A is for Activist. Innosanto Nagara, $15.95 toddler boardbook; $23.99 hardcover/school age

There aren’t too many books for young children that use words like democracy, grassroots, feminist, radical, justice, and agitate. This beautifully illustrated board book brings children an alphabet of words about social responsibility and activism.

All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward. Tanya Talaga, $19.95

In this vital and incisive work, bestselling and award-winning author Tanya Talaga explores the alarming rise of youth suicide in Indigenous communities in Canada and beyond. From Northern Ontario to Nunavut, Norway, Brazil, Australia, and the United States, the Indigenous experience in colonized nations is startlingly similar and deeply disturbing. It is an experience marked by the violent separation of Peoples from the land, the separation of families, and the separation of individuals from traditional ways of life — all of which has culminated in a spiritual separation that has had an enduring impact on generations of Indigenous children. As a result of this colonial legacy, too many communities today lack access to the basic determinants of health — income, employment, education, a safe environment, health services — leading to a mental health and youth suicide crisis on a global scale. But, Talaga reminds us, First Peoples also share a history of resistance, resilience, and civil rights activism, from the Occupation of Alcatraz led by the Indians of All Tribes, to the Northern Ontario Stirland Lake Quiet Riot, to the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which united Indigenous Nations from across Turtle Island in solidarity.

Based on her Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy series, All Our Relations is a powerful call for action, justice, and a better, more equitable world for all Indigenous Peoples.

The Art of the Possible: an Everyday Guide to Politics. Edward Keenan, $13.95

Have you ever asked yourself the question: what are politics? And why do we need them? Then we have a book for you! The Art of the Possible by Edward Keenan answers everything from why we form societies and the basic types of governments to the power of public opinion, methods of rhetoric and the reasons why politicians “lie.” Filled with fun facts and case studies, this book will make you a political pro in no time!

Aunt Pearl. Monica Kulling & Irene Luxbacher, $18.95 (ages 4-7)

Aunt Pearl arrives one day pushing a shopping cart full of her worldly goods. Her sister Rose has invited her to come live with her family. Six-year-old Marta is happy to meet her aunt, who takes her out to look for treasure on garbage day, and who shows her camp group how to decorate a coffee table with bottle caps. But almost immediately, Pearl and Rose start to clash — over Pearl’s belongings crammed into the house, and over Rose’s household rules. As the weeks pass, Pearl grows quieter and more withdrawn, until, one morning, she is gone.

Acclaimed author Monica Kulling brings sensitivity to this story about homelessness, family and love, beautifully illustrated in Irene Luxbacher’s rich collage style.

The Barefoot Book of Children. Tessa Strickland, Kate DePalma & David Dean, $24.99

Empower tomorrow's global citizens to grasp today's critical social issues with The Barefoot Book of Children. Hand-painted illustrations and straightforward text directly engage the reader, inviting children to ask themselves: How do other children live? How are we different? And most importantly: How are we alike? The Barefoot Book of Children is a playful, powerful and thought-provoking celebration of both the big ideas and the everyday moments that reveal our common humanity and tie us all together.

• Ignites curiosity about diverse lifestyles and cultures — The stunning artwork by bestselling Barefoot Books World Atlas illustrator David Dean entices young readers to pore over the detailed illustrations and 15 pages of informational endnotes.
• Accommodates a range of literacy levels — By addressing the reader directly, the simple text prompts caretaker-child interaction, while empowering independent readers to consider the social issues on their own.
• Indispensable for raising global citizens — The creative team worked with diversity, inclusivity and early childhood specialists to accurately portray a wide range of shapes, sizes, races, abilities and lifestyles from countries and cultures all over the world.
• Timely and topical — The Barefoot Book of Children facilitates important conversations with children about diversity and inclusivity.

Be the Change, Make It Happen: Big and Small Ways Kids Can Make a Difference. Bernadette Russell, $21.95

This 96-page bright and playful activity book for children is an exuberant introduction to personal and social issues. Whether you’re helping the planet through recycling and saving water, or promoting important causes with awesome art exhibitions, or simply keeping a Happiness Diary, Be the Change, Make It Happen offers tons of inspirational ideas and activities to encourage kids to make their voices heard and to make an impact on the issues that are important to them.

Be Kind: You Can Make the World a Happier Place! Naomi Shulman, $19.95 (ages 5+)

In a world where people spend more time engaging through screens than in real-life interaction, showing basic human kindness can feel like a lost art. Be Kind offers children aged 5 and up simple, actionable things they can do in their daily lives that help them cultivate kindness toward others and grow into people with the capacity to make the world a kinder place.

In Be Kind, kids learn that kindness is a quality that can be expressed in ways other than merely being “nice,” including standing up for someone or something, engaging in a community, showing compassion toward other beings, and expressing gratitude. With joyful illustrations and kid-friendly writing, this idea book serves as a delightful, easy-to-read collection of 125 concrete activities kids and their families can pick and choose from and act out in their daily lives, whether it’s being the first person to say good morning, offering compliments, shoveling an elderly neighbor’s driveway, learning to say hello in different languages, or sending a card to someone — no special occasion required. On every page, Be Kind empowers kids to make the world a better, kinder place, one action at a time.

Because I Am a Girl I Can Change the World. Rosemary McCarney, $16.95

Meet some amazing girls. They are from all over the world and tell stories of their lives that are sometimes hard to imagine. They tell of the barriers and dangers that they, and millions of girls like them, face every day. Despite the hardships, they have great hope for the future. All are willing to do whatever they can to make their lives and those of their families and communities better. 

Being Me: a Rosie the Red Book. Rosemary McCarney, illustrated by Yvonne Cathcart, $15.95 (ages 4-8)

Rosie is wearing her red cape, sitting up in her thinking tree wondering what she’ll be when she grows up. People are always asking her that question, but she doesn’t have an answer. She’s not old enough to be a pilot, or a paramedic, or a dog groomer. But she does believe that she can still do lots of terrific things right now. So when she goes for a walk with her dad and they pass a food bank, Rosie knows that she can do something pro-active while she’s still a kid. She can tell this is a special place and when she is there she feels useful and special too. But when Rosie bumps into a friend who seems embarrassed to be there with his family, she must figure out a way to make him feel better.

Rosie tilts her head this way and that to look at the situation from the perspective of someone needing to use the food bank and comes up with a plan to help her friend. The next day at school, Rosie waits until art class to bring up the idea of starting a canned food drive that everyone can help out with — including Sam. Since Sam is the most talented drawer in the class Rosie asks him to make the posters for the food drive, lifting his spirits and showing him that everyone can contribute in their own way.

Big Dreamers: The Canadian Black History Activity Book for Kids, Volume 1. Akilah Newton & Tami Gabay, $15.95

Learn about Canada's Big Dreamers — trailblazers, politicians, artists, and athletes who have shaped our great country. 

Big Dreamers: The Canadian Black History Activity Book for Kids Volume 1 celebrates the inspiring contributions of Black Canadians who overcame adversity and went on to achieve greatness while changing the course of history. The book highlights the achievements of Black Canadians whose stories are often left untold. Big Dreamers explores the people, places and events that paved the way for future generations of Canadians. The book profiles individual “Big Dreamers” from A-Z, provides a historical timeline, examines Black History in each province and territory, and keeps readers engaged with a variety of fun activities including Connect the Dots, Face Match, a Crossword Puzzle and more.

The Birdman. Troon Harrison, illustrated by Francois Thisdale, $24.95 (ages 9-12)

He walked the plantation fields, freely and with the owners' permission. He was an ornithologist after all, touring the Deep South of the 1850s to study the birds. But Alexander Milton Ross was no ordinary birdman. He was an undercover Abolitionist. And he had news to spread about the Underground Railroad.

Discover the forgotten life and true adventures of Alexander Milton Ross, daring Canadian activist, who risked everything — including his life — to help bring freedom and dignity to the heroic men and women enslaved in the American South. Included at the end of the book: Historical Notes and a Time Line.

A Black Woman Did That! 42 Boundary-Breaking, Bar-Raising, World-Changing Women. Malaika Adero, illustrated by Chanté Timothy, $14.99  (ages 10+)

A Black Woman Did That! is a celebration of strong, resilient, innovative, and inspiring women of color. With a vibrant mixture of photography, illustration, biography, and storytelling, author Malaika Adero will spotlight well-known historical figures and women who are pushing boundaries today — including Ida B. Wells, Madam CJ Walker, Shirley Chisholm, Serena Williams, Mae Jamison, Stacey Abrams, Jesmyn Ward, Ava DuVernay, and Amy Sherald. Readers will recognize some names in the book, but will also be introduced to many important black women who have changed history or who are reshaping the cultural landscape.

Entries on each woman or group highlight their accomplishments, their world-changing words, and the ways in which their lives and actions have made the world a better place. The book also includes a robust resource list of books, audio and visual recordings, and links, inviting readers, parents, and teachers to learn even more about the amazing black women featured in the book.

Black Women Who Dared. Naomi Moyer, $18.95 (ages 9-13)

Inspirational stories of ten Black women and women’s collectives from Canadian and American history. Included are leaders and groundbreakers who were anti-slavery activists, business women, health-care activists, civic organizers and educators. Celebrate these remarkable women, some of whom you may be hearing about for the first time, and the profound impacts they've made.

#BlackLivesMatter Freedom School Workbook 2017. Leroi Newbold & Janine Carrington, $20.00 (ages 6+)

The Freedom School work book has 100 pages of Black liberation history and activities for children. Learn about the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Train Car Porters, Nanny Maroon, Oromo Resistance, disabilities justice, and so much more!

Breaking the Ocean: a Memoir of Race, Rebellion, and Reconciliation. Annahid Dashtgard, $22.95

Annahid Dashtgard was born into a supportive mixed-race family in 1970s Iran. Then came the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ushered in a powerful and orthodox religious regime. Her family was forced to flee their homeland, immigrating to a small town in Alberta, Canada. As a young girl, Dashtgard was bullied, shunned, and ostracized by both her peers at school and adults in the community. Home offered little respite as her parents were embroiled in their own struggles, exposing the sharp contrasts between her British mother and Persian father.

Determined to break free from her past, Dashtgard created a new identity for herself as a driven young woman who found strength through political activism, eventually becoming a leader in the anti-corporate globalization movement of the late 1990s. But her unhealed trauma was re-activated following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Suffering burnout, Dashtgard checked out of her life and took the first steps towards personal healing, a journey that continues to this day.

Breaking the Ocean introduces a unique perspective on how racism and systemic discrimination result in emotional scarring and ongoing PTSD. It is a wake-up call to acknowledge our differences, offering new possibilities for healing and understanding through the revolutionary power of resilience. Dashtgard answers the universal questions of what it means to belong, what it takes to become whole, and ultimately what is required to create change in ourselves and in society.

The Breadwinner. Deborah Ellis, $9.95 (ages 10-14)

A special edition of The Breadwinner, the first book in Deborah Ellis’s riveting Breadwinner series, coincides with the launch of the animated movie. It is an award-winning novel about loyalty, survival, families and friendship under extraordinary circumstances during the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan.

Eleven-year-old Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. Parvana’s father — a history teacher until his school was bombed and his health destroyed — works from a blanket on the ground in the marketplace, reading letters for people who cannot read or write. One day, he is arrested for the crime of having a foreign education, and the family is left without someone who can earn money or even shop for food. As conditions for the family grow desperate, only one solution emerges. Forbidden to earn money as a girl, Parvana must transform herself into a boy, and become the breadwinner.

The book includes a map, author’s note and a glossary to provide young readers with background and context. An eight-page color insert features stills from the movie. All royalties from the sale of this book will go to Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan. Parvana’s Fund supports education projects for Afghan women and children.

Can We Help? Kids Volunteering to Help Their Communities. George Ancona, $20.00

George Ancona celebrates the joy of kids giving back. In one after-school program, middle-school students mentor and tutor younger children. Via a special partnership, schoolchildren help professionals train assistance dogs for people with disabilities. At a community farm, families plant, grow, and harvest produce for soup kitchens and charities. In these and other examples of volunteering, kids of all ages work together knitting hats and scarves for those who could use warm clothes, packing hot meals to deliver to housebound people, and keeping roadways clean. Young humanitarians reading these accounts may well be inspired to find ways that they can help, too.

Can We Talk about Race and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation. Beverly Daniel Tatum, $16.00

Beverly Daniel Tatum emerged on the scene in 1997 with Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, a book that spoke to a wide audience about the psychological dynamics of race relations in America. Now, in Can We Talk about Race, Tatum starts with a warning call about the increasing but underreported re-segregation of America. Tatum sees our growing isolation from each other as deeply problematic, and she believes that schools can be key institutions for forging connections across the racial divide.

In this ambitious, accessible book, Tatum examines some of the most resonant issues in American education and race relations:

• The need of African-American students to see themselves reflected in curricula and institutions
• How unexamined racial attitudes can negatively affect minority-student achievement
• The possibilities — and complications — of intimate cross-racial friendships

Tatum approaches all these topics with the blend of analysis and storytelling that make her a most persuasive and engaging commentator on race.

Can Your Conversations Change the World? Erinne Paisley, $14.95 (12+)

Being a feminist can mean different things to different people, but one thing it always includes is the belief in equality and human rights. Whether you are talking with one close friend or hanging out with a group of classmates, it matters what you say and how you say it. Not everyone is going to agree with your opinions, especially when you are talking about social justice issues. Can Your Conversations Change the World? provides insight into the origins and history of feminism, how it plays out on the global stage and what it means to be a young feminist and activist today.

Can Your Outfit Change the World? Erinne Paisley, $14.95

What you choose to wear becomes part of your identity, but it doesn't affect just you. Your clothing sends a message to the world, whether you want it to or not! And often we don't know what that message really is. Can Your Outfit Change the World? looks at how and where clothes are made, how the people who make the clothes are treated and how the companies who sell the clothes affect the health of our planet. Armed with information, you can follow the book's guide to spending your fashion dollars in a responsible and eco-friendly way. Your outfits have more power than you might realize!

