Help children learn about finding their voice to help others, being an ally, pursuing justice and making the world a safe and accepting place for all with these books. Books for kids about standing up for others and being an ally are great conversation starters.
Being an Ally for Others
Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Change Sings brings the beautiful words of Amanda Gorman into the laps of children. When we join together, anything is possible. Children will feel empowered to make small and big changes in their lives and the world after be uplifted with this anthem.
When We Say Black Lives Matter by Maxine Beneba Clarke helps young children (and honestly could help a lot of adults) understand what the meaning is behind those words. It’s a book that can be read over and over again to start conversations about injustice in the world and the importance of speaking up and out.
Something Good by Marcy Campbell is the story of a school coming together after a hateful graffiti incident at their school. The community has to do a lot of talking, listening, and learning together to move forward and build better.
Our World is a Family by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson draws attention to the challenge of immigration for so many and how we as a community can welcome and support new neighbors. How can we help everyone feel safe, warm and welcome?
Change Starts With Us by Sophie Beer is a starter book for young children that will empower them to create change from a young age.
Not So Small by Pat Zietlow Miller beautifully illustrates that one person can make a difference and can inspire and initiate change. Don’t think because you are small, you can’t make a difference in the world for others. You can!
Speak Up! by Miranda Paul encourages children to speak up for themselves and others. This great pick for preschoolers and kindergarteners encourages speaking up in all sorts of situations from when someone mispronounces your name to challenging an unfair rule.
It’s time to stand up and say, “enough!” Enough! by Emily Easton highligts 20 individuals who said enough with injustice they saw from Rosa Parks to Colin Kaepernick. This is another pick for young children.
Imagine starting your day with a loved one asking, “How will you help today?” It’s a prety powerful mindset and that his how Just Help! : How to Build a Better World by Sonia Sotomayor starts. We can all work together to help others.
I don’t normally put books on a Growing Book by Book list unless I have personally read them. However, I feel like this new book will be a great addition to this list so I’m including it now. I look forward to reading a copy very soon. I’ve followed the author on Instagram for some time and love her content. You Have A Voice by Vera Ahiyya is a call for us to all use our voice to do good and create change.
It’s important to be an ally and stand-up for people. But, we can also be an ally to the environment too. These next few books are about standing up for the environment.
Amara and the Bats by Emma Reynolds is about a bat lover who moves to a new town where too many trees are being cut down and causing a loss of habitat for bats. Amara learns that individuals can make a difference and create change so she seeks to save the bats.
It only takes one person to get things started. A powerful message a librarian gives to a young girl in Butterflies Belong Here : A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies by Deborah Hopkinson. That one young girl’s mission spreads to a whole class to save and protect the butterflies.
For Older Readers
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks is a chapter book about a daughter who works to free her estranged father from prison for a crime he says he didn’t commit.
Art of Protest: Creating, Discovering, and Activating Art For Your Revolution by De Nichols takes a look at the role of art in protesting.
Printable Book List
Grab a printable book list of the books above along with conversation starters to use.
If you enjoyed this book list, you’ll want to see all of our book lists around Social Emotional Learning.—>2022 Family Dinner Book Club
Leave a Reply