Two exemplary titles explore activism from distinct perspectives for young readers. Tweens receive concrete advice for turning feelings into action in Rocha and Leatherdale’s energizing how-to, while learning about a life lived in service to a better world in Salomon’s picture book biography of Myrlie Evers-Williams.

Rocha, Charlene & Mary Beth Leatherdale. You Can Be an Activist: How to Use Your Strengths and Passions to Make a Difference. illus. by Drew Shannon. 112p. (CitizenKid). Kids Can. Sept. 2024. pap. $14.99. ISBN 9781525308406.
Gr 4-6–This comprehensive guide will empower all kids to turn their frustrations with injustice into action. Through colorful graphics, easy-to-comprehend charts, and informational sections, Rocha and Leatherdale take typically complex information and break it down into a middle grade-friendly format. Pulling from her experience as a youth activist, Rocha combines personal experience with brief interviews from other young activists to encourage readers that they can make a difference. The coauthors write from a place that uplifts kids and asserts that their ideas and their lived experiences matter. The undertone of the book is not only that readers should become activists to work toward a better planet, but they should also become activists because what they do and who they are is important. By naming typical self-sabotaging rhetoric (e.g., “I’m not a public speaker,” “I don’t have a large following,” “I’m just one kid”), Rocha and Leatherdale are able to proactively remind all young people that anyone is capable of being an activist. Throughout, there are invaluable resources: guidance on finding reliable information, public speaking, letter and email templates, networking advice, self-care tips, and more. Back matter includes web resources, glossary, and an index. VERDICT An approachable, comprehensive guide to empower kids to find their passion and make a change. A must-purchase for all libraries.–Katherine Kefi

Salomon, Nadia. A Voice of Hope: The ­Myrlie Evers-Williams Story. illus. by ­London Ladd. 40p. Philomel. Sept. 2024. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593525913.
Gr 4-6–In 2013, Myrlie Evers-Williams stands on the steps of the Capitol prepared to give a prayer at the second inauguration of President Obama. The narrative moves back to her childhood in Mississippi, where she dreamed of being a concert pianist and playing Carnegie Hall, but “Jim Crow laws made it illegal for her to attend a private university and pursue a music major.” In college she met and married Medgar Evers, who shared her belief in standing up for civil rights. Marriage and motherhood did not stop her from joining Evers in the fight until his murder in 1963; she carried on her work while seeking justice for him. She remarried and later became the first woman chair of the NAACP. Over time, she returned to her piano and was invited by a friend to play at Carnegie Hall, followed by her prayer at the inauguration. Deeply hued illustrations in a combination of acrylic and paper collage cover scene after scene of Evers-Williams and her profoundly engaged life. The people in the forefront of the illustrations are drawn with detail, with those in background less defined, implying a life set against—and influencing—epic events. Musical terms are woven throughout, referencing her love of music. A time line of Evers-Williams’s life appears in the book, and the end pages include an author’s note. ­VERDICT An utterly compelling narrative of a woman who was integral to the fight for Civil Rights and mostly overlooked by history. Colorful and engaging, it is a reminder of how much women sacrificed to fight for equality. Strong first buy.–Tamara Saarinen