Can Your Smartphone Change the World? Erinne Paisley, $14.95

Can Your Smartphone Change the World? is a twenty-first-century guide for anyone who has access to a smartphone. This how-to manual looks at specific ways you can create social change through the tap of a screen. Filled with examples of successful hashtag campaigns, viral videos and new socially conscious apps, the book provides practical advice for using your smartphone as a tool for social justice.

The Cardboard Shack Beneath the Bridge: Compassion Series Book 1. Tim Huff, $9.95

The Cardboard Shack Beneath the Bridge offers the impetus for a dynamic and interactive elementary school program, and serves as a profound family resource, encouraging children to look at their world with compassion and understanding. Tim Huff addresses the complex issue of homelessness by combining tender and honest prose with bright and bold illustrations, complemented by the insights of his professional peers, educators and moms and dads.

Caring Hearts & Critical Minds: Literature, Inquiry, and Social Responsibility.  Steven Wolk, $34.95

Discover new ways to integrate inquiry learning, exciting contemporary literature, and teaching for social responsibility across the curriculum. The authors take us step-by-step through the process of designing an inquiry-based literature unit and then provides five full units used in real middle-grade classrooms. Featuring a remarkable range of recommended resources and hundreds of novels from across the literary genres, CARING HEARTS & CRITICAL MINDS gives teachers a blueprint for creating dynamic units with rigorous lessons about topic kids care about.

Caste: the Origins of Our Discontents. Isabel Wilkerson, $42.00

The Pulitzer Prizewinning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.

Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people — including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others — she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.

Beautifully written, original, and revealing, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is an eye-opening story of people and history, and a re-examination of what lies under the surface of ordinary lives and of American life today.

Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community. Born This Way Foundation, $33.99 (ages 12-18)

For Lady Gaga, kindness is the driving force behind everything she says and does.

The quiet power of kindness can change the way we view one another, our communities, and even ourselves. Lady Gaga has always believed in the importance of being yourself, being kind to yourself, and being kind to others, no matter who they are or where they come from. With that sentiment in mind, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to making the world a kinder and braver place. Through the years, they've collected stories of kindness, bravery and resilience from young people all over the world, proving that kindness truly is the universal language. And now, we invite you to read these stories and follow along as each and every young author finds their voice just as Lady Gaga has found hers.

Within these pages, you’ll meet young changemakers who found their inner strength, who prevailed in the face of bullies, who started their own social movements, who decided to break through the mental health stigma and share how they felt, who created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and who have embraced kindness with every fiber of their being by helping others without the expectation of anything in return.

Child Soldier. Michel Chikwanine & Jessica Dee Humphreys, illustrated by Claudia Dávila, $18.95 (ages 10-14)

Michel Chikwanine was five years old when he was abducted from his schoolyard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a soldier for a brutal rebel militia. Against the odds, Michel managed to escape and find his way back to his family, but he was never the same again. After immigrating to Canada, Michel was encouraged by a teacher to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world, and this book is part of that effort. Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, the gripping story of Michel's experience is moving and unsettling. But the humanity he exhibits in the telling, along with Claudia Dávila's illustrations, which evoke rather than depict the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for this age group and, ultimately, reassuring and hopeful.

The book also contains further information, as well as suggestions for ways children can help. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children's rights and even bullying. Michel's actions took enormous courage, but he makes clear that he was and still is an ordinary person, no different from his readers. He believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him: “If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.”

Children in Our World Series:

Global Conflict. Louise Spilsbury & Hanane Kai, $12.95 (ages 6-10)

Poverty and Hunger. Louise Spilsbury & Hanane Kai, $12.50 (ages 6-10)

Racism and Intolerance. Louise Spilsbury & Hanane Kai, $12.95 (ages 6-10)

Refugees and Migrants. Ceri Roberts & Hanane Kai, $12.50 (ages 6-10)

The Children in Our World picture book series helps children make sense of the larger issues and crises that dominate the news in a sensitive and appropriate manner. With relatable comparisons, carefully researched text and striking illustrations, children can begin to understand who refugees and migrants are, why they've left their homes, where they live and what readers can do to help those in need.

Where issues aren't appropriate to describe in words, Hanane Kai's striking and sensitive illustrations help children visualise in images that are suited to their age and disposition. The series forms an excellent cross-curricular resource that looks at refugees, war, poverty and racism making them ideal for tying into discussions on current affairs.

Choosing to Live, Choosing to Die: the Complexities of Assisted Dying. Nikki Tate, $19.95 (ages 12++)

With many jurisdictions considering whether or not to implement new assisted-death legislation, Choosing to Live, Choosing to Die is a timely look at the subject for teen readers who may not yet have had much experience with death and dying.

Readers are introduced to the topic of assisted dying through the author's own story. The issue continues to be hotly debated in families, communities and countries around the world, and there are no easy answers. Choosing to Live, Choosing to Die looks at the issue from multiple perspectives and encourages readers to listen with an open mind and a kind heart and reach their own conclusions.

Citizenship Series, by Cassie Mayer (Grades 1 – 2)

Books in this series introduce character values that are an important part of good citizenship. Each book uses playful, engaging illustrations to show situations that demonstrate positive behavior. The books end by asking students to wonder how they may behave to demonstrate each characteristic.

Being a Leader. Cassie Mayer, $8.95 (Gr. 1 – 2)

Being Helpful. Cassie Mayer, $8.95 (Gr. 1 – 2)

Being Fair. Cassie Mayer, $8.95 (Gr. 1 – 2)

Following Rules. Cassie Mayer, $8.95 (Gr. 1 – 2)

Being Responsible. Cassie Mayer, $8.95 (Gr. 1 – 2)

Being Honest. Cassie Mayer, $8.95 (Gr. 1 – 2)

The Complete Guide to Service Learning, Grades K-12.  Cathryn Berger Kaye, $47.99

Proven, practical ways to engage students in civic responsibility, academic curriculum and social action.

Counting on Community. Innosanto Nagara, $15.95

Counting up from one stuffed piñata to ten hefty hens — and always counting on each other — children are encouraged to recognize the value of their community, the joys inherent in healthy eco-friendly activities, and the agency they posses to make change. A broad and inspiring vision of diversity is told through stories in words and pictures. And of course, there is a duck to find on every page!

Creating Compassionate Kids: Essential Conversations to Have with Young Children. Shauna Tominey, $33.95

If you had to choose one word to describe the world you want children to grow up in, what would it be?

Safe? Understanding? Resilient? Compassionate?

As parents and caregivers of young children, we know what we want for our children, but not always how to get there. Many children today are stressed by academic demands, anxious about relationships at school, confused by messages they hear in the media, and overwhelmed by challenges at home. Young children look to the adults in their lives for everything. Sometimes we’re prepared... sometimes we’re not. 

In this book, Shauna Tominey guides parents and caregivers through how to have conversations with young children about a range of topics-from what makes us who we are (e.g., race, gender) to tackling challenges (e.g., peer pressure, divorce, stress) to showing compassion (e.g., making friends, recognizing privilege, being a helper). Talking through these topics in an age-appropriate manner—rather than telling children they are too young to understand — helps children recognize how they feel and how they fit in with the world around them. This book provides sample conversations, discussion prompts, storybook recommendations, and family activities. Dr. Tominey's research-based strategies and practical advice creates dialogues that teach self-esteem, resilience, and empathy: the building blocks for a more compassionate world.

Creating Room to Read: a Story of Hope in the Battle for Global Literacy. John Wood, $18.00

In 1999, at the age of thirty-five, Wood quit a lucrative career to found the non-profit Room to Read. Described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “the Andrew Carnegie of the developing world,” he strived to bring the lessons of the corporate world to the non-profit sector — and succeeded spectacularly. At its heart, CREATING ROOM TO READ shares moving stories of the people Room to Read works to help: impoverished children whose schools and villages have been swept away by war or natural disaster and girls whose educations would otherwise be ignored. 

People at the highest levels of finance, government, and philanthropy will embrace the opportunity to learn Wood’s inspiring business model and blueprint for doing good. And general readers will love CREATING ROOM TO READ for its spellbinding story of one man’s mission to put books within every child’s reach. 

The Day War Came. Nicola Davies, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb, $19.99 (ages 9-13)

Imagine if, on an ordinary day, after a morning of studying tadpoles and drawing birds at school, war came to your town and turned it to rubble. Imagine if you lost everything and everyone, and you had to make a dangerous journey all alone. Imagine that there was no welcome at the end, and no room for you to even take a seat at school. And then a child, just like you, gave you something ordinary but so very, very precious.

A moving, poetic narrative and child-friendly illustrations follow the heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful journey of a little girl who is forced to become a refugee.

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, $16.00

A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is her letter of response.

Here are fifteen invaluable suggestions — compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive — for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can “allow” women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century. It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today.

Deep Diversity: Overcoming Us vs. Them. Shakil Choudhury, $22.95

What if our interactions with those different from us are strongly influenced by things happening below the radar of awareness, hidden even from ourselves? Deep Diversity explores this question and argues that “us vs. them” is an unfortunate but normal part of the human experience due to reasons of both nature and nurture.

To really work through issues of racial difference and foster greater levels of fairness and inclusion, argues Shakil Choudhury, requires an understanding of the human mind? Its conscious and unconscious dimensions. Deep Diversity integrates Choudhury's twenty years of experience with interviews with researchers in social neuroscience, implicit bias, psychology, and mindfulness. Using a compassionate but challenging approach, Choudhury helps readers identify their own bias and offers practical ways to break the “prejudice habits” we have all learned, in order to tackle systemic discrimination.

Dolphin SOS. Roy Miki & Slavia Miki, illustrated by Julie Flett, $17.95

Based on true events, Dolphin SOS recounts the story of three dolphins trapped in an ice-covered cove on the coast of Newfoundland. After the authorities fail to provide assistance, some young people take matters into their own hands in order to save the distressed dolphins. A compassionate and heartfelt story about doing the right thing, and the deep connection between all living creatures.

Dreams of Freedom in Words and Pictures. Amnesty International, $20.99

This inspirational book contains 17 quotations about many different aspects of Freedom, from the freedom to have an education to the freedom not to be hurt or tortured, the freedom to have a home and the freedom to be yourself. All the quotations have been chosen to be understood and appreciated by children.

Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk Food (and how to fight back). Andrea Curtis, $16.95

Eat This! zooms in on fast food marketing to children — an immense industry worth billions of dollars.

Andrea Curtis shows how fast food companies push their unhealthy food and beverages by embedding their sales pitches in everything from Snapchat filters to movies, from videogames to school curriculum. An exploration of media literacy and food literacy, Eat This! looks at what exactly marketing is and touches on the latest strategies aimed at kids, including product placement, advergames, cartoon and celebrity endorsements and school fundraising.

On each page spread, Andrea Curtis provides research-based insights into all aspects of the fast food industry and, perhaps most importantly, offers kids examples and ideas about how they can push back — taking charge of their own health and well-being.

Ellington Was Not a Street. Ntozake Shange, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, $25.99

In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there. These men of vision, brought to life in the majestic paintings of artist Kadir Nelson, lived at a time when the color of their skin dictated where they could live, what schools they could attend, and even where they could sit on a bus or in a movie theater.

Yet in the face of this tremendous adversity, these dedicated souls and others like them not only demonstrated the importance of Black culture in America, but also helped issue in a movement that "changed the world." Their lives and their works inspire us to this day, and serve as a guide to how we approach the challenges of tomorrow.

Escape from Syria. Samya Kullab, Jackie Roche & Mike Freiheit, $19.95 (graphic novel, ages 12++)

Escape from Syria is a fictionalized account that calls on real-life circumstances and true tales of refugee families to serve as a microcosm of the Syrian uprising and the war and refugee crisis that followed. The story spans six years in the lives of Walid, his wife Dalia, and their two children, Amina and Youssef. Forced to flee from Syria, they become asylum-seekers in Lebanon, and finally resettled refugees in the West. It is a story that has been replayed thousands of times by other families. Amina, a whip-smart grade-A student, tells the story. As she witnesses firsthand the harsh realities that her family must endure if they are to survive — swindling smugglers, treacherous ocean crossings, and jihadist militias — she is forced to grow up very quickly in order to help her parents and brother.

Kullab's narrative masterfully maps both the collapse and destruction of Syria, and the real-life tragedies faced by its citizens still today. The family's escape from their homeland makes for a harrowing tale, but with their safe arrival in the West it serves as a hopeful endnote to this ongoing worldwide crisis.

Everyday Anti-Racism: Getting Real about Race in School. Edited by Mica Pollock, $27.50

In Everyday Anti-Racism leading educators deal with the most challenging questions about race in school, offering invaluable and effective advice. Topics range from using racial incidents as teachable moments to valuing students’ home worlds, dealing daily with achievement gaps, and helping parents fight ethnic and racial misconceptions about their children. Questions following each essay prompt readers to examine and discuss everyday issues of race and opportunity in their own classrooms and schools.

In this remarkable and timely book, bestselling author Barbara Coloroso turns her attention to genocide: what it means; where it begins; where it must end. Through an examination of three clearly defined genocides — of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire; the Jews, Roma, and Sinti in Europe; and the Tutsi in Rwanda — Coloroso deconstructs the causes of genocide and its consequences, both to the immediate victims and to the fabric of the world at large, and proposes the conditions that must exist in order to eradicate this evil from the world. Based on the author’s twenty years of research and extensive travel, Extraordinary Evil is an urgently needed work in an age when acts of genocide seem to occur more frequently and are in the public’s consciousness more than ever before.

