Books that make you stand up and use your voice! - 10.09.2020

Election season is absolutely upon us.  While our young readers can't vote today, they are the voters of tomorrow.  Even though they won't be heading to the polls with us this November, letting them know they have a voice and they can use it today is a powerful message.  Here are just a few books I've recently read that should be in your October/early November piles.

Love is Powerful

written by Heather Dean Brewer

illustrated by LeUyen Pham

A perfect book to show young readers to use their voice and it will be heard!  Written after the author went to the Women's March and saw a young friend on her mother's shoulders shouting to the crowd about kindness and hearing the people join in, this story will make you want to decorate a poster and use your voice!

Sometimes People March

by Tessa Allen

This is one of those books that has so much to it when you take a closer look.  Every word counts in this narrative - most pages have just a sentence or two of text.  The illustrations fill in some of the ideas and show some of the many marches in history.  The book shares the idea that all ages of people march and for many different causes.  It's one way to show you care about a cause or an idea.  At the end of the book is a list of movements, marches, and key figures that were depicted in the text.  Each one has a brief explanation, date, and page number where you can see the matching illustration.  No doubt this book will leave readers wanting to research and find more information.

V is for Voting

written by Kate Farrell

illustrated by Caitlin Kuhwald

Not only an alphabet book, but told in rhyming text!  I like the quick introductions to being an activist now and some of the people and events that happened to get us where we are now as a country.  Although it's a quick read, I'm guessing your class will stop and talk a lot about what they see in this text.  Backmatter that names some of the people featured in the illustrations.

Two small criticisms/questions.  One, there is an illustration of Sitting Bull on the page "G is for govern...".  On the main illustration, he is shown with a feather in his hair.  In the backmatter where he is named, the feather is removed.  Thought it was an odd discrepancy.  Another question - on some of the illustrations, there are cartoon animals included.  I have no idea why the illustrator included the cartoons along with humans.

Speak Up

written by Miranda Paul

illustrated by Ebony Glenn

In a world that is full of injustice, it's sometimes hard to imagine what a young voice can do.  This book is a perfect answer to that.  Paul focuses on positive and important ways kids can speak up and use their voice, speak up and be active, speak up and be seen.  I really like that kids can read this book and immediately have ideas for what they want to do to make an impact on the world around them.

Important resources and ideas are included in the backmatter.  Paul gives examples of when you want to speak up vs times to let it go.  She also includes ideas to show your support instead of speaking up - not every child is comfortable being vocal, but there are other ways to show support.

While the illustrations represent a variety of cultures and abilities, it is noted that every Asian has eyes that slant upward.  I normally adore Ebony Glenn's illustrations, but I think this is one that she missed the mark on.

A book I'm looking forward to reading....

No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History

written by Lindsay Metcalf

My friend and colleague, Terry Goth (@gothteacher), found this one and said it's really good.  I'm on hold for it at the library!

Some more recent books I would also recommend:

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi

A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliott

I Voted: Making a Choice Makes a Difference by Mark Shulman

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom