Social Change Makers

Picture Books

The Black Mambas: The World's First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit (2025)

Written by Kelly Crull

Summary: Kelly Crull traveled to the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa to tell the story of the extraordinary women of the Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit from their perspective. Unarmed, the rangers patrol the reserves, searching for signs of poaching such as fence holes, bushmeat kitchens, and snares. Defying cultural norms, these brave women formed the unit in 2013 and have since saved thousands of animals from poachers.

Recommended Audience: 3rd-6th grade

Review: This is a great story that everyone should read! The Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit was recognized for their bravery, earning the Champions of the Earth Award from the United Nations in 2015. Crull's simple yet informative text breaks down complex concepts like poaching, snares, and bushmeat kitchens in a way that's both educational and empowering. The inclusion of individual ranger profiles and details about the reserve's wildlife adds depth and interest. By sharing the Mambas' triumphs, Crull's book promotes a message of conservation and courage.

How to Solve a Problem (2020)

Written by Ashima Shiraishi and Yao Xiao

Summary and Review: Ashima Shiraishi is one of the world's youngest and most skilled rock climbers. At 15 years old she became the world's first female to climb a V15 (Horizon). The graded boulder scale tops out at V17.
In simple and lyrical text Shiraishi explains that a boulder is known in the climbing world as a problem. Shiraishi breaks down problems into pieces and then dedicates time, energy, and perseverance to overcoming the problem. There are obstacles, falls, slips, breaks with her coach/dad and peanut butter sandwiches but dedication and patience wins when she summits the boulder/problem. Simple and clear but most of all inspiring. A great introduction to Ashima Shiraishi. There is a timeline in back but it ends in 2020. During the pandemic Ashima decided to take a break from climbing. She is currently a student at UCLA.

Recommended Audience: K - 6 (A great introduction to Ashima Shiraishi)

She’s a Mensch! Jewish Women Who Rocked the World (2023)

Written by Rachelle Burk and Alana Barouch;
Illustrated by Arielle Trenk

Summary: Meet a judo champion, a chess grandmaster, a spacewalking astronaut, a World War II spy, and more. . .What do all these people have in common? They are all inspiring Jewish women―mensches who rocked the world!

Recommended Audience: K - 4th Grades

Review: This is a beautifully illustrated book with a lot of information about different women with varying occupations spanning time from 1883 - 2019. Each woman has a short poem about her, some facts, and a discussion question. Depending on the grade level, all or some of the information could be read which actually makes it appropriate for anyone. For older students, it could be used as a jumping off point for students to then do their own research after hearing a short synopsis of what each woman did.

Kind Like Marsha: Learning from LGBTQ+ Leaders (2022)

Written by Sarah Prager; Illustrated by Cheryl “Ras” Thursday

Summary: Kind Like Marsha celebrates 14 amazing and inspirational LGBTQ+ people throughout history. Fan favorites like Harvey Milk, Sylvia Rivera, and Audre Lorde are joined by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, and more in this striking collection. With a focus on a positive personality attribute of each of the historical figures, readers will be encouraged to be brave like the Ugandan activist fighting for LGBTQ+ rights against all odds and to be kind like Marsha P. Johnson who took care of her trans community on the New York City streets.

Recommended Audience: PreK - 3rd Grades

Review: This is a fantastic book with just the right amount of information for younger students. For each person highlighted, there is the phrase, “You can be _______ like ______.” For example, “You can be kind like Marsha,” “You can be determined like Sylvia,” and “You can be loving like Ai.” This is a great way to encourage students and help them with a positive mindset. Then there is a very short, concise summary of what each person has done for the world. This is followed by a short quote from that person. The illustrations are colorful and interesting. It would make a great read aloud to a class.

Extra: Local author!

Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman (2021)

Written by Sharice Davids with Nancy K. Mays; Illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckleyn

Summary: When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she’d be in Congress. And she never thought she’d be one of the first Native American women in Congress. During her campaign, she heard from a lot of doubters. They said she couldn’t win because of how she looked, who she loved, and where she came from. But everyone’s path looks different and everyone’s path has obstacles. And this is the remarkable story of Sharice Davids’ path to Congress.

Recommended Audience: PreK-3rd Grades

Review: This is an inspiring true story and a great way to teach students about perseverance. It is written well, however, it is quite wordy. It could be summarized a bit for the youngest students if reading aloud. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging. At the back of the book there are notes from the author and illustrator, who is also indigenous. There is also a short history written by Jon Greendeer, former president of the Ho-Chuck Nation.