Fearless Females: the Fight for Freedom, Equality, and Sisterhood. Marta Breen, illustrated by Jenny Jordahl, $17.99 (graphic novel, ages 14++)

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel tells the stories of fearless females who have fought, and continue to fight, for the rights of women today. Featuring familiar icons like Harriet Tubman and Malala Yousafzai, and introducing hidden figures like Táhirih, readers will be fascinated reading about these female activists who advocated for equality, education, and bodily integrity throughout history.

Feminism from A to Z. Gayle Pitman, $21.50

Dive into Feminism From A to Z for an accessible primer on history, current events, and essential issues through the lens of feminist theory and perspective. Not only will you learn something about yourself, your community, your people, and your world, you will discover kick-ass call-to-action suggestions and resources to take your feminism to a higher level! A book for all teens — no matter what gender you are — about feminism: what it is, what it means, and how to do it... from A to Z.

FEMINISM is... Alexandra Black, Laura Buller, Emily Hoyle & Megan Todd, $16.99 (ages 13+)

A lively and accessible book for teens on the history, pioneers, theories, questions, arguments, and daily reality of feminism today.

What is feminism? Combining insightful text with graphic illustrations, this engaging book introduces young adult readers to a subject that should matter to everyone. Feminism Is... tackles the most intriguing and relevant topics, such as intersectionality, the right to an equal education, and the gender pay gap. Find out what equality for women really means, get a short history of feminism, and take a look at the issues that affect women at work, in the home, and around sex and identity. Meet, too, some great women, such as Gloria Steinem, Frida Kahlo, and Malala Yousafzai, "rebel girls" who refused to accept the status quo of their day and blazed a trail for others to follow.

Addressing ongoing feminist concerns and including an original foreword by Roxane Gay, Feminism Is... takes on the issues in informative, thought-provoking ways.

The Feminist Handbook: Practical Tools to Resist Sexism and Dismantle the Patriarchy. Joanne Bagshaw, $28.95 (ages 14 and up)

It’s time to fight back! With this intersectional handbook, you’ll discover practical, everyday tips and tools to help you resist sexism, smash the patriarchy, and create a better world for yourself and future generations.

From reproductive rights and the wage gap to #MeToo and #TimesUp — gender inequality permeates nearly every aspect of our culture. From birth and on through adulthood, the message that our sexist society sends to women and girls is clear:you’re not enough. You’re not valued enough to get paid the same salary as a man with the same job title. You’re not worthy enough or perfect enough to be taken seriously or respected. You’re not responsible enough to make decisions about your body or reproductive rights. These negative messages are internalized on a deep psychological level. In fact, the effects of sexism are directly represented in the high rates of anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and eating disorders among women and girls — and these effects are even more severe for queer women, disabled women, and women of color. Isn’t it time you said ENOUGH? This revolutionary feminist self-help guide offers real tools you can use to:

• Combat the effects of discrimination and gender/race inequality
• Improve your self-confidence, gain self-esteem, and build resilience
• Actively resist internalized negative messages you’ve received while living in an openly sexist, patriarchal culture

Most self-help books teach you how to transform your life from the inside out. But what can you do when your distress is caused by sexist institutionalized power structures, attitudes, and events that are outside of your control? This book will help you untangle the role that sexism and discrimination plays in your life, your mental health, and your overall sense of well-being. Most importantly, you’ll learn to reject negative messages and work toward creating lasting change through activism and community. There’s a lot of work to do. This book will help you get started now.

Fight to Learn: the Struggle to Go to School. Laura Scandiffio, $16.95 (ages 10-14)

In many countries around the world, universal access to education is a seemingly unattainable dream; however, determined individuals with vision and drive have made this dream come true for many.

Fight to Learn highlights people such as Okello, a former child soldier in Uganda, who founded a school for children like him whose education was derailed by war; Chicago teen Deonte Tanner, who changed one high school’s culture from guns and gangs to talking and learning; Shannen Koostachin, a feisty 13-year-old Cree whose fight for the right of First Nations children to have proper schools endured even after her untimely death.

The uplifting stories of people who were undeterred in their fight to bring education to children will leave young readers with excellent models of how to mobilize support when fighting for a cause you believe in.

The First 1,000 Days: a Crucial Time for Mothers and Children — and the World. Roger Thurow, $23.95

"Your child can achieve great things."

A few years ago, pregnant women in four corners of the world heard those words and hoped they could be true. Among them were Esther Okwir in rural Uganda, where the infant mortality rate is among the highest in the world; Jessica Saldana, a high school student in a violence-scarred Chicago neighborhood; Shyamkali, the mother of four girls in a low-caste village in India; and Maria Estella, in Guatemala's western highlands, where most people are riddled with parasites and moms can rarely afford the fresh vegetables they farm. Greatness? It was an audacious thought, given their circumstances. But they had new cause to be hopeful: they were participating in an unprecedented international initiative designed to transform their lives, the lives of their children, and ultimately the world.

The 1,000 Days movement, a response to recent, devastating food crises and new research on the economic and social costs of childhood hunger and stunting, is focused on providing proper nutrition during the first 1,000 days of children's lives, beginning with their mother's pregnancy. Proper nutrition during these days can profoundly influence an individual's ability to grow, learn, and work, and determine a society's long-term health and prosperity. In this inspiring, sometimes heartbreaking book, Roger Thurow takes us into the lives of families on the forefront of the movement to illuminate the science, economics, and politics of malnutrition, charting the exciting progress of this global effort and the formidable challenges it still faces: economic injustice, disease, lack of education and sanitation, misogyny, and corruption.

Follow Your Money: Who Gets It, Who Spends It, Where Does It Go? Kevin Sylvester & Michael Hlinka, $14.95

Accessible and fun, FOLLOW YOUR MONEY is a vital introduction to the way money flows from creator to distributor to retailer to customer. Who benefits most from your purchase? Was the price you paid fair? What happens to your money when you deposit in the bank? This lively book answers all these questions and more.

Follow Your Stuff: Who Makes It, Where Does It Come From, How Does It Get to You? Kevin Sylvester & Michael Hlinka, $14.95 (ages 10-14)

Our cellphones, our clothes, our food: All are everyday things we consider essential, but we seldom think of what and who is involved in making them and getting them into our hands. In Follow Your Stuff, award-winning children’s author Kevin Sylvester and business professor Michael Hlinka team up again, this time to tackle the dynamics of the global economy, examining the often-complex journey of ordinary goods from production right to our doorsteps.

Using familiar examples, easy-to-follow charts and graphs, and a fun, accessible tone, Hlinka and Sylvester introduce young readers to concepts such as relative value and fair wages and how to think critically about our purchasing decisions. Sylvester’s lively illustrations add even more kid-appeal making this sequel to the critically acclaimed Follow Your Money the perfect introduction to socio-economics and an eye-opening essential read for young people.

From Anger to Action: Powerful Mindfulness Tools to Help Teens Harness Anger for Positive Change. Mitch Abblett, $24.95 (ages 13-19)

Sometimes you just feel pissed off, and that’s okay. Maybe you missed a deadline in school, flunked a test, didn’t get invited to a party, or feel angry about something you saw on the news or online. We’ve all been there. It’s impossible to go through life never feeling angry. But what if, instead of letting your anger take control, you were able to harness it in constructive ways? From Anger to Action is a comprehensive mindfulness program to help teens understand and channel anger into healthy expressions of creativity, advocacy, and empowerment.

With this guide, you’ll find powerful mindfulness tools to help you listen to your anger, connect with your core values and goals, and make positive changes that will truly empower you. Instead of resorting to outbursts, you’ll learn to channel the incredible energy of your anger into self-advocacy, social action, and productivity. You’ll also find stories from other teens just like you who’ve successfully redirected their anger into creating positive change. If you’re ready to change your relationship with anger and transform it into fuel for change and creative possibility, this book will guide you, every step of the way.

Gay & Lesbian History for Kids: the Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights. Jerome Pohlen, $21.95

Given today's news, it would be easy to get the impression that the campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality is a recent development, but it is only the final act in a struggle that started more than a century ago. The history is told through personal stories and firsthand accounts of the movement's key events, like the 1950s "Lavender Scare," the Stonewall Inn uprising, and the AIDS crisis. This up-to-date history includes the landmark Supreme Court decision making marriage equality the law of the land. Twenty-one activities enliven the history and demonstrate the spirited ways the LGBT community has pushed for positive social change. 

The Gender Agenda: a First-Hand Account of How Girls and Boys Are Treated Differently. Ros Ball & James Millar, $19.95

From language and clothes, to toys and the media, society inflicts unwritten rules on each gender from birth. Aiming to make people aware of the way gender is constructed and constantly reinforced, this diary chronicles the differences two parents noticed while raising their son and daughter.

Adapted from tweets and blogs the couple kept throughout parenthood, this collection shows how culture, family and even the authors themselves are part of the 'gender police' that can influence a child's identity, and offers ideas for how we can work together to challenge the gender stereotypes that are ingrained in our society.

Giant Steps to Change the World. Spike Lee & Tonya Lewis Lee, $24.99

Everyone has it in them to be a hero…

Girl Activist: Winning Strategies from Women Who've Made a Difference. Louisa Kamps, Susanna Daniel & Michelle Wildgen, $16.99 (ages 9+)

Rebel girls, young activists, and other trailblazing tweens and teens will be inspired by the stories of 40 women who have changed the world for the better. Mini-biographies of unstoppable women activists — from Malala Yousafzai to Susan B. Anthony, Emma Gonzalez to Gloria Steinem, Wangari Maathai to Dolores Huerta — offer windows into what it takes to stand up for a cause, rally others together, and even ignite a movement. The book features activists from around the world and throughout history, spotlighting impressive women who have fought for workers' safety, women's rights, racial equality, animal welfare, democracy, environmental causes, and more. Each story reminds readers that they really can make a difference in the world and inspires today's young activists to stand up for what they believe in.

A Girl Named Lovely: One Child's Miraculous Survival and My Journey to the Heart of Haiti. Catherine Porter, $24.99

In January 2010, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, killing hundreds of thousands of people and paralyzing the country. Catherine Porter, a newly minted international reporter, was on the ground in the immediate aftermath. Moments after she arrived in Haiti, Catherine found her first story. A ragtag group of volunteers told her about a “miracle child” — a two-year-old girl who had survived six days under the rubble and emerged virtually unscathed. Catherine found the girl the next day. Her family was a mystery; her future uncertain. Her name was Lovely. She seemed a symbol of Haiti — both hopeful and despairing.

When Catherine learned that Lovely had been reunited with her family, she did what any journalist would do and followed the story. The cardinal rule of journalism is to remain objective and not become personally involved in the stories you report. But Catherine broke that rule on the last day of her second trip to Haiti. That day, Catherine made the simple decision to enroll Lovely in school, and to pay for it with money she and her readers donated.

Over the next five years, Catherine would visit Lovely and her family seventeen times, while also reporting on the country’s struggles to harness the international rush of aid. Each trip, Catherine's relationship with Lovely and her family became more involved and more complicated. Trying to balance her instincts as a mother and a journalist, and increasingly conscious of the costs involved, Catherine found herself struggling to align her worldview with the realities of Haiti after the earthquake. Although her dual roles as donor and journalist were constantly at odds, as one piled up expectations and the other documented failures, a third role had emerged and quietly become the most important: that of a friend.

A Girl Named Lovely is about the reverberations of a single decision — in Lovely’s life and in Catherine’s. It recounts a journalist’s voyage into the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, hit by the greatest natural disaster in modern history, and the fraught, messy realities of international aid. It is about hope, kindness, heartbreak, and the modest but meaningful difference one person can make.

The Girl Who Rode a Shark & Other Stories of Daring Women. Ailsa Ross, illustrated by Amy Blackwell, $26.00 (ages 8-12)

Now more than ever, the world is recognizing how strong women and girls are. How strong? In the early 1920s, Inuit expeditionary Ada Blackjack survived for two years as a castaway on an uninhabited island in the Arctic Ocean before she was finally rescued. And she’s just one example. The Girl Who Rode a Shark is a rousing collection of biographies focused on women and girls who have written, explored, or otherwise plunged headfirst into the pages of history. Undaunted by expectations, they made their mark by persevering in pursuit of their passions. The tales come from a huge variety of times and places, from a Canadian astronaut to an Indian secret agent and to a Balkan pirate queen who stood up to Ancient Rome. Author and activist Ailsa Ross gives readers a fun, informative piece of nonfiction that emphasizes the boundless potential of a new generation of women.

Girls Resist! A Guide to Activism, Leadership, and Starting a Revolution. Kaelyn Rich, $16.99 (ages 14+)

An activism handbook for teen girls ready to fight for change, social justice, and equality.

Take on the world and make some serious change with this handbook to everything activism, social justice, and resistance. With in-depth guides to everything from picking a cause, planning a protest, and raising money to running dispute-free meetings, promoting awareness on social media, and being an effective ally, Girls Resist! will show you how to go from “mad as heck about the way the world is going” to “effective leader who gets stuff done.” Veteran feminist organizer KaeLyn Rich shares tons of expertise that’ll inspire you as much as it teaches you the ropes. Plus, quotes and tips from fellow teen girl activists show how they stood up for change in their communities. Grab this handbook to crush inequality, start a revolution, and resist!

The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough. Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault, $19.95

The Good Garden is a simple story about a big issue: food insecurity. This introduction to a global issue provides children with the tools and information to help them make a difference locally and globally.

Grandad Mandela. Zazi, Ziwele & Zindzi Mandela, illustrated by Sean Qualls, $23.99 (ages 4-7)

Nelson Mandela’s two great-grandchildren ask their grandmother, Mandela’s youngest daughter, 15 questions about their grandad — the global icon of peace and forgiveness who spent 27 years in prison. They learn that he was a freedom fighter who put down his weapons for the sake of peace, and who then became the President of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize-winner, and realise that they can continue his legacy in the world today. Seen through a child’s perspective, and authored jointly by Nelson Mandela's great-grandchildren and daughter, this amazing story is told as never before to celebrate what would have been Nelson's Mandela 100th birthday.

