Kids Books About Activism and Making a Difference
“Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room.”
— The Dalai Lama
America is facing some unprecedented times right now. It’s taken me awhile to get back here because I’ve been using my own power to fight for democracy. The fight is far from over and for those of you have littles watching you and hearing about the state of the world right now, whether it’s a fight for democracy, freedoms, our earth, children’s rights, education, or more, there’s a book for someone who has stood up against injustices. Learn about who fought, what they fought for, and what they did to rise up and resist. Lots of inspiring reads to check out and spark conversations and ideas for change for a better world.
*This list contains two new changes. One is Bookshop affiliate links instead of Amazon affiliate links to support independent bookstores and local communities over Amazon. The second change, coming soon, is a FREE download for this book list! (It’s to help encourage you to support and find books at your local library. Check your library’s interlibrary loan program to extend your search if needed.)
As always my lists go from simple to more complex under each topic header to help you determine the best book(s) for your readers.
Activism & Making a Difference
I love this series and was delighted to find this board book version for small hands! Love the simple wording in this, taking a complex topic and breaking it down to its core to make it manageable to understand. What is activism? Why do people do it? How do they show activism?
One of my all-time favorite resistance books to share with kids! Its an easy read, the illustrations are captivating, and it’s full of ideas for resistance and advocating for rights! Perfect to use as a conversation starter to brainstorm actions you can take about the issues that matter most to your reader. More about peaceful protests, as well as a glossary, located in back matter.
What I love about this book is its simplicity, one sentence a page spread, making it an easy read in one sitting, while at the same time giving the option for readers to explore about various protests more in depth with the backmatter. Taking a knee, writing a book, going to school, singing, and more are some of the varieties of protesting highlighted in this book.
Inspired by the real-life experience of one girl at the 2017 Women’s March, this book shares the message that you are able to make a difference and promote a message of love, no matter your age.
Today's book is a children's anthem encouraging children to join together to make the changes the world is needing. One girl starts to play her guitar and sing along with the changes she hears humming. As she strolls along in the story, more kids with their instruments join with her to make changes. The kids in the story pick up litter, help those in need, unite rather than divide over differences, and more. I love how the last page spread is directed at the reader, inviting them to participate in change making.
This book follows a diverse set of children who use their voices to express, inspire, help, and make change. Whether through writing, using a tablet, singing, and more, your voice can be your superpower. I love the variety of kids here, verbal and nonverbal, using their voices to make a powerful difference for good and inspire and lift up others. Simple and sweet, a great reminder about our power to make a difference for the better.
"Sometimes people march to resist injustice, to stand in solidarity, to inspire hope." All about marches, what they are about and what they hope to do. Simple wording and illustrations help get the idea of marches out to young readers. The back of the book lists out different movements, marches, and key figures in the art throughout the book with a little more detail about the events. It's a lovely and well-done book, perfect to share with readers who may have heard about marches or are getting ready to participate in one!
The Artivist is born from a love to paint, help their community, and bring awareness for change for the better. Reflecting on this combination, a child seeks to inspire change, change against oppression, corporate greed, racism, violence, and more. The Artivist in the story is a painter, but the end of the book tells other art mediums that could be used.
Experiencing a micro-aggression first hand and then the results from a racist attack on a shop. Aiko learns about the past from Oba, learning about how fear and anger grow. Along with this insight she also discovers what can help love grow, kindness.
One of my favorite forms of books, mail books! This one has removeable mail pieces throughout the book. I love that it’s about getting active and making a difference in your community!
Twenty-five various moments of revolution throughout American history are shared in this book in an easily digestible way. Text is shortened with notes throughout the story. The back matter includes a timeline and map of events, and further reading about each of the moments of revolution shared.
Stanton Elementary School is closing for a day to turn into a polling station on election day. Kids ask why do people vote, who can vote, and what can they do. The students go out into the community helping voters register and know more about where and when the voting will take place. Kids respond to voters' excuses not to vote with real ideas, like voting by mail if you’re not able to be there in person that day. The back of the book tells about why voting is important and gives information on some of the different Acts of Congress that have been made to make the future better.