Awards:

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year 2022 - Outstanding Merit in biography and memoir
On Here Wee Read's 2021 Ultimate List of Diverse Children's Books
2022 ALSC Notable Children’s Books in the middle readers category
2022 Booklist from Rise: A Feminist Book Project—Early Readers Nonfiction
Nominee for 2022 Reading the West book award
Selected as CCBC Choices 2022—biography, autobiography and memoir

The Mother of a Movement: Jeanne Manford: Ally, Activist, and Co-Founder of PFLAG (2022)

Written by Rob Sanders; Illustrated by Sam Kalda

Summary: When Jeanne Manford's son Morty was beaten by New York City officials for handing out pro-gay leaflets, she wrote a powerful letter to the New York Post to complain about how Morty was treated. In the letter, she came out as the mother of a gay son. The letter was published. Morty invited his mother to march with him in the June 1972 Christopher Street Parade. While marching, she had the idea to form a group to help parents and families of LGBTQ+ people. That was the beginning of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

Recommended Audience: 1st - 4th Grades

Review: This book is written in a simple style while still relaying a lot of information. It deals with violence in matter-of-fact but not too scary way and doesn’t dwell on it. The story emphasizes that Jeanne was a typical mother who was able to create change by performing simple acts and finding support from others who were like-minded. The colorful illustrations enhance the story. Overall it is very well done. The back matter contains a glossary, discussion questions, more history about PFLAG, and additional resources.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark (2016)

Written by Debbie Levy; Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley

Summary: Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG, tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements.

Recommended Audience: PreK - 3rd Grades

Review: There are quite a few picture books about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This one gives a lot of great information about her life and explains key vocabulary (like “dissent”) within the story. The story could be shortened/summarized by an adult reading it aloud for younger students because it is a bit wordy in parts. The illustrations and the big/bold text do a great job of telling her story. The backmatter has more information about her life and a bibliography of resources.

Malala's Magic Pencil (2017)

Written by Malala Yousafzai; Illustrated by Kerascoet

Summary: Malala's Magic Pencil is a beautifully illustrated autobiographical picture book written by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. In it, Malala shares her childhood dream of having a magic pencil that could fix problems in the world—like stopping wars, erasing poverty, or making everyone smile.

As she grows up in Pakistan, Malala begins to see that real life is more complicated than her dreams. She witnesses injustice, especially how girls are prevented from going to school. Inspired by her own desire to learn and her belief in fairness, she decides to speak out, using her "real" magic pencil—her voice and her words.

The story highlights Malala’s courage, hope, and dedication to education and equality, showing young readers that they too can make a difference with their voices.

Recommended Audience: Ages 4-8

Review: This is a great book that tells Malala's story in a developmentally appropriate way. It highlights how Malala noticed injustice and worked hard to make a difference. This book also emphasizes the importance of education and how one person can make a big difference. In her story, Malala alludes to being shot but leaves out details. She writes that people tried to silence her but failed. Malala is a great role model for children because she started her activism as a child. I also appreciate that this book is an autobiography.

Read along ebook in Sora

www.oneplasticbag.com

One Plastic Bag (2015)

Written by Miranda Paul; Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Summary: One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia is a true story about Isatou Ceesay, a woman from Gambia who saw how plastic bags were harming her community and the environment.

In the village of Njau, plastic bags were everywhere—clogging waterways, hurting animals, and creating pollution. People didn’t know how to dispose of them properly, so they piled up and caused problems.

Isatou decided to take action. She began collecting the bags, cleaning them, and—together with other women—recycling them by crocheting them into purses. These purses could be sold, helping both the environment and the women's income.

The book tells a powerful story of courage, creativity, and community action, showing how one person can make a big difference.

Recommended Audience: Ages 5-9

Review: One Plastic bag is a nonfiction story about Isatou Ceesay who noticed trash in her community and came up with an idea to improve things. It is a great example of how one person can persevere and make positive changes in their community. The story is told clearly and concisely making it accessible to younger students. The author, Miranda Paul, lived a portion of her life in Gambia and was on the board of the nonprofit organization, We Need Diverse Books.

Brayden Speaks Up: How One Boy Inspired the Nation (2021)

Written by Brayden Harrington; Illustrated by Betty C. Tang

Summary: This book is the true story of 13-year-old Brayden Harrington, who stutters. The story follows Brayden's experience of a child who stutters and the struggles and emotions that he encountered. After a school project to recite the Gettysburg Address, he meets presidential candidate Joe Biden, who also had a stutter as a child. This gives him confidence and inspiration. President Biden then invited Brayden to give a speech at the Democratic National Convention. His speech was heartfelt and a little “bumpy” but it encouraged others like him to find the courage to speak up and not be worried about how they sound. Brayden booms with confidence and feels he can accomplish anything after this experience and is hopeful that others like him feel the same.

Recommended Audience: Ages: 4+

Review: Brayden Speaks Up gives a real-life picture of the challenges of stuttering for a young boy. It is a positive message that by speaking up and being courageous that you can help and inspire other people who may be experiencing the same things as you. The illustrations are vibrant and capture the emotions of the story. There are tips for families and educators about stuttering at the end of the book that are educational. It also has an encouraging letter from Brayden himself.

Oh, the Things We’re For! (2020)

Written by Innosanto Nagara

Summary: Oh, the Things We’re For! is a picture book by Innosanto Nagara. The Seuss like rhymes throughout the book are engaging and make for a fun rhythmic read while exploring a number of topics such as climate change, universal healthcare, free public education, and prison abolition. The author challenges young readers to think about what the care about and what they can do to make it better or help spread the information and how to advocate for justice and a better world. It gives examples of what one can do to make a difference.

Recommended Audience: Ages: 8+

Review: Oh, the Things We’re For! is written by Innosanto Nagara, who also write A is for Activist. Oh,the Things We’re For! is a great book to introduce activism to children but may be a for a bit older elementary age due to length and the amount and nature of the topics introduced. The rhyming is catchy and makes it easy to understand a variety of complicated social issues but it a bit wordy and some of the topics are mature (health care, prison abolition). The illustrations are engaging and full of color. The book asks readers to think about what they stand for and gives details about standing up for issues within one’s community thinking about justice and positive change. It does have a range of topics and may be a bit too much for younger children but a great discussion guide for older students.

We Care: A First Conversation About Justice (2024)

Written by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli; Illustrated by Sharee Miller

Summary: We Care introduces the concept of justice with simple and clear language and illustrations. The book emphasizes the importance of community, fairness, and empathy, encouraging children to recognize and address unfairness in their world. One main topic in the book is the issue of homelessness and how people in the community can help through co-op gardening, food drives, etc.

Recommended Audience: Ages:2+

Review: We Care is a good resource for teachers/adults to start to engage young children in conversations about justice. The authors are both experienced in early childhood education and activism and have made the book engaging and understandable for young learners. The illustrations are vibrant and interesting and reflect a range of diversity of the communities the book discusses. It does have a picture of authority figures looking unhappy and making homeless people vacate an area where they have set up camp. It made for a great discussion on the issue of homelessness even for young listeners. They had great discussion points, questions, and ideas around the issue. There are additional resources and ideas for continuing these types of discussions as a tool for families and educators to have important conversations about justice with young children. A good resource but prepare for conversation on the tops beforehand.

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices (2018) Edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson

Summary: A book of over 50 authors and illustrators writing about hope and change in poetry and prose. Forward by Ashley Bryan

Recommended Audience: Upper Elementary, Early Middle Grades

Review: A powerful book that you can start in the beginning or at the end to look to read about which "Voices" you are called to! Great resources from each contributing individual.

Listen to Wade and Cheryl talk about the book release in 2018

https://youtu.be/j5RQxrmM8Yk?feature=shared

Honest History (2018 - present)

Meet the Contributors https://honesthistory.co/pages/contributors

Summary: Honest History is a high quality interactive magazine. "Our Mission is to share important, well-researched stories that inspire kids to make a positive impact on history themselves. We encourage children to conduct their own research and unearth stories long lost, supported by verified facts and accompanied by an eager sense of adventure. " - Quote from the Honest History website.

Recommended Audience: Elementary, Early Middle Grades

Review: Powerful magazine that shares sometimes hard truths in a creative interactive way.

Honest History Podcast: https://honesthistory.co/pages/podcast?srsltid=AfmBOooEN4Y47XBob5kT8jdtN3fc9fLlqCK72F7FkvOFT266o8o67dV0

Middle Grade

Come Home Safe (2023)
Written by Brian Buckmire

Summary: When Reed and Olivia left home, they never imagined they’d find themselves questioned, searched, and thrown to the ground by police looking for suspects in recent crimes. As their worst fears become reality, they must find a way to “prove” their innocence and make it home safe once again.

Recommended Audience: 6th - 12th Grades

Review: Come Home Safe is a Young Adult novel about two siblings who experience racial injustice in two separate incident's. In the story both siblings advocate for themselves while being falsely accused by either the police or an individual person and in one instance by both. The author Brian Buckmire wrote this story in hopes to educate and inspire for other to work towards change.

