Activism

Erica Holyoke & Lori Elliott 
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Activism is the practice of taking action to create change, whether in our communities, our environment, or around the systems that shape our lives. In this collection of picturebooks, activism is represented in many forms: quiet and bold, individual and collective, personal and political. From a single child advocating for amphibians in her town to multigenerational efforts for racial justice and climate equity, these stories reflect the wide-ranging possibilities of what it means to take action and make a difference. Because social change occurs across boundaries and these books invite action and social change, we chose not to include age ranges in the book recommendations. We see possibilities for inviting readers across all ages to explore the narratives and themes in these books.
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These books offer a range of issues, such as racial justice, linguistic rights, voting rights, environmental justice, literacy, civil rights, and the arts, but also show that change begins in many places: with one voice, with a classroom, with a family, or as part of initiating an entire movement. Some books focus on personal acts of courage or discovery, while others highlight the power of community and collective resistance. Together, they remind readers that activism comes in many forms and that all forms of engagement matter. Activism is about envisioning a more inclusive and just world on personal, local, and global levels. 
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These books are rich with emotion, beautifully illustrated, and grounded in truth-telling and hope. In sharing them with children, we’re honoring history, embracing activism in the present, and shaping the future. Importantly, each text offers an opportunity for wonder, further research, and action. Let’s read, reflect, and rise!

A Voice of Hope: The Myrlie Evers-Williams Story. Nadia Salomon. Illus. by London Ladd. (2024). Philomel Books. 
This is a beautifully illustrated picturebook presenting the biography of Myrlie Evers-Williams. The narrative explores her activism for racial justice and the explicit and systemic racism she experienced throughout her life. The sweeping biography moves from childhood through adulthood and her evolving experiences leading to her activism for civil rights. The text amplifies her personal resilience and commitment to justice as a stance over time. The narrative biography presents her as a leader for justice and as an artist who shares her craft and performance to inspire change. The story skillfully elevates her courage, creativity, resilience, and activism. 

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Girls on the Rise. Amanda Gorman. Illus. by Loveis Wise. (2025). Vintage Books for Young Readers.​
This engaging and colorfully illustrated picturebook is a tribute to the power of girls’ voices. The narrative structure highlights that sharing voices and amplifying shared stances can be brave, impactful, and powerful. The text addresses diverse and inclusive representation of girls from identities to pronouns to experiences in the world. And along with inviting writing and visuals, the picturebook elevates the beauty in humanity and possibilities for liberation and freedom. It is a thoughtful call to action: “Because when one girl is on the rise, it means everyone else is, too.” The text is open-ended, not focusing on a singular cause or activist message, but it is still about the impact of voices and action.

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Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer. Quartez Harris. Illus. by Gordon C. James. (2025). Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
​This book is a biography of James Baldwin’s life, particularly his early years, and attends to his discovery of the healing and transformative power of his words and writing. It centers on Baldwin’s inner world and sense of purpose, revealing how writing became both a refuge and a form of resistance. The story highlights the transformative role of language as a tool for truth-telling, healing, and confronting injustice. More than a historical account, this book affirms the enduring importance of Black literary traditions and invites young readers to see themselves as writers capable of inspiring change.

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I Am the Spirit of Justice. Jemar Tisby and Malcolm Newsome. Illus. by Nadia Fisher. (2025) Zonderkidz Press.
In this ambitious historical poem picturebook, the authors employ a personified spirit of justice to trace key moments and people in the pursuit of justice for everyone: “So I erupted like a volcano. Igniting faith in the souls of those who risked everything to deliver freedom to all.” The poem begins by recognizing the “royal and majestic people” in West Africa and concludes by highlighting the most recent violence against Black individuals that sparked national protests: “I am here. Even in the midst of horrifying brutality. Reminding the world that my loved ones still matter.” This personified spirit of justice flows throughout the book, offering reminders of progress, as well as inspiration for readers to continue the journey toward justice for everyone. The additional notes at the end of the book provide supplemental details about the contributions of each individual highlighted in the vibrant images across each double-page spread.

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Marjory's River of Grass: Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Fierce Protector of the Everglades. Author and Illus. by Josie James. (2025). Christy Ottaviano Books.
This picturebook biography traces the remarkable life and impact of conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas from the time she reconnected with her father as a young adult to her death at 108 years young. The story explores how she fell in love with the Florida Everglades, the people she met during her tenure as the editor of The Miami Herald, and the skillful ways she intertwined her connections with the power of her pen to bring awareness and action to saving the unique ecosystem she described as “a river of grass.” Descriptive language helps readers stretch their vocabulary: “Birds sang, woodpeckers tapped, frogs croaked, and insects buzzed as the observers slogged beneath the majesty of a cypress dome,” while the warm and saturated hues of the illustrations provide a window into the beauty of the subtropical wilderness. The book concludes with an author’s note detailing additional facts about Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the Everglades and calls to action around access to clean water.      

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My Language Rights: A Child’s Right to the Language. Judy Thompson. Illus. by Tete García. (2025). Scribble US.
“Language is the way I speak who I am to the world.” This book opens with a spread of children sharing a speech bubble voicing their identities to the world. The illustrations are inviting, show children of diverse cultural and racial identities, and celebrate how language is interwoven in human identity. While the text also prioritizes pride in one’s language, it is also about connection, community, and creating peace in the world. Related to activism, the text prioritizes the rights that children have to their languages with calls such as “my language should be treated with dignity and respect. My school should help me feel proud of the ways I speak,” and more. The book closes with a call to action to add linguistic rights to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, serving as a call to action itself.

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Prisons Must Fall. Mariame Kaba and Jane Bell. Illus. by Olly Costello. (2025). Haymarket Books.
This is a powerful story positioning young readers as aware of injustices, having big questions, and engaging in complex conversations. Written in accessible rhyming language, this picturebook explores the realities about incarceration while advocating for abolition and community healing. Through thoughtful language and illustrations, the text positions restorative ways of being in our society and how we view and interact with one another in the world. The book also captures complexity, such as asking, “some may wonder: without prisons how will we mend harm? Compassion is a good place to begin, open up your arms.” Inviting in counter-perspectives and explicit solutions, the text proposes the power of relation and connection, alluding to the concept that we cannot be free until we are all free. The book closes with discussion questions for readers to explore together. The art and illustrations add beauty and depth to this thought-evoking picturebook.

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Rise Up!: Powerful Protests in American History. Rachel C. Katz. Illus. by Sophie Bass. (2025). Barefoot Books.
This vibrant and engaging informational text introduces readers to key protests throughout American history. With accessible language, the book highlights how everyday people, including children and teens, have fought for justice, equity, and change. Each protest is framed in conversation with broader views of activism, empowering readers to engage in future and current protests. The book presents the individual protests thematically, then organizes them in a timeline sequentially, and finally shares a map of geographic locations. Back matter also includes historical and research context on each movement. The book offers readers hope in seeing protest as a tool to advocate for more just, equitable, and inclusive ways of being in the United States. It calls for shared action from past to present: “Use your brain, use your voice, find your personal mission. Join hands! Join a Cause! Join a long, proud tradition!”

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Ruby Bridges–A Talk with My Teacher. Ruby Bridges. Illus. by Trudy Tran. (2025). Orchard Books.
This story focuses on conversations between Ruby Bridges and her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Henry, when they reconnected after thirty-five years. While the story references events related to school desegregation, the focus is equally on celebrating teachers and their powerful and lasting influence on our lives. The writing style is simple and accessible for young readers, often evoking a child's hopefulness and optimistic wonder: “Finally, after thirty-five years, I could talk with my teacher. I could ask her all the questions I have wondered about over the years.” A significant feature at the end of the book is the “Ruby Reads Teacher Glossary,” which details the contributions of many different activist-minded and influential teachers from around the globe, sparking curiosity and inviting readers into further research. 

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​Safe Crossing. Author & Illus. by Kari Percival. (2025). Chronicle Books.
This lyrical narrative informational picturebook provides information and a story of how a child, her family, and her community advocate for wildlife crossings for the amphibians that have to journey across a major road. Through child-led fundraising and collective organizing, the community works to create a safer passage for the amphibians. The narrative centers the child’s voice and agency, showing how even small, local efforts can have a meaningful impact on ecosystems. The backmatter offers rich scientific content, including information about amphibian lifecycles, the importance of wildlife crossings, and actionable steps young readers can take to support local wildlife. By emphasizing both scientific knowledge and civic responsibility, Safe Crossing provides a powerful model for how children can engage in environmental justice through local, relational, and intergenerational activism.

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They Call Me Teach: Lessons in Freedom. Lesa Cline Ransome. Illus. by James Ransome (2024). Candlewick.
The author-illustrator duo of Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome has written a moving, poetic story supported with deeply saturated watercolor images highlighting the experiences of enslaved individuals who learned to read and then risked their lives to teach others: “What sound this one make, Teach? they ask, eyes bright/crouched low, I teach in whispers with hushed letters and the soft scrape of a stick against slate.” The author intentionally and effectively weaves dialect throughout the story, bringing authenticity to ways of communicating during the period. This feature of the text also lends to sharing the book as a read aloud to help young readers navigate the words and the concepts. The informative author’s note at the end of the book highlights anti-literacy laws and the variety of ways resistance can be enacted. The words and images work in concert to capture the courage and powerful, and sometimes subtle, means of resistance taken by enslaved people in the quest for freedom. 

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​Up, Up, Ever Up: Junko Tabei, A Life in the Mountains. Anita Yasuda. Illus. by Yuko Shimizu. (2024). Clarion Books.
This Caldecott Honor book seamlessly weaves lyrical language and engaging artwork to highlight the experiences and perseverance of Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Mt. Everest. The narrative presents the ways that Tabei challenged gender norms, and how she also continued to focus on environmental activism to protect the beloved mountain from tourism and climate change. In addition to focusing on Tabei’s resilience as a female climber, the book also details the many ways she “knitted other women climbers together, just as a ridge joins mountaintops…eager and unstoppable, they planned, trained, and dreamed beyond the horizon.” The author’s note, timeline, glossary, and bibliography provide meaningful information and invitations for readers to learn more about Tabei, mountain climbing, and environmental activism.

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​Erica Holyoke, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Responsive Literacy Education at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research focuses on justice, equity, and belonging in literacy teaching and teacher preparation.
 
Lori Elliott, Ph.D., is an associate teaching professor in the Responsive Literacy Education program at the University of Colorado Denver, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in children’s literature.