Jenny Berggren is a librarian and parent living in the Bay Area. She gave me permission to share an excerpt from her fantastic Solidarity Sundays rad kids reading list. Solidarity Sundays is a nationwide network for over 100 feminist activist groups focused on resisting the current administration as well as systemic inequities. Based on that broad goal, these books cover a wide array of topics.
Books for Younger Readers (preschool & elementary)
Most of these titles are less than $10 and feature beautiful artwork along with an inspiring message of people striving to work hard to benefit others. You’ll have a hard time choosing just one. Jenny’s full list includes even more books than I included here. See the whole list!
- Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, ill. by David Roberts
- A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
- Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight by Kathleen Krull, ill. by Amy June Bates
- I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy, ill. by Elizabeth Baddeley
- Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood, ill. by Meg Hunt
- Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester, ill. by Karen Barbour
- Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by Jonah Winter, ill. by Shane W. Evans
- Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell, ill. by Rafael Lopez
- 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by Charles R. Smith, ill. by Shane W. Evans
Books for Older Readers (upper elementary/middle school)
- Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives, and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
- Ghost by Jason Reynolds
- The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz, ill. by Hatem Aly
- LGBTQ+ Athletes Claim the Field: Striving for Equality by Kirstin Cronn-Mills
- Ms. Marvel series by G. Willow Wilson
- Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
- March series by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell
- Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History by Kate Schatz
Thanks again to Jenny Berggren and to Solidarity Sundays for allowing me to share a portion of their list. Go, be inspired; see the rest of the Solidarity Sundays kids booklist >