Boundless (2024)

Written by Chaunté Lowe

Summary: Boundless is the inspiring memoir of Chaunte Lowe, Olympic high jumper and world record holder. Lowe recounts her journey from watching Florence Griffith Joyner at the 1988 Olympics to her own triumphs and adversities. With unflinching honesty, she shares her experiences of playing with her sisters in the local park, facing financial challenges, and coping with domestic violence. Lowe pays tribute to the strong support of her grandmothers and coaches, while also highlighting the dedication and hard work required to become an Olympic athlete.

Recommended Audience: 4th - 8th grade

Review: As a fan of sports memoirs, I've read many autobiographies that gloss over the grueling hours of training and sacrifice. But Boundless stands out for its unvarnished portrayal of the choices and challenges that led Lowe to the Olympics. Lowe's storytelling is vivid and immersive, transporting readers to her grandmother's house and other pivotal settings from her life. Her narration of the audiobook brings her story to life.

I included an inspired video which offers a glimpse into Chaunté Lowe’s life. Please note that the book Boundless concludes with her first of four Olympic appearances.

Young Adult

Moxie! (2018)

Written by Jennifer Mathieu

Summary: MOXIE GIRLS FIGHT BACK! Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with an administration at her high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules. Viv's mom was a tough-as-nails, punk rock Riot Grrrl in the '90s, and now Viv takes a page from her mother's past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She's just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. As Viv forges friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution. Moxie is a book about high school life that will make you wanna riot!

Recommended Audience: 8th-12th Grades

Review:

Dress Coded (2022)

Written by Carrie Firestone

Summary: Eighth grader Molly Frost has had ENOUGH. Enough of watching her friends be shamed for what they are wearing, of girls missing class time to be reprimanded because their shorts are one inch too short, and being told their bodies are a distraction. At home, Molly has other challenges--an older brother dealing with a vaping addiction and stressed out parents--and so she starts to pour her energy into a podcast about the problems with the middle school dress code. Before she knows it, her rebellion against unfair rules becomes a revolution.

Recommended Audience: Grades 5-10

Review: This is a smart, funny, and inspiring novel that will make you want to get up and DO SOMETHING about the small but meaningful injustices around you. The novel's formatting - short chapters of 1-3 pages, moving back and forth in time - is well paced and made this fly by. I found myself totally unwilling to put this down! This novel is about (and I would argue for) middle schoolers, however it reads both up and down beautifully and would appeal to early high school and upper elementary as well. For the latter, I think it would be a great read aloud and for middle and high schoolers has a nice potential to tie into the Civics curriculum. I initially read this for our Body Diversity focus, but ultimately felt that the plot's focus on social change is more appropriately located in this group of books. There is a lot of intersetionality in this book around identity and activism, and I especially appreciated the way body diversity was woven into the story from all angles. At its core this has a strong feminist message that bodies--especially the bodies of women and girls--are not objects to be policed. The plot around Molly's brother's addiction is likewise well handled. Funny, deeply felt and heartwarming, this is a great read for a wide variety of ages.

This Book Won't Burn (2024)

Written by Samira Ahmed

Summary: When her dad abruptly abandons their family, Noor's mom decides to move them away from Chicago for a "fresh start". Reeling from the implosion of her family and being dragged away from everything she knows, Noor figures the best way to ride out the last few months of high school is to keep her head down to try and make it to graduation. Things start looking up when she meets a cute desi boy and starts to make some new friends, but it also doesn't take long for her to discover that hundreds of books are being pulled from her new school's library, nearly all of them by queer and BIPOC authors. Now Noor must wrestle between doing the right thing and fighting for what she believes in or putting a target on her back in a small town where she is already an outsider.

Recommended Audience: Grades 8-12

Review: A very timely and important read, this books emphasizes the challenges that so many changemakers face in reaching their goals. On top of fighting book bans, Noor is dealing with emotionally devasting changes to her family and the adandonment of her father--the same person who instilled in her all the values that make her want to fight for change. She's dealing with typical teen pressures of romance and friendships, navigating being one of the only BIPOC and Muslim students at her new school, and now she's facing down adults who want to limit her access to the stories that have given her life meaning. I found this to be a gripping and engaging read--it was hard to put down!--and the relevance to contemporary students is evident throughout. However, I do wonder how this book will age over time, as so many of the references are specific to 2024 and I suspect this may start to feel dated.

This website is a work in progress and reflects the opinions of the professionals in the course Exploring Diversity in Children's Books 2024-2025. Please use this as a starting point and use your own judgment as to whether or not a book is appropriate for your teaching goals.

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