An easy-to-read story about the evolution of voting rights in America, complete with backmatter on voting-related amendments & legislation, as well as voting rights activists.
Mai notices today is different with news about Black Lives Matter on the TV, protesters, and her friend Kiara is not around. After learning about what happened from her mom, Mai and her brother decide to write their own protest sign and join in the movement to speak up for Black lives.
This powerful Caldecott winner will have you captivated from the start, raising awareness as to why water is so important and why we must protect it. It tells a little of an Anishinaabe prophecy and how there is a "black snake", oil pipeline, will bring about destruction. The main character a young girl is a water protector and rallies her people to take a stand against the black snake coming to protector the water and the living things who need people to stand up for them. I love the main character being a young girl, as a children's picture book, this element can pull young kids into the story. Love that it is an own voices book and the author's note on water protectors in the back of the book. Definitely a powerful read, especially for all the little environmentalists out there and one to share to help spread the message of helping to protect our earth.
This book follows a girl’s storyline as she tries to make a difference in the world. She goes to a march for the earth and is feeling inspired, until seeing depressing news on the tv after getting home. After thinking more, she comes up with more solutions to make a difference and gets back up to try again to make a difference.
Zonia lives with her family in the rain forest. Every morning, she answers the rain forest's call to her by going exploring and visiting. She visits old and new friends, saying hello and playing. She congratulates new mamas, plays hide-and-seek with the animals, and gets new perspectives from the animals. On her way home to see her mama and baby brother, she comes across a destroyed area of trees. She runs home scared, where her mom lets her know the forest is speaking to her. Zonia decides to answer the call. Will you? Powerful share for kids today and one that becomes more important by the day. The back of the book features more information about the Ashaninka People and struggles they're currently going through. It also features information about the Amazon, why it's important, what's happening to it right now, and the threats that are causing it to shrink. Love the sweet guide to the names of all of Zonia's friends, too!
In this autobiography picture book, Estela's family is torn apart when her mother gets deported to Mexico. When it happens, Estela, her marine father, her older sister, and her mom are left heartbroken, trying to figure out how to reunite their family. Estela grows, finds her voice, and speaks up to get her mom home and reunite their family. A great one for sharing to help kids be part of the solution to brainstorm new ideas about immigration. A window and mirrors book, unfortunately for many here in the United States, and one that will stay with you.
Opening and closing this book are a group of kids working to lift up the world with our words and actions. The interior pages feature kids playing, moving and doing on one side of the pages with a short double line text highlighting what the child is doing and then a tie in to what the grown up did. The other side of the interior pages feature grown-ups/events that have made a difference and a short summary of that inspiring accomplishment. Scientists, activists, athletes, and more show and inspire today's young movers and shakers what is possible to grow from what they already do. The back of the book features a timeline of the events highlighted in the story as well as paragraph summaries about each event to learn more.
Readers get to learn about twelve real-life children who are making an impact to create a more sustainable future by reducing waste, campaigning for accessibility, starting projects and more.
Twenty-one different peaceful resistance acts are highlighted in this picture book. By not speaking, moving or not moving, making art, and more protesters made a difference in their communities and the world around them.
Farming and protesting? I love this one about about farmers and their resiliency as they united and protested for many years to make a difference. Lots of real photos included!
The title says it all in this nonfiction resource guide to help kids gain knowledge and provide ideas on ways they can use their own power.
I love this book because it used photos and stories from real kids out in the world making a difference right now! Very inspiring for readers looking to rise up and help our world!
Daphne grew up on the island of Malta listening to stories of her great-great-great-great-grandfather who helped fight back Emperor Napoleon's occupation in Malta. She looked through colorful magazines and wanted to one day share important stories with the world. Daphne attended a protest gathering when she was older and ended up jail for two nights. She grew up to have children, teaching them to fight against injustice. Then at a time of few women journalists, Daphne started writing in a national newspaper. Daphne worked hard to uncover wrongdoings and to stand up to the powerful and mighty. Due to this, she faced harsh harassment from those trying to stop her. No matter what happened she kept writing to share the truth. There are some hard parts depicted throughout the book, showing the trials Daphne faced. There's an author's note in the back telling more about Daphne and her life. Her fight to stand up for the truth against fierce opposition is so impressive.
