friends and neighbors to vote for a different mayoral candidate in hopes of bringing it back.
This ABC book encourages readers to stand up, speak out, sit down, sing loud or be silent to effect change.
9781419742385, Abrams, 2020.
One person can complete a small action that can lead to a chain reaction.
Pong and Somkit find their hidden lights and work with a community to change a city's unfair laws and provide bright light for everyone despite their backgrounds or economic status.
Farah wonders why there are no butterflies in her neighborhood and writes letters, makes signs and gains petition signatures to make her community greener.
Mari uses her crayons to make a sign to hold and share when she marches with her mother and thousands of other people.
Standing up for what we believe isn't always easy, but our voices are powerful even when they are as "small as a bee" or "as tall as a tree."
Lyrical poems introduce fourteen young activists who advocate for solutions to problems, rights and struggles in our world.
Change sings inside everyone through lending a hand, taking a knee, bringing light, building a bridge and being part of a movement where freedom rings.
Racist vandalism in a middle school prompts a group of students, their town and students from across the country to make a paper chain of six million links representing the six million lives lost in the Holocaust.
Based on a true story, two sisters demonstrate persistence by helping transform a community courtyard into a playground.
WOW Dozen features a list of 12 global books for children and adolescents around a theme, topic, issue or personal favorites. Each Dozen consists of ten newly-published titles with two older “must have” books. Please share or recommend additional books that fit the theme in the comments section or on social media using #WOWDozen. Use the printer icon in the upper left corner of this post to print or save this list as a PDF.