Growing Up Global: Raising Children to be at Home in the World. Homa Sabet Tavangar, $19.95

In today’s increasingly interconnected world, how do we prepare our children to succeed and to become happy, informed global citizens? In Growing Up Global, Tavangar shares with all of us her “parenting toolbox” to help give our children a vital global perspective.

Whether you’re mastering a greeting in ten different languages, throwing an internationally themed birthday party, or celebrating a newfound holiday, Growing Up Global provides parents and children with a rich, exciting background for exploring and connecting with far-flung nations they may have only heard about on television. Inside you’ll discover

• fun activities, games, and suggestions for movies, music, books, magazines, service activities, and websites for expanding your family’s worldview
• simple explanations that will help your children grasp the diversity of world faiths
• creative ways to gain geography literacy
• handy lists of celebrations and customs that offer a fascinating look at how people from different cultures around the world live everyday life

Growing Up Global is a book that parents, grandparents, and teachers can turn to again and again for inspiration and motivation as they strive to open the minds of children everywhere.

Helping Kids Help: Organizing Successful Charitable Projects. Renée Heiss, $25.99

When children’s enthusiasm for helping others surpasses their knowledge of how to help, parents, teachers, camp counselors, and group leaders are often called on to give direction. Helping Kids Help provides adult mentors with answers to questions they face.

• How can kids evaluate and select the best charity for their contributions?
• Should children perform a team-building exercise before they begin a project?
• What parental permission issues are involved?
• For ongoing service projects, should the group write a mission statement? Open a savings account?

Helping Kids Help contains dozens of real-life examples of adults and children involved in service projects — the struggles they overcame, the lessons they learned, and the benefits they enjoyed. It also includes specific project ideas, Web sites, and additional resources to explore. This valuable handbook will help you develop projects that benefit not only those being served, but the children doing the service, developing life skills such as commitment, sacrifice, cooperation, tolerance, and even valuable career skills. Everyone wins!

Helping Teens Stop Violence, Build Community and Stand for Social Justice. Allan Creighton & Paul Kivel, $23.50

Allan Creighton and Paul Kivel, veteran youth educators and community activists, use their decades of experience with teens to offer:

• a framework and vocabulary for teaching violence prevention and social justice
• road-tested exercises for adult, staff and youth training and development
• guidelines for facilitating discussions on sensitive contemporary issues

These tools have been used successfully in schools, residential programs, after-school and recreation programs, youth detention facilities, and colleges and universities. Any adult determined to help young people become active, critically thinking community members will find a strong ally in this empowering resource.

A Hen for Izzy Pippik. Aubrey Davis & Marie LaFrance, $18.95 (ages 4-8)

When Shaina finds a magnificent hen, she knows that Izzy Pippik, the hen's owner, is sure to return for her. In the meantime, Shaina decides she will care for the animal. But when dozens of eggs hatch and rowdy chickens scatter throughout the village, Shaina must fight the entire town if she has any hope of protecting the birds. Inspired by Jewish and Islamic traditional texts, this is a beautiful tale about doing the right thing, even in the face of adversity. 

HERSTORY: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook Up the World. Katherine Halligan, illustrated by Sarah Walsh, $26.99 (ages 8++)

Throughout history, girls have often been discussed in terms of what they couldn’t or shouldn’t do.

Not anymore.

It’s time for herstory — a celebration of not only what girls can do, but the remarkable things women have already accomplished, even when others tried to stop them. In this uplifting and inspiring book, follow the stories of fifty powerhouse women from around the world and across time who each managed to change the world as they knew it forever. Telling the stories of their childhood, the challenges they faced, and the impact of their achievements, each lavishly illustrated spread is a celebration of girl power in its many forms. From astronauts to activists, musicians to mathematicians, these women are sure to motivate young readers of all backgrounds to focus not on the can’ts and shouldn’ts, but on what they can do: anything!

Hope Springs. Eric Walters, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, $19.99

A drought has settled in the area around the orphanage where Boniface lives. There are long line-ups at the tiny spring where all the local people get their water, and suddenly the orphans are pushed to the back of the line, unwelcome. Boniface's houseparent, Henry, tells him that the people were mean out of fear — they feared there would not be enough water for their families. When the building of the orphanage's well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers. A lovely story of kindness and heart, this story shows that, through compassion and understanding, true generosity can spring from unexpected places.

How Mamas Love Their Babies. Juniper Fitzgerald, illustrated by Elise Peterson, $24.50

Mamas work in different ways to take care of their babies, but everything they do is out of love. This remarkable book from Feminist Press illustrates the myriad ways that mothers provide for their children — piloting airplanes, washing floors, or dancing at a strip club.

This picture book is the first to depict a sex-worker parent. Introducing the idea of bodily labor, it provides an expanded notion of working mothers and challenges the idea that only some jobs result in good parenting. Instead, we're reminded that, while every mama's work looks different, every mama works to make their baby's world better.

How to Make a Better World: for Every Kid Who Wants to Make a Difference. Kelly Swift, $21.99 (ages 7-10)

There's a lot that can be changed by just one person, if you know what to do. Start by making yourself into the awesome person you want to be by learning all about self-care and kindness. Using those skills, work your way up to creating activist campaigns to tackle climate change or social injustice.

This fun and inspiring guide to making the world a better place and becoming a good citizen is packed with ideas and tips for kids who want to know how to make a difference. Through ideas as small as creating a neighborhood lending library to important ideas such as public speaking and how to talk about politics, How to Make a Better World is a practical guide to activism for awesome kids.

I AM A FEMINIST: Reclaiming the F-Word in Turbulent Times. Monique Polak, $19.95 (ages 12++)

What is feminism? Why does it still matter? What exactly does intersectionality mean? In order to answer these (and many other) questions, I Am a Feminist first examines the history of feminism and then addresses the issues girls and women continue to face today. The book also looks at the ways in which people, especially young people, are working together to create a world where gender equality is a reality, not a dream. The author shares stories about the courageous individuals who have made a difference in the lives of women and girls worldwide. From suffragists to the #MeToo movement, I Am a Feminist encourages readers to stand up and speak out for equality and justice.

I Am Malala, Young Readers Edition. Malala Yousafzai, with Patricia McCormick, $23.50

Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren't allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn't go to school. This is her story — the story of how one girl stood up for education and changed the world.

I Came from the Water: One Haitian Boy’s Incredible Tale of Survival. Vanita Oelschlager, $11.50

The story is based on the actual experiences of Moses, an eight year-old boy and resident of St. Helene’s orphanage outside Port-au-Prince. As an infant, he was literally plucked from the waters of a nearby river, having been placed in a basket by his grandmother. The rest of his family perished in floods that wiped out their upland village in 2004. He was given his name by the nuns at St. Helene’s. The title is Moses’ reply to the author when she asked where he is from.

After the earthquake of 2010 destroyed Port-au-Prince and much of the surrounding area, the orphanage was flooded with a new wave of parentless boys and girls. Moses helped these children adapt to their new lives and in so doing displayed the kind of fearless hope and determination that may lead to Haiti’s renewal as a self-supporting nation.

St. Helene’s orphanage is run by Father Rick Frechette known globally for his dedication to improving the lives of poor children across Latin America. Net profits from I CAME FROM THE WATER will go to support St. Helene’s and Father Rick’s efforts to help rebuild Haiti by offering a safe place to live and a free education for children like Moses.

I Didn't Stand Up. Lucy Falcone, illustrated by Jacqueline Hudon, $19.95 (ages 6-9)

First they went after Jalal. But I'm not black — So I didn't stand up for him. Then they went after Mariana. I was born in this country — So I didn't stand up for her. A picture book inspired by the iconic poem First They Came for Socialists written by Martin Niemoller in opposition to the oppressive Nazi regime, I Didn't Stand Up looks at common circumstances of oppression that children encounter through the eyes of the bystander — until he or she becomes the victim. Includes a history of Niemoller's poem and associated backmatter.

I Dreamt... a Book about Hope. Gabriela Olmo, $18.95

In many parts of the world, including North America, children are living with violence. Wars, gangs, guns, crime, bullying, harassment and fear keep many kids from living the full, free lives that every child should enjoy. This book was created in Mexico, where for the past six years a vicious war against drugs has brought fear and insecurity into every child’s life. Many children’s dreams have become nightmares. Some of Mexico’s best illustrators have donated their art to create this book, which gives children a way to talk about their fears, a reason to hope and the inspiration to resist falling into grief and depression.

Royalties from sales will be donated to IBBY’s Fund for Children in Crisis, which supports bibliotherapy projects that use books and reading to help children who have lived through wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters to think and talk about their experiences.

I Have the Right to Be a Child. Alain Serres & Aurélia Fronty, $18.95

With a very simple text accompanied by rich, vibrant illustrations a young narrator describes what it means to be a child with rights — from the right to food, water and shelter, to the right to go to school, to be free from violence, to breathe clean air, and more. The book emphasizes that these rights belong to every child on the planet. It also makes evident that knowing and talking about these rights are the first steps toward making sure that they are respected.

A brief afterword explains that the rights outlined in the book come from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989. The treaty sets out the basic human rights that belong to children all over the world, recognizing that children need special protection since they are more vulnerable than adults. It has been ratified by 193 states, with the exception of Somalia, the United States and the new country of South Sudan. Once a state has ratified the document, they are legally bound to comply with it and to report on their efforts to do so. As a result, some progress has been made, not only in awareness of children's rights, but also in their implementation. But there are still many countries, wealthy and poor, where children's basic needs are not being met.

I See You. Michael Genhart, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, $22.50 (ages 4-8)

I See You is a wordless picture book that depicts a homeless woman who is not seen by everyone around her — except for a little boy. Over the course of a year, the boy is witness to all that she endures. Ultimately, in a gesture of compassion, the boy acknowledges her in an exchange in which he sees her and she experiences being seen.

This book opens the door for kids and parents to begin a conversation about homelessness.

In a "Note for Parents, Educators, and Neighbors," there are discussion questions and additional resources about helping the homeless.

If the World Were a Village: a Book about the World’s People, 2nd Edition. David Smith, illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong, $19.95 (ages 8-12)

This eye-opening book promotes "world-mindedness" by imagining the world's population — all 6.8 billion of us — as a village of just 100 people. If the World Were a Village looks at the languages, wealth, food security, energy and health of the citizens in the village. By exploring the lives of the 100 villagers, children will discover that life in other nations is often very different from their own.

Includes extensive resources and access to an online teaching guide.

If You Could Wear My Sneakers! A Book about Children's Rights. Poems by Sheree Fitch, illustrated by Darcia Labrosse, $22.95

A Sheree Fitch classic, If You Could Wear My Sneakers is now available for a new generation of young readers. A series of humorous poems, paired with timeless illustrations, interprets 15 of the 54 articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In a Cloud of Dust.  Alma Fullerton, illustrated by Brian Deines, $10.95

In a Tanzanian village school, Anna struggles to keep up. Her walk home takes so long that when she arrives, it is too dark to do her homework. Working through the lunch hour instead, she doesn’t see the truck from the bicycle library pull into the schoolyard. By the time she gets out there, the bikes are all gone. Anna hides her disappointment, happy to help her friends learn to balance and steer. She doesn’t know a compassionate friend will offer her a clever solution — and the chance to raise her own cloud of dust.

Inspired by organizations like The Village Bicycle Project that have opened bicycle libraries all across Africa, In a Cloud of Dust is an uplifting example of how a simple opportunity can make a dramatic change in a child’s life.

It Takes a Child. Craig Kielburger, $10.95

IT TAKES A CHILD is a fun, vibrant look back at Craig's adventures in taking global action. The book takes readers along on Craig's eye-opening journey throughout the developing world, learning about child labour, making new friends, and the origins of Free the Children.

It Takes a Village. Hillary Rodham Clinton, $24.99

It Takes a Village tells the heartwarming and universal story of a diverse community coming together to make a difference. All kinds of people working together, playing together, and living together in harmony makes a better village and many villages coming together can make a better world. Together we can build a better life for one another. Together we can change our world.

The book will resonate with children and families and through the generations as it encourages readers to look for a way they can make a difference. It is a book that you will surely want to read again and again, a book you will want to share and a book that will inspire.

It's Hard Not to Stare: Compassion Series Book 2. Tim Huff, $10.95

Helping children to understand disabilities is the focus of the second book in the Compassion Series. The Compassion Series books offer the impetus for a dynamic and interactive elementary school program, encouraging children to look at their world through the lens of compassion and understanding.

It's Time to Talk (and Listen): How to Have Constructive Conversations about Race, Class, Sexuality, Ability & Gender In a Polarized World. Anastasia Kim & Alicia Del Prado, $24.95

Conversations about controversial topics can be difficult, painful, and emotionally charged. This user-friendly guide will help you engage in effective, compassionate discussions with family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers about race, immigration, gender, marriage equality, sexism, marginalization, and more.

We talk every day — and we often do it without thinking. But, as you well know, there are some things that are harder to talk about — especially issues pertaining to politics, culture, lifestyle, and diversity. If you’ve ever struggled in a conversation about a “controversial” topic with a loved one, work colleague, or even a stranger, you know exactly how uncomfortable and heated the discussion can become. And even if you are one of the lucky few that expresses themselves eloquently, how do you move beyond mere “lip service” and turn words into actionable change?

This groundbreaking book will show you how to get to that important next level in difficult conversations, to talk in an authentic and straightforward way about culture and diversity, and to speak from the heart with tools from the head. Using a simple eight-step approach, you’ll learn communication strategies that are supported by research and have been practiced in classrooms, work meetings, therapy sessions, and more.

