Making Our Voices Heard: Books About Activism for Kids
by Laura Lambert
What does activism look like to a preschooler — or a fifth grader? How do we teach them what it means to stand up for our rights, for social justice, for greater equality and protections? How do we articulate the values and ideas we believe are worth fighting for — especially in ways that a kid can truly hear?
Well, through books and stories, for one. Here are some titles to jumpstart the conversation of what it means to show up, speak out, resist, and persist on behalf of our own beliefs — and for those who may not have a voice.
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A is for Activist
Available from:While A is for Activist uses alliteration and rhyming to get its message across, this isn’t your typical ABC book. Instead of apples, dogs, and frogs, you have “activists,” “little d democracy,” and “feminists.”
F is for Feminist.
For Fairness in our pay.
For Freedom to Flourish
and choose our own way.Oakland-based author Innosanto Nagara, who was born and raised in Indonesia, originally wrote the book to help capture and convey progressive values to his own son. Now, this bestselling board book is helping to frame up young activism for the preschool set.
If you like A is for Activist, check out Nagara’s follow-up counting book, Counting on Community.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Show Up and Vote
Preorder from:From singer-songwriter, activist, feminist, and bestselling author Ani Di Franco comes a lyrical picture book that sensitively portrays a young girl's experience accompanying her mother to vote, emphasizing the significance of this civic duty in an authentic and relatable manner.
(Ages 3 – 7)Preorder from:
RELATED: Picture Books About Elections and Voting
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Rocket Says Speak Up!
Available from:Motivated by the impending closure of her town's library, Rocket channel's Rosa Parks' pioneering activism to mobilize her community, organizing a peaceful protest that garners attention, generates funds, and saves the library. It's an uplifting story to teach kids about taking a stand.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
Available from:Oftentimes, activism looks like quiet resistance that directly serves others. That’s one of the many lessons in Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. When Clara learns about the Underground Railroad, she uses her skills as a seamstress to create a map that shows the way — a map that only those looking for the secret route will understand. Through her actions, Clara demonstrates the importance of bringing others along on the journey to freedom.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
The Pink Hat
Available from:Inspired by the 2017 Women’s March, author Andrew Joyner put together this tale of one iconic pink hat, the only pop of color in this black and white illustrated book. The hat itself travels from one feminist into the hands of another feminist, a generation or two removed. The origin of the pink hats is not discussed, and the tone and style are a positive take on girl power, and the women’s movement it rolls up into.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Change Sings
Available from:Amanda Gorman stunned America when she delivered her powerful poem during the presidential inauguration. Now, you can share her inspirational message with your children. Her picture book shows readers of all ages that we can change the world for the better when we work together.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Stand Up! Speak Up!
Available from:Another great story by Andrew Joyner, this one focusing on taking action to fight climate change. Follow along as a young activist participates in a march, organizes community clean-ups, speaks at town halls, and more. The back matter features profiles of global youth activists who have raised their voices on environmental issues. The book jacket even doubles as a march sign, the underside reading "Marching for My Future."
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Miss Paul and the President
Available from:As a young girl, Alice Paul couldn’t help but notice that her mother didn’t join her father at the voting polls. After studying the Constitution and learning that women weren’t allowed to vote, Alice decided it was time for change. She organized protests and parades, wrote to her representatives, and even met with President Woodrow Wilson, who wasn’t interested in Alice’s proposition. But Alice persisted, as recounted in this picture book with vivid artwork by Nancy Zhang. To keep discussing Votes for Women, see also Around America to Win the Vote and Bold & Brave.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from:
RELATED: Rise Up! Picture Book Biographies About Prominent Change-Makers
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Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America
Available from:This galvanizing collection of portraits introduces young readers to some of the most influential protestors in our country’s history and of today. From Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr. to Colin Kaepernick and transgender teen Jazz Jennings, budding activists will learn about these incredible and brave leaders who shaped — and continue to shape — a brighter tomorrow through their varying forms of protest. The book opens with a foreword from a Parkland shooting survivor and concludes with additional context about each protestor and their respective causes.
(Ages 5 – 8)Also available from: -
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
Available from:Children’s books like Pride help us remember that the history of LGBTQ+ rights, gay pride, and the rainbow flag is relatively recent, and hold up the bravery and leadership of people like Harvey Milk — whose activism paved the way for greater equality.
After Pride, add Stonewall to the conversation: a picture book by the same author-illustrator team that explains the powerful history behind the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, as narrated by the Stonewall Inn itself.
(Ages 5 – 8)Also available from: -
Lillian's Right to Vote
Available from:It’s Election Day, and Lillian, a 100-year-old African American woman, is taking an uphill journey to her polling place. She’s determined to make her voice heard, and as she walks, she invites the reader on flashbacks into her family’s past. We see her great-grandfather voting for the first time after the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, her parents meeting pushback on their own voter registrations, and Lillian marching in the 1965 civil rights protests in Selma, Alabama. Blending the personal and historical, Lillian’s Right to Vote encourages us to celebrate victories while also remembering the past.
(Ages 5 – 9)Also available from:
RELATED: Books To Help Kids Understand the Fight for Racial Equality
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The Little Book of Little Activists
Available from:This intro to activism is book-ended by veterans of two iconic marches — a co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March on one end and an activist/author from the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March on the other. In between are inspiring photos of and quotes from kid activists doing their thing. Writes School Library Journal, “An inspiring reminder that people of any age can play a role in the quest for social justice.”
(Ages 5 – 9)Also available from: -
Start Now!
Available from:You are never too young to get involved with causes that are important to you. This book from Chelsea Clinton introduces readers to a host of issues facing kids today and then encourages them to make a difference. If you start small but think big, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.
(Ages 7 – 10)Also available from: -
Rebel Girls Climate Warriors: 25 Tales of Women Who Protect the Earth
Available from:Alongside beautiful illustrations, this short book contains the stories of 25 incredible women and what they did to help our planet. From Autumn Peltier, a clean water activist, to Angelina Aora, an inventor who created bioplastic bags from natural ingredients, this book will help so many young readers appreciate all they can do to help!
(Ages 8 – 12)Also available from:
RELATED: Middle Grade Books for Environmentally Conscious Kids
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Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Available from:As one of America’s most famous activists, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement until his untimely death in 1968. An advocate for advancing civil rights through nonviolent and peaceful tactics, he organized people across the country against racial and economic injustice. Informative yet fun, this book in the Who Was? series outlines King’s impressive life as a model for young activists.
(Ages 8 – 12)Also available from: -
Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism
Available from:How did racism start? What does racism look like today? These are the questions activist Yassmin Abdel-Magiedv set out to answer in this comprehensive guide to fighting racism. Names Best Book of 2023 by School Library Journal, it's described as "A straightforward yet encouraging discussion on the fight against racism with a uniquely global perspective."
(Ages 9 – 12)Also available from:
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2024.