Fourteen women who changed the world by lifting their voices are included in this book. Each woman is highlighted with a portrait, quick facts, important work done, a voice clip button from a speech they gave, more information about the speech they gave, including an audio to text quote, and lastly questions for the reader. The questions for the reader asks your opinion about what that woman did and what you would do. Women featured in this book include: Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Dolores Huerta, Dr. Maya Angelou, Dr. Jane Goodall, Shirley Chisholm, Suzan Shown Harjo, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Leymah Gbowee, Dr. Temple Grandin, Sonja Sotomayor, Tammy Duckworth, Dr. Joanne Liu, Abby Wambach, Malala Yousafzai. The back lists more resources to check out to learn more about each women, as well as more women who used their voices to make a difference!
Ai Weiwei is a real-life artivist, and this story helps show both his journey, what led him to become an artivist, and his art installations, art projects meant to spark change. Art helped Ai through his struggles growing up in a hole beneath a labor camp and then again as he grew up and saw injustices happening around the globe. Ai used his art to help give people pause and new perspectives to view various problems. The back of the book features more information and pictures of Ai's various artivist projects and why they are important.
Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins joined activists in Washington DC to support the Americans with Disabilities Act being proposed in Congress. Without her wheelchair, Jennifer climbed all the way up the steps to the Capitol Building. The movement called The Capitol Crawl helped spark understanding and change.
Rachel Carson studied nature all of her life. She grew up to be a scientist, who then turned what she knew into a best-selling book after much research. The book she wrote in combination with her public speaking brought awareness and sparked changed. Rachel wrote Silent Spring to draw attention to all the wildlife that was dying and the root cause of it, new chemicals that had been created to kill bugs. She showed the relationship between the chemical poison and its effects on nature. Rachel's research and activism led to Congress passing new environmental protection laws and helped spark the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Mercedes Sosa used her voice, indigenous sounds and instruments to champion for social justice using her music for unity, hope, and empowerment giving a voice to the voiceless. She stayed in Argentina during a dark time when many were fleeing to keep singing her songs of resistance.
Narrated by the Stonewall Inn itself, this story helps readers learn more about LGBTQ+ civil rights movement and how an empowered LGBTQ+ community stood up to injustice and protested for their equal rights. The back matter features more information on Stonewall Inn and photographs.
Malala draws readers into her story by telling them about a show she used to watch about a boy with a magic pencil. Whatever the boy drew with the pencil appeared! She like to image what she could draw to make changes, creating a better world without war, poverty, and hunger and with boys and girls as equals. As she grew up, the Taliban became more present and eventually girls were stopped from going to school. Malala spoke out about what life was like under the Taliban, the threats she faced, and how she loved school. Her story was shared everywhere, inspiring others to speak up and use their voices. It features a letter from her to the reader, shows pictures of her and her family, and tells a little bit more about her. There are a few books about her, but this is my favorite to share with kids because it is well written and by Malala, herself!
Ella Baker listened, spoke out, and inspired those she met and interacted with to make a difference. Always asking, "What do you hope to accomplish?" and including everyone, regardless of status, to join in the fight for justice.
Barbara Jordan used her voice to make a difference, to fight for more justice and equality by sharing citizens' voices in government. She ran for political office three times before succeeding and working to help the system make laws that improve people's lives.
"I'm a very strong believer in listening and learning from others." Ruth's life, highlighting all the challenges she faced and overcame in her fight for equality.
Thirteen American women who persisted, overcame obstacles at every angle, and went on to do big things. Stories about women like Harriet Tubman, Clara Lemlich, and Maria Tallchief are included in this inspiring book.
Divided up into eight different revolution themes, this book highlights different movements, as well as the artists who raised their voices in them. Each section has a top ten song playlist, plus bonus tracks for readers to check out, as well as music notes and pictures.
Readers learn more about what an activist is and how to make a difference to create long-lasting change by taking one step at a time. So many ideas and information in there, just perfect for inspiring those future and present day leaders!
Looking for a different theme? Here are some more book lists that could tie into conversations happening from books on this list:
Need a laugh or a bit of fun? Check out these laugh out loud books.