With this book as your guide, you’ll learn to navigate these difficult conversations, and take what you’ve learned beyond the conversation and out into the world — whether it’s through politics, social justice movements, or simply expanding the minds of those around you.

It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going! Chelsea Clinton, $24.99

In a book that tackles the biggest challenges facing us today, Chelsea Clinton combines facts, charts, photographs and stories to give readers a deep understanding of the world around them — and how anyone can make a difference. With stories about children and teens who have made real changes big and small — in their families, their communities, in our country and across the world — this book will inspire readers of all ages to do their part to make our world a better place.

In addition to informing and inspiring readers about topics including Poverty, Homelessness, Food Insecurity, Access to Education, Gender Equality, Epidemics, Non-Communicable Diseases, Climate Change, and Endangered Species, this book encourages everyone to get going! With suggestions and ideas for action, Chelsea Clinton shows readers that the world belongs to every single one of us, and every one of us counts.

Just Because It's Not Wrong Doesn’t Make It Right: Teaching Kids To Think and Act Ethically. Barbara Coloroso, $22.00

In her now-classic ‘Kids are Worth It!’ Barbara Coloroso’s underlying parenting vision ascribed to parents the responsibility to teach the next generation how to think, not just what to think, so that they may grow into the best people they can be.

Now, in this groundbreaking new book — a natural extension and a profound deepening of her original vision — Coloroso shows parents how to nurture their children’s ethical lives, from preschool through adolescence.

There can be no more necessary book for our times.We live in a world where children are so often given the message that the ends justify the means; where harmful, even violent behavior — in families, in communities, and around the world — goes unnoticed, unmitigated, and often unrepented; where children’s ethical education can come from a T-shirt slogan or bumper sticker, an Internet site, or the evening news; where rigid moral absolutism or moral relativism has replaced true ethical thinking. In a world such as ours, Just Because It’s Not Wrong Doesn’t Make It Right is an essential tool.

Rich in advice and anecdotes, Barbara Coloroso offers no less than an ethical vision, one rooted in deep caring, by which we and succeeding generations may not only live, but thrive.

The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference, 2nd Edition. Barbara Lewis, $19.99

Are you looking for ways to connect kids with inspiring, high-quality community service projects? Do you want fresh ideas and suggestions for how to get kids involved in service learning? Then this new edition of Barbara Lewis’s classic youth service guide is for you.

The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects contains hundreds of up-to-date service projects and ideas presented in an engaging, kid-friendly format. This guide has something for everyone who wants to make a difference. Features and benefits include over 500 service project ideas, from simple to large scale and step-by-step instructions for creating flyers, petitions, press releases, and more.

The book’s 14 thematic chapters cover topics commonly selected for community service projects. Each chapter includes important facts and statistics related to each topic, a host of diverse service project ideas, and listings of service organization contact information.

Animals • Community Development  • Crime Fighting  • The Environment  • Health & Wellness  • Homelessness  • Hunger  • Literacy  • People with Special Needs  • Seniors  • Politics & Government  • Safety  • Transportation  • Friendship

With the current increased focus on community service, this book is sure to motivate an audience of eager young change-makers. National award-winning author Barbara Lewis provides the ideas, tips, resources, and information kids need to get out there and make a difference today!

Kids Who Are Changing the World. Sheila Sweeny Higginson, illustrated by Alyssa Petersen, $6.99 (ages 6-8)

Have you ever wondered what you could do to change the world? Find out how kids are helping the environment, inventing incredible medical devices, aiding the homeless, designing apps so other kids won’t ever have to eat alone in the cafeteria, and more! Learn all about what they’ve come up with and how their ideas are changing lives in this story of four amazing kids everyone should meet! A special section at the back of the book includes extras such as biographies of famous young inventors and contemporary activists plus interesting ideas for other ways that kids can change the world.

Lacey and the African Grandmothers. Sue Farrell Holler, $14.95 (ages 10-14)

Can a sewing project make a difference half-way across the world?

Lacey Little Bird loves spending time with Kahasi, an elder on her reserve who is like a grandmother to her. Then Lacey hears about a project to help grandmothers in Africa who are raising their grandchildren because their parents have died from AIDS. Even though Africa is far, far away, Lacey wants to help and emails the grandmothers with a plan to raise money by selling beaded purses.

What difference can a young Blackfoot girl from North America make in the lives of grandmothers in Africa? A lot, as Lacey discovers. Her decision to help will bring about amazing changes in her life and her community.

Lacey and the African Grandmothers is based on true events, real people, and the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents: a Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo. Marlon Bundo with Jill Twiss, and EG Keller, $26.99 (ages 4-8)

HBO's Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents a children's picture book about a Very Special boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny. Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence — the Vice President of the United States. But on this Very Special Day, Marlon's life is about to change forever...

With its message of tolerance and advocacy, this charming children's book explores issues of same sex marriage and democracy. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this book is dedicated to every bunny who has ever felt different. 100% of Last Week Tonight's proceeds will be donated to The Trevor Project and AIDS United.

The Law Is (Not) for Kids: a Legal Rights Guide for Canadian Children and Teens. Ned Lecic & Marvin Zuker, $22.95

In this practical guide to the law for the young people of Canada, Ned Lecic and Marvin Zuker provide an all-encompassing, accurate manual meant to empower and educate youth and those that serve them. As advocates for the rights of children, the authors provide examples of how young people can get their legal rights enforced while also encouraging them to consider whether the rights of youth are sufficient or should be expanded. The Law is (Not) for Kids is the first book to deal with Canadian law and the rights of children and teens that is meant for young readers, however it will also be a valuable resource for teachers, counsellors, lawyers, and all those who support youth when they encounter the law.

Lessons from a Street Kid. Craig Kielburger, illustrated by Marisa Antonello & Victoria Laidley, $19.95

Join a young Craig Kielburger as he learns about the heights of generosity on the streets of Brazil.

Letters To a Prisoner. Jacques Goldstyn, $18.95

Told entirely through illustrations, Letters to a Prisoner is a wordless story about the power of hope and the written word. Inspired by Amnesty International's letter-writing campaigns to help free people who have been jailed for expressing their opinion, the book tells the story of a man who is arrested during a peaceful protest. In solitary confinement, he begins to despair — until a bird delivers a letter of support written by somebody outside the prison. Every day more missives arrive until the prisoner escapes his fate on wings made of letters.

Little Bits of Sky. S.E. Durrant, $24.95

Siblings Ira and Zac have moved between foster homes ever since they can remember. When they are moved to a group home called Skilly House, a London-based home for children, they think everything is about to break, but it may just be the beginning of their new lives.

Living Me to We: the Guide for Socially Conscious Canadians. Craig Kielburger & Marc Kielburger, $19.95

With this uniquely Canadian guide to socially conscious living, activists Craig and Marc Kielburger give you the tools for LIVING ME TO WE. After 15 years travelling the country and advocating for social justice, Craig and Marc became inspired to compile their practical tips for change in one handy guide. The result is a beautifully designed, extensively researched and engaging book — just for Canadians.

Through original illustrations and photography, you’ll learn how seek out ethical investments and carbon-friendly vacations. With dozens of interviews conducted with scores of Canadians across the country, you’ll meet the people in your community who are taking small steps to a better world. You’ll also get to know a new side of some famous Canadians as they recount their personal tales of lighter living. Finally, turn to the end of the book where you can find an extensively researched resource guide, chock full of websites, books, magazines and city-specific stores and organizations, to start your own movement.

Look Where We Live! A First Book of Community Building. Scot Ritchie, $16.95

In this engaging nonfiction picture book, five young friends — Nick, Yulee, Pedro, Sally and Martin — spend the day traveling around their neighborhood and participating in activities designed to raise money for their local library. Along the way, they learn about the people and places that make up their community and what it means to be a part of one.

The Lost Words. Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris, $40.00 (all ages)

In 2007, when a new edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary — widely used in schools around the world — was published, a sharp-eyed reader soon noticed that around forty common words concerning nature had been dropped. Apparently they were no longer being used enough by children to merit their place in the dictionary. The list of these “lost words” included acorn, adder, bluebell, dandelion, fern, heron, kingfisher, newt, otter, and willow. Among the words taking their place were attachment, blog, broadband, bullet-point, cut-and-paste, and voice-mail. The news of these substitutions — he outdoor and natural being displaced by the indoor and virtual — became seen by many as a powerful sign of the growing gulf between childhood and the natural world.

Ten years later, Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris set out to make a “spell book” that will conjure back twenty of these lost words, and the beings they name, from acorn to wren. By the magic of word and paint, they sought to summon these words again into the voices, stories, and dreams of children and adults alike, and to celebrate the wonder and importance of everyday nature. The Lost Words is that book — work that has already cast its extraordinary spell on hundreds of thousands of people and begun a grass-roots movement to re-wild childhood across Britain, Europe, and North America.

Making a Difference: Teaching Kindness, Character, and Purpose. Cheri Meiners, $22.95

Through positive and motivating text, Making a Difference assures children that they are important, and that what they do matters. Boost a child's confidence and sense of purpose as you read and affirm that their hopeful thoughts, kind words and good choices can make a difference to themselves and others.

Making a Difference is a book that will help build social skills and character, teach life lessons to your children, and put them on a pathway to integrity, courtesy, respect, and purpose. Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations accompany  purposeful storytelling that shows how children can help to make the world a better place. Back pages include discussion questions, scenarios, games and role-play activities that help adults reinforce the book's positive message.

Malala: Activist for Girls' Education. Raphaële Frier, illustrated by Aurélia Fronty, $21.99

Malala Yousafzai stood up to the Taliban and fought for the right for all girls to receive an education. When she was just fifteen years old, the Taliban attempted to kill Malala, but even this did not stop her activism. At age eighteen Malala became the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for her work to ensure the education of all children around the world. Malala’s courage and conviction will inspire young readers in this beautifully illustrated biography.

Me, Toma and the Concrete Garden. Andrew Larsen & Anne Villeneuve, $18.99 (ages 3-7)

Vincent is staying with his aunt Mimi for the summer while his mom recuperates from surgery. Mimi's drab city neighborhood, complete with an empty dirt lot across the street, doesn't seem too promising. But then Vincent meets Toma, a boy who lives nearby, and things start looking up. Mimi has a mysterious box of "dirt balls" in her apartment. When she asks Vincent to get rid of them, the fun Vincent and Toma have throwing them into the lot becomes the start of a budding friendship. Then one day, they notice new shoots sprouting all over the lot. Maybe those balls weren't just made of dirt after all!

This book highlights the value of connecting to nature, even in urban areas, and the sense of community that comes from civic engagement. It's an excellent choice for character education lessons on kindness, generosity and citizenship.

MIGRANT. Maxine Trottier, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, $18.95

Each spring Anna leaves her home in Mexico and travels north with her family where they will work on farms harvesting fruits and vegetables. Sometimes she feels like a bird, flying north in the spring and south in the fall. Sometimes she feels like a jack rabbit living in an abandoned burrow, as her family moves into an empty house near the fields. But most of all she wonders what it would be like to stay in one place.

The Low German-speaking Mennonites from Mexico are a unique group of migrants who moved from Canada to Mexico in the 1920s and became an important part of the farming community there. But it has become increasingly difficult for them to earn a livelihood, and so they come back to Canada each year as migrant workers in order to survive.

Beautifully written by Maxine Trottier and imaginatively illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, this book describes what it is like to be a child in a migrant family.

My Body My Choice: the Fight for Abortion Rights. Robin Stevenson, $19.95 (ages 12++)

Abortion is one of the most common of all medical procedures. But it is still stigmatized,  and all too often people do not feel they can talk about their experiences. Making abortion illegal or hard to access doesn't make it any less common; it just makes it dangerous. Around the world, tens of thousands of women die from unsafe abortions every year.

People who support abortion rights have been fighting hard to create a world in which the right to access safe and legal abortion services is guaranteed. The opposition to this has been intense and sometimes violent, and victories have been hard won. The long fight for abortion rights is being picked up by a new generation of courageous, creative and passionate activists. This book is about the history, and the future, of that fight.

My Name is Blessing. Eric Walters, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes, $19.99

Based on the life of a real boy, this warm-hearted, beautifully illustrated book tells the story of Baraka, a young Kenyan boy with a physical disability. Baraka and eight cousins live with their grandmother. She gives them boundless love, but there is never enough money or food, and life is hard — love doesn't feed hungry stomachs or clothe growing bodies, or school keen minds. Baraka is too young, and, with his disability, needs too much, and she is too old. A difficult choice must be made, and grandmother and grandchild set off on a journey to see if there is a place at the orphanage for Baraka. The story begins by looking at Baraka's physical disability as a misfortune, but ends by looking beyond the disability, to his great heart and spirit, and the blessings he brings.

My Story Starts Here: Voices of Young Offenders. Deborah Ellis, $18.95 (ages 12 and up)

Jamar found refuge in a gang after leaving an abusive home where his mother stole from him. Fred was arrested for assault with a weapon, public intoxication and attacking his mother while on drugs. Jeremy first went to court at age fourteen (“Court gives you the feeling that you can never make up for what you did, that you’re just bad forever”) but now wears a Native Rights hat to remind him of his strong Métis heritage. Kate, charged with petty theft and assault, finally found a counselor who treated her like a person for the first time.

Many readers will recognize themselves, or someone they know, somewhere in these stories. Being lucky or unlucky after an incident of shoplifting, or the drug search at school, or hanging out with the wrong kids at the wrong time. The encounter with a mean cop, or a good one, that can change the trajectory of a kid’s life. Couch-surfing, or being shunted from one foster home to another. The effect of youth crime on families (the book includes the points of view of family members as well as “voices of experience” — adults looking back at their own experiences as young offenders).

