Activism for children may sound alarming, but it can be as simple as taking them with you to volunteer at the library or encouraging little ones help you pick out some food or toiletries that will be collected for community members who might need them. While not all parents will be ready to discuss protest and activism with their children, this list of books and other resources are for those who are preparing for these discussions. Below are some resources for parents and teachers. Scroll down for a list of sixteen books for children that center protest and activism.
For Parents
- Activist Handbook
- Explain the Language of Activism to a Child: Words for Change - Little Explainers
- Kids are Activists Too: A Toolkit for kids and families - Feed Our Democracy
- 20 Ways to Inspire Kids by Showing Up as an Everyday Activist - Raising World Children
- Activism for Kids: Simple Ways to Get Involved - Little Explainers
- Unity in Diversity: Fostering the Pillars of Activism in Children - PBS SoCal
For Teachers
- The Power to Be a Changemaker - The Commons Social Change Library
- Social Justice Resources for Teachers - The Commons Social Change Library
- 16 Days of Activism Activities (sample calendar) - Childline South Africa
- FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit - Read Your World

Image Description: Six children, photographed from above, are standing in a circle. Each has put one hand in the center of the circle, a popular symbol of team unity or friendship. They are standing on bright green turf.
Credit: Kampus Production / Pexels
16 Children's Books on Protest and Activism
- A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
- We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
- Get Up, Stand Up by Bob Marley & Cedella Marley
- All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel
- My Mommy Marches by Samantha Hawkins
- Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom
- The Great Banned Books Bake Sale by Aya Khalil
- Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
- Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales
- Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeannette Winter
- The Girl Who Ran Bobbi Gibb, The First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon by Frances Poletti and Kristina Yee
- Lillian’s Right To Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by Jonah Winter
- Someday is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-Ins by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
- Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
- Hands Up! by Breanna J. McDaniel
- Alejandria Fights Back! / ¡La Lucha de Alejandria! by Leticia Hernández-Linares
Sources
- 42 Inspirational Books for Young Activists (Imagination Soup): 42 Inspirational Books for Young Activists - Imagination Soup
- Making a Protest: Ten Political Novels to Challenge Your Views (BBC Arts): BBC Arts - The Novels That Shaped Our World - Making a protest: Ten political novels to challenge your views
- 9 Must-Read Works of Historical Protest Literature (Catalyst Planet): 9 Must-Read Works of Historical Protest Literature
- 17 Books Every Activist Should Read in 2019 (Mashable): 17 must-read books for activists | Mashable
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