(NBGS #2) Representations of Home and Advocacy

Jackie Arnold,  Tracey S. Hodges, Julia López-Robertson, Leslie Morris, Sharon Pratt, Bethany L. Scullin

In the second of two columns, members of the 2026 Notable Books for a Global Society committee proudly present reviews of 12 outstanding books for readers in PreK to 12th grades from this year's list. These books explore themes of home and advocacy, bringing readers into stories where displacement, identity, and justice intersect as each one reflects the depth and diversity of global literature. 

And They Walk On. Kevin Maillard. Illus. by Rafael López. (2025). Roaring Book Press/Macmillan. 

A young boy wonders where his grandmother has gone after she "walks on." He moves through her home, where her jacket still hangs by the door, her shoes remain on the floor, and her starlight mints sit by the bed, as though she has simply stepped out. Room by room, memory by memory, he begins to understand that those who walk on stay present through the moments and experiences shared with the people they loved. The text is written in lyrical stanzas and introduces readers to an Indigenous expression for death that feels both tender and expansive. The detailed illustrations complement the text and offer an honest and moving portrayal of grief and loss. (PreK–Gr 3)
-BLS

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Brave. Weshoyot Alvitre. (2025). Kokila/Penguin Random House.

A young Indigenous boy dreams of wearing his hair long like the men he sees dancing at powwows and like his father, who carefully brushes his hair each day. At school, however, he is teased and shamed for his appearance. Through conversations with his father, he learns that his father was forced to cut his hair and that his grandfather was forbidden from practicing their traditions and was called a “Brave.” Inspired by their resilience, the boy decides to reclaim his identity by growing his hair and honoring his culture. Paired with Alvitre’s powerful illustrations, this story reminds readers that identity is something to celebrate. It delivers a meaningful message: we are strong, we are brave, we are loved, and we should never be ashamed of who we are. (Gr K-4)
-LM 

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Displaced. Patrick Ochieng. (2025). Carolrhoda Books/Penguin Random House.
 
Kimathi loses his father, his best friend, and his home in an instant when post-election violence tears through his Kenyan city. Forced to flee with his mother and sister to a nearby refugee camp, he must navigate the harsh realities of displacement and his own grief. The conditions in the camp are stark, with overcrowded tents, scarce food and water, and little sense of what comes next. Told in a graphic novel format, the story captures Kimathi's inner world with care, including the nightmares and dizzy spells that follow him from the violence he witnessed. The storytelling is honest and restrained, letting the human moments speak for themselves. A grounded and affecting look at political conflict, forced migration, and survival. (Gr 4–8 )
-BLS

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The Freedom Seeker. Ruchira Gupta. (2025). Scholastic Press/Scholastic. 

Twelve-year-old Simi is vying for captain of her hockey team in India when her life changes drastically. Her father has to leave suddenly to establish a home for them in the United States, as they seek to escape threats from the community related to her parents’ interfaith marriage. Although his goal was to later bring Simi and her mother over to join him, asylum restrictions delayed the process. Instead, Simi and her mother seek passage into the US through dangerous and uncertain immigration routes from Mexico. They both experience heat and dehydration, as well as separation from each other. Simi also barely misses being caught in a child trafficking ring before she is sent to different shelters within the United States. After she endures the conditions in the shelters, Simi must hold on to hope that her family will find their way back to each other. (Gr 3–7)
-SP

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King of the Neuro Verse. Idris Goodwin. (2025). Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster 

King of the Neuro Verse by Idris Goodwin is a rhythmic novel in verse that centers a Black teen with ADHD who is tired of being defined by what school says he cannot do. Pernell is back in summer school again, and the stakes feel real. If he cannot pass, graduation slips further away. In the classroom, his mind is treated like a problem to manage, but during lunchtime cyphers, his quick thinking and restless energy become assets. As he works to earn respect and chase the title of Cypher King, he is also navigating family pressure, friendships, and the vulnerability of first love. This book invites readers to see neurodivergence through a strengths-based lens while still acknowledging the barriers kids face in systems not built for them. (Gr 6–9)
-TSH

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My Home Is in My Backpack. Eugenia Perrella. Trans. by Sally Polson. Illus. by Angela Salerno. Floris Books/Spotlight Publishing 
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Clara and her family have left their home in Venezuela behind, carrying what matters most in backpacks as they journey on foot toward safety. Along the way, her mother offers a quiet but lasting reassurance, explaining that home is not a place, but the people you love and the memories you carry with you. The story draws directly on the real experiences of Venezuelan refugees, giving it an authenticity that feels present throughout. The illustrations show both the enormous distances traveled and the quieter moments in between, including singing, storytelling, and pausing to notice the natural world. Joy and hardship exist side by side, and the family's love for one another remains steady even in the most uncertain moments. Back matter offers additional context on the story behind the book. (Gr K–3)
-BLS

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A Place for Us. James E. Ransome. (2025). Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House. 