The kids in this book represent a range of socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations and ethnicities. Every story is different, but there are common threads — loss of parenting, dislocation, poverty, truancy, addiction, discrimination.

Most of all, this book leaves readers asking the most pressing questions of all. Does it make sense to put kids in jail? Can’t we do better? Have we forgotten that we were once teens ourselves, feeling powerless to change our lives, confused about who we were and what we wanted, and quick to make a dumb move without a thought for the consequences?

Nibi's Water Song. Sunshine Tenasco, illustrated by Chief Lady Bird, $19.99 (ages 3-6)

Nibi is the Anishinaabemowin word for water. In Nibi's Water Song, an Indigenous girl on the search for clean water to drink. Though she is faced with repeated obstacles, Nibi's joyful and determined energy becomes a catalyst for change and action as her community, and then in widening circles the country and government, rally around her to make clean drinking water available for all. In a story perfectly levelled for young readers, there is a strong underlying message that even when a problem seems too large to face, every bit that everyone does helps. And inaction in the face of a wrong is not an option.

Sunshine Tenasco, an Anishinabeg activist for clean water, has an amazing optimistic spirit that shines through her writing. The hopeful tone and lyrical read-aloud quality of this gentle allegorical tale open the door to conversations and action aimed at young children, whether they are on a reserve that does not have clean water or they are living with access to clean water.

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference. Greta Thunberg, $9.99 (ages 10+)

The history-making, ground-breaking speeches of Greta Thunberg, the young climate crisis activist who has become the voice of a generation.

Everything needs to change. And it has to start today.

In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day. Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet and our environment, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. This book brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across Europe, from the UN to mass street protests, No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it.

Not My Idea: a Book about Whiteness. Anastasia Higginbotham, $28.50 (ages 8-12)

A white child sees a news report of a white police officer shooting and killing a person with brown skin who had their hands up. “We don’t see color,” the child’s mother says, but the child senses a deeper truth. An afternoon in the library uncovers the reality of white supremacy in America. The child connects to the opportunity and their responsibility to dismantle white supremacy — for the sake of their own liberation out of ignorance and injustice.

On the News: Our First Talk about Tragedy. Jillian Roberts, illustrated  by Jane Heinrichs, $19.95 (ages 6-8)

On the News gently introduces young children to the realities of natural disasters, terrorism and other forms of tragedy. In age-appropriate language and tone, Dr. Roberts explains what tragedy is, the feelings it may create and how to manage those feelings. She also emphasizes the good that can come out of tragedy, looking at how people help one another in caring, compassionate and heroic ways. The book's question-and-answer format will help parents have a meaningful conversation about these difficult topics with their children and equip them to better handle questions that arise when children are exposed to the news.

On Our Street: Our First Talk about Poverty. Jillian Roberts, Jaime Casap, illustrated by Jane Heinrichs, $19.95 

A gentle introduction to the issue of poverty, On Our Street explores the realities of people living with inadequate resources. Using age-appropriate language, this book addresses mental illness, homelessness and refugee status as they are connected to this issue. Insightful quotes from individuals and organizations such as UNICEF are included throughout to add further perspective on the issue. An invaluable section on how kids can help empowers readers to take what they have learned and use it to make a difference.

On Our Way to Oyster Bay: Mother Jones and Her March for Children's Rights. Monica Kulling, illustrated by Felicita Sala, $18.95

Eight-year-old Aidan and his friend Gussie want to go to school, like many other children in 1903. Instead, they work twelve hours, six days a week, at a cotton mill in Pennsylvania. So when the millworkers decide to go on strike, the two friends join the picket line. Maybe now life will change for them. When a famous labor reformer named Mother Jones comes to hear of the millworkers' demands, she tells them they need to do more than just strike. But what could she do? Why, organize a children's march and bring the message right to President Theodore Roosevelt at his summer home in Oyster Bay, of course!

One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists. Janet Wilson, $19.95 (ages 8-14)

ONE PEACE celebrates the accomplishments of children and youth from around the globe who have worked to promote world peace.

One Well. Rochelle Strauss, illustrated by Rosemary Woods, $19.95 (Grades 3 and up)

Almost 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered with water. And all that water is connected — every raindrop, lake, underground river and glacier is part of a single global well. A single splash can sprout a seed, quench a thirst, provide a habitat, generate energy and sustain life. How we treat the water in the well will affect every species on the planet, now and for years to come. One Well shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well — and why we need to pay attention.

Our Future: How Kids Are Taking Action. Janet Wilson, $18.95 (ages 8-12)

Young people from across the globe are raising awareness about what issues matter to them most and are working to protect the future that we all share. American Jaelun Parkerson kneels with his football teammates during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. Canadian Autumn Peltier spoke in front of the United Nations to raise awareness about water pollution Melati Wijsen from Indonesia started working at twelve-years-old to convince her government to ban plastic bags. And Tiassa Mutunkei from Kenya started a club for young people to stop elephants from being killed for their ivory tusks. Our Future shines a light on the efforts on ten brilliant and brave young activists who are making a difference for the future of our planet. The book's final pages give ideas for how young people can try and make a difference in their own lives and communities.

Our Heroes: How Kids are Making a Difference. Janet Wilson, $18.95

True stories of children who opened up their hearts and minds to the unfairness of the world and decided to try and make a difference, because everyone deserves to be happy. Andrew Adansi-Bonnah from Ghana raised thousands of dollars for refugee children in Somalia after seeing their terrible situation on the news. Jonathan Lee from South Korea was given special permission to travel to North Korea to talk about the environment. Mimi Ausland from the USA, nicknamed “Dr. Doolittle,” started a website to collect donations for shelter animals. All of them are everyday heroes, and you can be one too.

Our House Is On Fire: Greta Thunberg's Call to Save the Planet. Jeanette Winter, et al, $23.99 (ages 4-8)

I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic... I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is...

When she was fifteen years old, Greta Thunberg’s teacher explained to her class that our climate is changing — the earth is getting warmer, the polar ice caps are melting, and life on earth is threatened. Greta was devastated. What could she do? If the grown-ups weren’t doing enough to save the planet, Greta would have to demand change herself.So she went on strike, skipping school every Friday to sit outside of the Swedish Parliament building with a sign that read “School Strike for Climate.” At first, Greta was the only one. But gradually, more and more students joined her, until her lone protest had sparked a worldwide student movement for action on climate change.

Now, Greta is speaking to audiences of world leaders at important meetings like the United Nations Climate Conference and the World Economic Forum. She is leading the conversation on climate change and sparking worldwide conversation on how to save our planet. Greta is showing everyone that even the smallest person can make a big difference, and this picture book informs and inspires young readers who are beginning to learn about the world around them.

Our Little Kitchen. Jillian Tamaki, $19.95 (ages 4-8)

A picture book about a lively evening in a community kitchen from Governor General’s Award–winning author and illustrator Jillian Tamaki. Tie on your apron! Roll up your sleeves! Pans are out, oven is hot. The kitchen’s all ready, Where do we start?

In this lively, rousing picture book from Caldecott Honoree Jillian Tamaki, a crew of resourceful neighbours come together to prepare a meal for their community. With a garden full of produce, a joyfully chaotic kitchen and a friendly meal shared at the table, Our Little Kitchen is a celebration of full bellies and people looking out for one another. Includes two recipes and an author’s note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book.

Our New Home: Immigrant Children Speak. Edited by Emily Hearn & Marywinn Milne, $13.95

What is it like to leave home and arrive in a place where everything is new – language, weather, customs and people?

Every year families from around the world leave their homes to start a new life in a new place and they each have a story. In Our New Home, children use their writing and artwork to share these stories with us. Their words and pictures tell of the fear and sadness, the excitement and challenge of moving to a new country and starting a new life.

Our Rights: How Kids are Changing the World. Janet Wilson, $18.95

A girl who spoke out against her government for the rights of aboriginal children, a boy who walked across his country to raise awareness of homelessness, and a former child soldier who wants to make music not war. Here are true stories of kids just like you who are standing up for their rights. Read about how they have made a difference. Dylan Mahalingam from the USA started an online charity to raise money to fight child poverty. The bravery of Nujood Ali Mohammed from Yemen inspired other girls who were being forced to marry too young. Anita Khushwaha from India became a beekeeper to pay for school, even though it was considered a job only men could do. All of them are making a difference for children’s rights.

Owning Up Curriculum: Empowering Adolescents to Confront Social Cruelty, Bullying, and Injustice. Rosalind Wiseman, $79.95 (Grades 6-12)

The Owning Up Curriculum presents a unique and comprehensive approach to preventing youth violence by providing a structured program for teaching students to own up and take responsibility — as perpetrators, bystanders, and targets — for unethical behavior. Students learn to recognize that they have a responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity and to speak out against injustice.

By targeting the root causes of bullying and other forms of social cruelty, Wiseman exposes the cultural expectations that teach young people to humiliate and dehumanize others as the way to achieve power and respect, then challenges them to transform this dynamic. The program also addresses the nuanced ways in which racism, classism, and homophobia are expressed in our culture and affect social cruelty and violence.

A CD-ROM of reproducible program forms and student handouts is included with the curriculum.

Parenting for Peace: Raising the Next Generation of Peacemakers. Marcy Axness, $19.95

If we really want to change the world, let's raise a generation hardwired for peace and innovation from the very beginning. A child whose brain develops its capacity for self-regulation, self-reflection, trust, and empathy is a joy to parent. As an adult, this individual will have the heart to embrace and exemplify peace, the mind to innovate solutions to social and ecological challenges, and the will to enact them.

In the midst of our global human, economic and environmental crises, we have overlooked a profound means of cultivating a sustainable, peaceful future: the choices and attitudes with which we bring our children to life and shepherd them into adulthood. With compassion, good humor and engaging examples, PARENTING FOR PEACE is an essential guide for raising a generation of peacemakers.

Pay It Forward Kids: Small Acts, Big Changes. Nancy Runstedler, $19.95

Meet ordinary kids, who have done extraordinary things. They have set out to Pay It Forward — with astonishing results. These powerful stories demonstrate that you're never too young to make a difference or to improve the life of another. Kindness can be done by anyone... you just need to step up and start.

The Peace Book. Todd Parr, $10.49 (boardbook)

The Peace Book delivers positive and hopeful messages of peace in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr's trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Perfect for the youngest readers, this book delivers a timely and timeless message about the importance of friendship, caring, and acceptance.

Peace, Love, Action! Everyday Acts of Goodness, From A to Z. Tanya Zabinski, $25.95 (ages 8-12)

Peace, Love, Action! is an illustrated, illuminated A-Z of everyday actions that directly make a peaceful, fun, and vibrant world. With original artworks bringing each action to life, "make friends," "go local," "cooperate," "forgive" — seemingly small deeds can really add up! Illustrated by Tanya Zabinski in her characteristic earthy style, each action comes with an inspirational mini-bio of a real hero who exemplifies that action, from Thich Nhat Hanh ("breathe") to Wangari Maathai ("plant"), and follows with a set of "What You Can Do" prompts. With a foreword by singer-songwriter and activist legend, Ani DiFranco.

PERIOD POWER: a Manifesto for the Menstrual Movement. Nadya Okamoto, $17.99

PERIOD founder and Harvard College student Nadya Okamoto offers a manifesto on menstruation and why we can no longer silence those who bleed — and how to engage in youth activism.

Throughout history, periods have been hidden from the public. They’re taboo. They’re embarrassing. They’re gross. And due to a crumbling or nonexistent national sex ed program, they are misunderstood. Because of these stigmas, a status quo has been established to exclude people who menstruate from the seat at the decision-making table, creating discriminations like the tampon tax, medicines that favor male biology, and more. Period Power aims to explain what menstruation is, shed light on the stigmas and resulting biases, and create a strategy to end the silence and prompt conversation about periods.

Play Like a Girl: How a Soccer School In Kenya's Slums Started a Revolution. Ellie Roscher, $24.95

Growing up and living in Kibera, Kenya, Abdul Kassim was well aware of the disproportionate number of challenges faced by women due to the extreme gender inequalities that persist in the slums. After being raised by his aunts, mother, and grandmother and having a daughter himself, he felt that he needed to make a difference.

In 2002, Abdul started a soccer team for girls called Girls Soccer in Kibera (GSK), with the hope of fostering a supportive community and providing emotional and mental support for the young women in the town. The soccer program was a success, but the looming dangers of slum life persisted, and the young women continued to fall victim to the worst kinds of human atrocities. In 2006, after much work, the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy (KGSA) was established with their first class of 11 girls and 2 volunteer teachers. Today, KGSA is composed of 20 full-time staff, provides a host of artistic and athletic programs for more than 130 students annually, and continues to expand. By providing academics inside and outside of the classroom along with artistic and athletic opportunities, KGSA inspires the young women of Kibera to become advocates for change within their own communities and for Kenya as a whole.

Play Like a Girl tells the KGSA story through Abdul’s voice and vision and the stories of key staff and students. It is written by Ellie Roscher who spent 2 summers doing research at KGSA.

Pocket Change: Pitching In for a Better World. Michelle Mulder, $19.95 (ages 8-12)

Until a few hundred years ago, people were embarrassed to buy bread in a store. Families took pride in making almost everything they owned. These days, many people take pride in buying as much as possible! New clothes, a speedier bicycle, the latest phone. If we've got money, someone can sell us a product that will supposedly make our lives better. But each year, humanity uses resources equivalent to nearly one and a half Earths, and we're still not meeting everyone's needs. Around the world, people are questioning consumerism, leaning toward more sustainable lifestyles and creating a whole new concept of wealth. What if you could meet all your needs while getting to know your neighbors and protecting the environment at the same time? Find out how growing a tiny cabbage can fight poverty, how a few dollars can help ten families start their own businesses, and how running errands for a neighbor can help you learn to become a bike mechanic!