Ransome’s wordless picture book follows a mother and son through what first appears to be an ordinary day. After school, they share a meal at a fast-food restaurant, then head to the library to complete homework, staying until closing. While these moments feel familiar, the story takes a quiet turn when they go not to a home, but to a park. There, the mother stays awake through the night, watching over her son as he sleeps on a bench. In the morning, he washes in a fountain, combs his hair, and prepares for school. Through vivid, emotional illustrations, the story reveals a powerful truth that many families experiencing homelessness live unseen within our communities, reminding readers to look with greater empathy and awareness. (Gr K–3)
-LM

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Rez Kid. Andrea Landry. Illus. by Isabella Fassler. (2025). Kids Can Press. 

Rez Kid explores the hurt of prejudice and the healing power of heritage. The story follows an Indigenous girl who faces daily teasing on her school bus. Seeking comfort, she turns to her family during traditional activities like beading and harvesting medicinal plants. Her relatives each offer their own wisdom, encouraging her to respond with kindness, teach others, or walk away with pride. Ultimately, the protagonist chooses a courageous path of radical hospitality, inviting her classmates to the reservation to experience her culture firsthand. This shift transforms painful prejudicial stereotypes into a bridge for empathy and connection. Enhanced by Isabella Frassler’s emotive illustrations, the book celebrates family strength and the profound impact of sharing one’s identity to overcome misunderstanding. (Gr K–3)
-JA

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Rosa, By Any Other Name. Hailey Alcaraz. (2025). Viking Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House.

Set in 1955 in Arizona during the civil rights era, this Romeo and Juliet-inspired retelling follows Rosa Capistrano, a light-skinned Mexican American girl secretly passing as white at her predominantly white high school.  Hoping to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist, Rosa carefully keeps her two worlds apart-until her childhood best friend Ramón and her school friend Julianne, the sheriff’s daughter, fall in love.  When the couple is tragically murdered before they make their relationship public, Rosa is left as the sole witness, thrust into the center of a town-wide scandal.  Drawn to Ramón’s brother, Marco, through shared grief and a powerful drive for justice, Rosa must ultimately decide whether to protect her carefully constructed future or risk everything to find the courage to speak the truth. (Gr 10 Up)
-JLR

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A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvare. María Dolores Águila. (2025). Roaring Book Press/Macmillan 

Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the Mexican Revolution era, this novel in verse brings to life the remarkable true story of Roberto Alvarez, a twelve-year-old born in the United States as the first American-born child in his family.  Structured in the tradition of a corrido, the narrative beautifully honors the strength and solidarity of the Latino community in the face of deep injustice.

Fueled by anti-Mexican prejudice, the Lemon Grove School District sought to push Mexican students out of mainstream education into a makeshift ‘Americanization’ school in a converted barn. Refusing to be silenced, even under threat of deportation, the affected families banded together as the Comité de Vecinos and took the district to court.  Their bravery yielded a landmark outcome as the first successful school desegregation ruling in U.S. history, won nearly two decades before Brown v. Board of Education. It is a profound, yet long-overlooked, triumph in the ongoing struggle for civil rights.  (Gr 3–8)
-JLR

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The Story of My Anger. Jasminne Mendez. (2025). Dial Books/Penguin Random House.

The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez is a novel in verse about identity, resistance, and the powerful work of finding one’s voice. The book follows Yulieta “Yuli” Lopez, a Dominican American teen in Texas who dreams of being cast in a lead role in her high school drama club but is repeatedly overlooked because of her race. When her favorite teacher’s curriculum comes under attack by the school board, and books that reflect her experience are banned, Yuli’s simmering anger ignites into action. Inspired by the activism of her family and friends, she and her peers form a guerrilla theatre troupe to challenge discrimination and censorship in their community. By braiding poetic text with scenes written as plays, Mendez’s narrative captures Yuli’s journey from silence to self-assertion, inviting discussions about racism, art, and social justice. (Gr 7 Up) 
-TSH

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The Teacher of Nomad Land. Daniel Nayeri. (2025). Levine Querido/Chronicle Books.

Set in Iran in 1941, this novel follows thirteen-year-old Babak and his younger sister Sana after their father is accidentally killed by British soldiers. Determined to stay together and carry on his work, Babak straps his father's chalkboard to his back and sets out to teach the nomads crossing the mountains. The journey is difficult from the start as British and Soviet forces occupy the country, food and water are scarce, and trust is hard to come by. When the siblings encounter a Jewish boy being tracked by a Nazi soldier, the situation becomes considerably more dangerous. Communication across languages is rarely straightforward, and yet small acts of decency surface in unexpected places. The war is ever-present but never overshadows the story's core, which remains fixed on two children determined to keep moving forward and stay together. (Gr 3–7)
-BLS

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