The Power Book: What Is It, Who Has It, and Why? Claire Saunders, et al, $24.99 (ages 7-11)

What makes you the boss of me? What makes a king a king, or a queen a queen? Why can some people vote for their leaders, but other people can’t? Does having lots of money make you powerful? Why are there fewer female scientists, leaders, and artists than men in history books?

These are things that kids wonder about. The Power Book answers these and other questions in a relatable way for young people, including thought-provoking discussions on challenging topics, like war, bullying, racism, sexism, and homophobia. You will gain an understanding of your place in your family, your school, and the world, and will discover ways in which you can use your own power to shape the future. As you explore the many aspects of power, thinking points pose questions that spark self-reflection and quotes and stories from some of the greatest change-makers — such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, and Stephen Hawking — provide historical context and inspiration. Find more opportunities for learning at the back with a glossary of terms and suggestions for further reading.

Gain a greater understanding of how power works, then learn how to harness it for good with The Power Book.

The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back.  Kevin Salwen & Hannah Salwen, $22.50

The Power of Half is the fascinating story of how one family set out to make small difference in the world and ended up transforming themselves.

Powered by Girl: a Field Guide for Supporting Youth Activists. Lyn Mikel Brown, $21.00

Drawing from a diverse collection of interviews with women and girl activists, Powered by Girl is both a journalistic exploration of how girls have embraced activism and a guide for adults who want to support their organizing. Here we learn about the intergenerational support behind thirteen-year-old Julia Bluhm when she got Seventeen to go Photoshop free; nineteen-year-old Celeste Montaño, who pressed Google to diversify their Doodles; and sixteen-year-old Yas Necati, who campaigns for better sex education. And we learn what experienced adult activists say about how to scaffold girls’ social-change work. Brown argues that adults shouldn’t encourage girls to “lean in.” Rather, girls should be supported in creating their own movements — disrupting the narrative, developing their own ideas — on their own terms.

A Prayer for World Peace. Jane Goodall, Feeroozeh Golmohammadi, $17.99

Jane Goodall is a world-renowned naturalist who brings her passion and her quest for understanding between all the Earth’s creatures to the fore in this beautiful and affecting prayer for world peace. She asks us all to rise above our dogmas, to bring a spirit of generosity to the living world around us, to pray for justice and for those who are suffering. Illustrated with rich and colorful artwork, this is prayer that’s both personal and universal and one that will speak to people of all ages from all backgrounds.

PRIDE: the Celebration and the Struggle, Revised Edition. Robin Stevenson, $24.95 (ages 12+)

Like the original version, this new edition of Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle celebrates the LGBTQ+ community's diversity and the incredible victories of the past 50 years—but it also has a larger focus on activism, the need to keep fighting for equality and freedom around the world and the important role that young people are playing.

The new edition has been updated and expanded to include many new Proud Moments and Queer Facts as well as a profile of LGBTQ+ refugees from Indonesia, a story about a Pride celebration in a refugee camp in Kenya and profiles of young activists, including teens from a Gender and Sexuality Alliance organizing Pride in Inuvik and a trans girl from Vancouver fighting for inclusion and support in schools. There is also a section on being an ally, a profile of a family with two gay dads (one of them trans) and much, much more!

Race Cars: a Children's Book about White Privilege. Jenny Devenny, $23.95 (ages 4-7)

Race Cars is a children's book about white privilege. It was created to serve as a springboard for parents and educators to facilitate tough conversations with their kids about race, privilege and oppression. The book follows two best friends, a white car and a black car who enter a race together. But they each have very different experiences because one car is black and the other is white — and different rules apply.

This simple story helps children and adults recognize what white privilege looks like in real life, and how systemic racism makes the oppressed person feel less valued or powerful than everyone else. Race Cars asks readers to notice how we often deny the benefits of being in a privileged position.

The Racial Healing Handbook: Practical Activities to Help You Challenge Privilege, Confront Systemic Racism, and Engage in Collective Healing. Anneliese Singh, $34.95

Healing from racism is a journey that often involves reliving trauma and experiencing feelings of shame, guilt, and anxiety. This journey can be a bumpy ride, and before we begin healing, we need to gain an understanding of the role history plays in racial/ethnic myths and stereotypes. In so many ways, to heal from racism, you must re-educate yourself and unlearn the processes of racism. This book can help guide you.

The Racial Healing Handbook offers practical tools to help you navigate daily and past experiences of racism, challenge internalized negative messages and privileges, and handle feelings of stress and shame. You’ll also learn to develop a profound racial consciousness and conscientiousness, and heal from grief and trauma. Most importantly, you’ll discover the building blocks to creating a community of healing in a world still filled with racial microaggressions and discrimination.

This book is not just about ending racial harm — it is about racial liberation. This journey is one that we must take together. It promises the possibility of moving through this pain and grief to experience the hope, resilience, and freedom that helps you not only self-actualize, but also makes the world a better place.

Razia’s Ray of Hope: One Girl’s Dream of an Education. Elizabeth Suneby, illustrated by Suana Verelst, $19.95 (ages 8-12)

Based on the true story of a girl in Afghanistan who desperately wants an education and convinces the men in her family to allow her to attend school, the story’s protagonist goes to the Zabuli Education Center for girls outside of Kabul, started by Razia Jan.

The book also includes information about the real Razia Jan and the Zabuli Education Center, Dari words, a lesson plan (“A Day in Razia’s Life"), and questions for discussion, making it ideal for school, library, and personal use when discussing the fundamental human right of education for all children. 

Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Character: Choices That Matter Around the World. Garth Sundem, $14.99

This inspiring book spans the globe again with true accounts of ordinary kids showing extraordinary character. Thirty short inspirational stories are divided into six character traits (courage, creativity, kindness, persistence, resilience, and responsibility) and feature kids facing adversity from bullying in an American middle school to surviving persecution in the war-torn streets of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Readers will see how every choice they make is a chance to build character and show the world who they really are.

Residential Schools: With Words and Images of Survivors. Larry Loyie, with Wayne Spear & Constance Brissenden, $35.95

This book explains the hidden history of the residential school system. Award-winning author and former residential school student Larry Loyie delves into how Canada, for over a century, removed more than 150,000 Aboriginal children from their families to attend these church-run residential schools. It explains in a comprehensive, yet accessible, way the history of not only First Nations people but also the Métis and Inuit peoples of Canada.

Residential Schools speaks with the voice of more than 70 former students and family members. There are more than 125 images — many from the personal collections of survivors, a map of Canada’s residential schools, a “key dates” timeline, five myths associated with Residential School and a glossary of terms. The book involved over 20 years of research, 200 interviews and took three years to write. “It is a historical narrative and national history that needs to be told,” said author Larry Loyie.

Ruby, Head High: Ruby Bridges' First Day of School. Irêne Cohen-Janca, illustrated by Marc Daniau, $26.50 (ages 7-10)

Inspired by an iconic Norman Rockwell painting and translated from an original French text, this is a story about the day a little girl held her head high and changed the world.

The Sad Little Fact. Jonah Winter, illustrated by Pete Oswald, $23.99 (ages 4-7)

There once was a fact who could not lie.

But no one believed him.

When the Authorities lock the sad little fact away, along with other facts, the world goes dark. But facts are stubborn things. With the help of a few skillful fact finders, they make a daring escape and bring truth back to brighten the world. Because after all, "a fact is a fact" and that's that!

Truth be told, this spare, ingenious story reads like a modern-day parable, reminding us of the importance of honesty and truth during a time of lies and fake news.

Say Something! Peter Reynolds, $21.99 (ages 4-8)

The world needs your voice.

If you have a brilliant idea... say something!

If you see an injustice... say something!

In this empowering new picture book, renowned author Peter H. Reynolds explores the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. Each of us, each and every day, has the chance to say something: with our actions, our words and our voices. Perfect for budding activists everywhere, this timely story reminds readers of the undeniable importance and power of their voice. There are so many ways to tell the world who you are... what you are thinking... and what you believe. And how you’ll make it better. The time is now: SAY SOMETHING!

Secret Path. Gord Downie & Jeff Lemire, $26.99

Secret Path is a ten song album by Gord Downie with a graphic novel by illustrator Jeff Lemire that tells the story of Chanie “Charlie” Wenjack, a twelve-year-old boy who died in flight from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School fifty years ago. Chanie, misnamed Charlie by his teachers, was a young boy who died on October 22, 1966, walking the railroad tracks, trying to escape from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School to return home. Chanie’s home was 400 miles away. He didn’t know that. He didn’t know where it was, nor how to find it, but, like so many kids — more than anyone will be able to imagine — he tried.

Chanie’s story is Canada’s story. We are not the country we thought we were. History will be re-written. We are all accountable. Secret Path acknowledges a dark part of Canada’s history — the long suppressed mistreatment of Indigenous children and families by the residential school system — with the hope of starting our country on a road to reconciliation.

Proceeds from Secret Path will be donated to The Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation via The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at The University of Manitoba.

Sewing the Rainbow: the Story of Gilbert Baker and the Rainbow Flag. Gayle Pitman, illustrated by Holly Clifton-Brown, $23.50 (ages 4-8)

Sewing the Rainbow is the powerful story of Gilbert Baker and the creation of the rainbow flag. This book takes readers from Gilbert’s childhood in a small town in Kansas where he didn’t fit in, to his historic artistic career in San Francisco. Today the flag is everywhere, even in the small town where Gilbert grew up! This book shows that when you see a rainbow flag, you’ll know it’s okay to be your colorful self. Includes a “Note to Parents and Caregivers” with more about Gilbert and the flag’s history.

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World. Susan Hood, $23.99

Fresh, accessible, and inspiring, Shaking Things Up introduces fourteen revolutionary young women — each paired with a noteworthy female artist — to the next generation of activists, trail-blazers, and rabble-rousers. From the award-winning author of Ada’s Violin, Susan Hood, this is a poetic and visual celebration of persistent women throughout history.

In this book, you will find Mary Anning, who was just thirteen when she unearthed a prehistoric fossil. You’ll meet Ruby Bridges, the brave six-year-old who helped end segregation in the South. And Maya Lin, who at twenty-one won a competition to create a war memorial, and then had to appear before Congress to defend her right to create.

And those are just a few of the young women included in this book. Readers will also hear about Molly Williams, Annette Kellerman, Nellie Bly, Pura Belprè, Frida Kahlo, Jacqueline and Eileen Nearne, Frances Moore Lappè, Mae Jemison, Angela Zhang, and Malala Yousafzai — all whose stories will enthrall and inspire. This book was written, illustrated, edited, and designed by women and includes an author’s note, a timeline, and additional resources.

Shannen and the Dream for a School. Janet Wilson, $14.95

This is the true story of Shannen Koostachin and the people of Attawapiskat, a Cree community in Northern Ontario, who have been fighting for a new school since 1979, when a fuel spill contaminated their original school building.

It is 2008, and thirteen-year-old Shannen and the other students at J.R. Nakogee Elementary are tired of attending class in portables that smell and don't keep out the freezing cold winter air. They make a YouTube video describing the poor conditions, and their plea for a decent school gains them attention and support from community leaders and children across the country. Inspired, the students decide to turn their grade-eight class trip into a visit to Ottawa, to speak to the Canadian government. Once there, Shannen speaks passionately to the politicians about the need to give Native children the opportunity to succeed. The following summer, Shannen is nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. Her passion and that of the other students makes politicians stand up and take notice, and becomes a rallying point for the community and for the country.

Shannen will never see her dream fulfilled. Tragically, she was killed in a car crash in 2010. Her family, friends, and supporters are continuing to fight and to honor her memory as they work for equality for children in communities everywhere.

Find out about the Shannen's Dream Campaign. Read the Canadian Geographic story on the children of Attawapiskat and their wait for a new school, "Still Waiting in Attawapiskat".

Something Happened In Our Town: a Child's Story about Racial Injustice. Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins & Ann Hazzard, $24.50 (ages 4-8)

Something Happened in Our Town describes a traumatic event — a police shooting — from the perspective of a White family and an African American family. This story models productive conversations around racial-ethnic socialization and social-emotional learning, and provides an excellent platform for discussing social justice and race relations with children. Includes a “Note to Parents and Caregivers” with conversation guides, child-friendly vocabulary, and lists of related resources.

Still a Family. Brenda Reeves-Sturgis, illustrated by Jo-Shim Lee, $22.95 (ages 4-8)

A little girl and her parents have lost their home and must live in a homeless shelter. Even worse, due to a common shelter policy, her dad must live in a men’s shelter, separated from her and her mom. Despite these circumstances, the family still finds time to be together. They meet at the park to play hide-and-seek, slide on slides, and pet puppies. While the young girl wishes for better days when her family is together again under a roof of their very own, she continues to remind herself that they’re still a family even in times of separation.

Terrible Things: an Allegory of the Holocaust. Eve Bunting, illustrated by Stephen Gammell, $14.95

The animals in the clearing were content until the Terrible Things came, capturing all creatures with feathers. Little Rabbit wondered what was wrong with feathers, but his fellow animals silenced him. “Just mind your own business, Little Rabbit. We don’t want them to get mad at us.”

A recommended text in Holocaust education programs, this unique introduction to the Holocaust encourages young children to stand up for what they think is right, without waiting for others to join them.

This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons On How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work. Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by Aurélia Durand, $19.99 (ages 11-15)

Gain a deeper understanding of your anti-racist self as you progress through 20 chapters that spark introspection, reveal the origins of racism that we are still experiencing, and give you the courage and power to undo it. After examining the concepts of social identity, race, ethnicity, and racism, learn about some of the ways people of different races have been oppressed, from indigenous Americans and Australians being sent to boarding school to be “civilized” to a generation of Caribbean immigrants once welcomed to the UK being threatened with deportation by strict immigration laws.

This book is written for EVERYONE who lives in this racialized society — including the young person who doesn’t know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life, the kid who has lost themself at times trying to fit into the dominant culture, the children who have been harmed (physically and emotionally) because no one stood up for them or they couldn’t stand up for themselves, and also for their families, teachers, and administrators. With this book, be empowered to actively defy racism to create a community (large and small) that truly honors everyone.

This Book Will Make You Kinder: an Empathy Handbook. Henry James Garrett, $27.00 (ages 14++)

The kindness we owe one another goes far beyond the everyday gestures of feeding someone else's parking meter — although it's important not to downplay those small acts. Kindness can also mean much more. In this timely, insightful guide, Henry James Garrett lays out the case for developing a strong, courageous, moral kindness, one that will help you fight cruelty and make the world a more empathetic place. So, how could a book possibly make you kinder? It would need to answer two questions:

• Why are you kind at all? and,
• Why aren't you kinder?

In these pages, building on his academic studies in metaethics and using his signature-sweet animal cartoons, Henry James Garrett sets out to do just that, exploring the sources and the limitations of human empathy and the many ways, big and small, that we can work toward being our best and kindest selves for the people around us and the society we need to build.

This Child, Every Child: a Book about the World’s Children. David Smith, illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong, $19.95 (ages 8-12)

Every second of every day, four more children are added to the world's population of over 2.2 billion children. Some of these 2.2 billion children will be cared for and have enough to eat and a place to call home. Many others will not be so fortunate. This Child, Every Child uses statistics and stories to draw kids into the world beyond their own borders and provide a window into the lives of their fellow children.

As young readers will discover, there are striking disparities in the way children live. Some children lack opportunities that others take for granted. What is it like to be a girl in Niger? How are some children forced into war? How do children around the world differ in their home and school lives? This Child, Every Child answers such questions and sets children's lives against the rights they are guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Includes extensive resources and access to an online teaching guide.

The Time Has Come: Why Men Must Join the Gender Equality Revolution. Michael Kaufman, $22.95

From founding the White Ribbon Campaign, the world’s largest organized effort of men working to end violence against women, in the early 1990s, to his appointment as the only male member of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, Michael Kaufman has been a major figure in promoting social justice and women’s rights for decades. Now, in The Time Has Come, he issues a stirring call for men to mobilize in the movement for gender equality.

Weaving together sociological data, personal experiences, and insights gleaned from decades of work with governments and NGOs around the globe, Kaufman explores topics ranging from domestic violence to parental leave, grappling with the ways in which a culture of toxic masculinity hurts women and men (and their children). Informative and provocative, The Time Has Come demonstrates how real gender equality creates advancements in both the workplace and the global economy, and urges men to become dedicated allies in dismantling the patriarchy.

The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in Your Organization. Crystal Byrd Farmer, $14.99

Meet the new Black friend you never had.

As a Black organizer, community, business, and organization leaders often ask: "How do I get diversity in my group?" The thing is, the work is real, but it's a minefield out there. And even progressive leaders can still, perhaps unknowingly, be racist and uphold oppressive systems. In The Token, your new token Black friend, Crystal Byrd Farmer, acts as the bridge between majority white organizations that are dedicated to social justice and "diverse" people in community they want to recruit, across identities of race, LGBTQ, education, socioeconomic status, and disability.

With a blunt style that pulls no punches, Crystal tells you how it is, calling you out on tokenism, while extending a hand to help your organization make real transformative change toward diversity and inclusion. Coverage includes:

• What marginalized people experience and what they need to feel safe and comfortable in order to succeed
• Doing "The Work" — how to have deep conversations with your membership about the reality of bias, privilege, and microaggressions
• Practical exercises and discussion questions
• How to choose appropriate meeting locations and establish ground rules, when to bring in outside help, and how to recruit support within your organization
• Strategies on how to talk to friends who are resistant to progressive ideas

This no-nonsense, provocative, and accessible guide is for all well-meaning people leading progressive organizations who acknowledge the need for diversity but don't know where to start.

UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World. Michelle Borba, $34.00

Why is a lack of empathy — which goes hand-in-hand with the self-absorption epidemic Dr. Michele Borba calls the Selfie Syndrome — so dangerous? First, it hurts kids’ academic performance, and leads to bullying behaviors. Also, it correlates with more cheating, and less resilience. And once children grow up, a lack of empathy hampers their ability to collaborate, innovate, and problem-solve — all must-have skills for the global economy. In UnSelfie, Dr. Borba pinpoints the forces causing the empathy crisis and shares a revolutionary, researched-based, 9-step plan for reversing it.

The good news? Empathy is a trait that can be taught and nurtured. Dr. Borba offers a framework for parenting that yields the results we all want: successful, happy kids who also are kind, moral, courageous, and resilient. UnSelfie is a blueprint for parents and educators who want to kids shift their focus from I, me, and mine... to we, us, and ours.

V is for Vegan: the ABCs of Being Kind. Ruby Roth, $14.95

Introducing three- to seven-year-olds to the "ABCs" of a compassionate lifestyle, V IS FOR VEGAN is a must-have for vegan and vegetarian parents, teachers, and activists! Acclaimed author and artist Ruby Roth brings her characteristic insight and good humor to a controversial and challenging subject, presenting the basics of animal rights and the vegan diet in an easy-to-understand, teachable format. Through memorable rhymes and charming illustrations, Roth introduces readers to the major vegan food groups (grains, beans, seeds, nuts, vegetables, and fruits) as well as broader concepts such as animal protection and the environment. Sure to bring about laughter and learning, V IS FOR VEGAN will boost the confidence of vegan kids about to enter school and help adults explain their ethical worldview in a way that young children will understand. 

Viola Desmond Won't Be Budged. Jody Nyasha Warner & Richard Rudnicki, $9.95

In Nova Scotia, in 1946, an usher in a movie theatre told Viola Desmond to move from her main floor seat up to the balcony. She refused to budge. Viola knew she was being asked to move because she was black. After all, she was the only black person downstairs. All the other black people were up in the balcony. In no time at all, the police arrived and took Viola to jail. The next day she was charged and fined, but she vowed to continue her struggle against such unfair rules. She refused to accept that being black meant she couldn't sit where she wanted.

Viola's determination gave strength and inspiration to her community at the time. She is an unsung hero of the North American struggle against injustice and racial discrimination whose story deserves to be widely known.

Walking Home. Eric Walters, $14.99 (novel)

13-year-old Muchoki and his younger sister, Jata, can barely recognize what's become of their lives. Only weeks ago they lived in a bustling Kenyan village, going to school, playing soccer with friends, and helping at their parents' store. But sudden political violence has killed their father and destroyed their home. Now, Muchoki, Jata, and their ailing mother live in a tent in an overcrowded refugee camp. By day, they try to fend off hunger and boredom. By night, their fears about the future are harder to keep at bay. Driven by both hope and desperation, Muchoki and Jata set off on what seems like an impossible journey: to walk hundreds of kilometers to find their last remaining family.

Walking In the City with Jane: a Story of Jane Jacobs. Susan Hughes, illustrated by Valérie Boivin, $19.99

From the time she was a young girl, Jane Jacobs' curious mind made her a keen observer of everything around her. When she grew up, she moved to New York City, a place full of new wonders for her to explore. It was there she realized that, just like in nature, a city is an ecosystem. “It is made of different parts — sidewalks, parks, stores, neighborhoods, City Hall... and people, of course. When they all work together, the city is healthy.” So, when city planner Robert Moses proposed creating highways through the city that would destroy neighborhoods and much of what made New York great, Jane decided she couldn't let it happen. She stood up to the officials and rallied her neighbors to stop the plans — and even got arrested! Jane's bravery and ideas had a huge influence on urban planning that is still being felt today.

In this lively and engaging informational picture book, award-winning author Susan Hughes provides a fictionalized story of the life of Jane Jacobs, one of the world's greatest urban thinkers and activists. This book makes a terrific resource for studying civic engagement, urban life, the history of New York and Toronto (where Jane moved later in life), and the role of city planning. Jane's inspirational story is also an excellent example for character education lessons on perseverance, citizenship and initiative. Stylized illustrations by Valérie Boivin perfectly evoke the story's time and place. End matter includes a brief biography of Jane Jacobs.

War Brothers: the Graphic Novel. Sharon McKay & Daniel Lafrance, $18.95

When fourteen-year-old Jacob is brutally abducted and forced to become a child soldier, he struggles to hold on to his sanity and the will to escape.  Readers will never forget the experiences of this young boy struggling to survive, unsure who to trust, afraid of succumbing to madness, and above all, desperate to get to freedom. In the end, Jacob engineers a daring escape. 

This graphic novel is based on the acclaimed novel of the same title, winner of a 2009 Arthur Ellis award. The author spent time in Uganda and based this story on real-life accounts of the horrors inflicted on child soldiers and their victims. Daniel Lafrance’s striking artwork and the poignant, powerful text capture the very essence of life as a child soldier.

We Are All Born Free: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures. $22.95

This unique picture book is published in association with Amnesty International to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Human Rights, with introductions by David Tennant and John Boyne. Each of the thirty articles has been illustrated by a major children’s artist. All royalties from the sale of this book are donated to Amnesty International.

We Generation: Raising Socially Responsible Kids. Michael Ungar, $19.99

Engaging and timely, this book is an invaluable resource for parents who want their children to become socially responsible and globally aware adults.

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices. Edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson, $14.99 (ages 8-12)

What do we tell our children when the world seems bleak, and prejudice and racism run rampant? With 96 lavishly designed pages of original art and prose, fifty diverse creators lend voice to young activists.

Featuring poems, letters, personal essays, art, and other works from such industry leaders as Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Jason Reynolds (All American Boys), Kwame Alexander (The Crossover), Andrea Pippins (I Love My Hair), Sharon Draper (Out of My Mind), Rita Williams-Garcia (One Crazy Summer), Ellen Oh (cofounder of We Need Diverse Books), and artists Ekua Holmes, Rafael Lopez, James Ransome, Javaka Steptoe, and more, this anthology empowers the nation's youth to listen, learn, and build a better tomorrow.

We Want You to Know: Kids Talk About Bullying. Deborah Ellis, $14.95

Through her association with a community anti-bullying campaign launched in Haldimand, Norfolk, and neighboring communities in Southern Ontario, children’s author Deborah Ellis asked students from the ages of nine to nineteen to talk about their experiences with bullying. The results are thoughtful, candid, and often harrowing accounts of “business as usual” in and around today’s schools. The kids in this book raise questions about the way parents, teachers, and school administrators cope with bullies. They talk about which methods have helped and which ones, with the best of intentions, have failed to protect them. And some kids reveal how they have been able to overcome their fear and anger to become strong advocates for the rights of others.

This is a book for reading and sharing. Each interview is followed by questions that will encourage open discussion about the nature of bullying and the ways in which individuals and schools could deal more effectively with bullies and their victims. And additional comments from international students reveal how much kids the world over have in common in the way they experience and deal with bullies. 

These kids have something to say. It’s time we listened.

What Does it Mean to be Global? Rana DiOrio, $25.95

In this whimsically-drawn and thoughtfully told story, children learn what it means to be global by visiting the pyramids, eating sushi, celebrating Kwanzaa, and learning how to say “hello” in Swahili. The book is a conversation starter for parents and educators to teach children about the goodness in exploring, appreciating, and respecting other children’s traditions, religions, and values the world over.

What Does It Mean to Be Kind? Rana DiOrio, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch, $13.99

A girl in a red hat finds the courage to be kind to the new student in class. Her kindness spreads, kind act by kind act, until her whole community experiences the magical shift that happens when everyone understands — and acts on — what it means to be kind.

What Makes Girls Sick and Tired. Lucile de Pesloüan & Geneviève Darling, $13.95 (ages 12-18)

A feminist manifesto in graphic novel form that denounces the discrimination against and unfairness felt by women from childhood to adulthood. Illustrated in a strikingly minimalist style with images of girls with varied body types and personalities, invites teenagers to question the sexism that surrounds us, in ways that are obvious and hidden, simple and complex.

The book’s beginnings as a fanzine shine through in its honesty and directness, confronting the inequalities faced by young women, everyday. And it ends with a line of hope, that with solidarity, girls will hurt less, as they hold each other up with support and encouragement.

What Matters. Alison Hughes & Holly Hatam, $19.95

What happens when one small boy picks up one small piece of litter? He doesn't know it, but his tiny act has big consequences. From the miniscule to the universal, What Matters sensitively explores nature's connections and traces the ripple effects of one child’s good deed to show how we can all make a big difference.

What Is a Refugee? Elise Gravel, $23.99 (ages 3-7)

Who are refugees? Why are they called that word? Why do they need to leave their country? Why are they sometimes not welcome in their new country? In this relevant picture book for the youngest children, author-illustrator Elise Gravel explores what it means to be a refugee in bold, graphic illustrations and spare text. This is the perfect tool to introduce an important and timely topic to children.

What is Terrorism? A Book to Help Parents, Teachers, and Other Grown-ups Talk with Kids about Terror. Atle Dyregrov, Magne Raundalen & William Yule, $16.95

Recent terrorist acts, and the media they have generated, means that children are more exposed to hearing about terrorism than ever before. Using simple language suited to children aged seven and up, this book is designed for an adult to read along with a child to help ease their misunderstanding and fear. The authors, child psychologists, tackle a broad range of important but difficult questions, including: Why do some people and groups use terrorism? What are adults doing to prevent societies being hurt by terrorism? And what can we do when we feel worried and afraid? An honest and helpful guide to talking about terrorism, this reassuring book helps adults address children's questions and concerns.

What’s the Buzz? Keeping Bees in Flight. Merrie-Ellen Wilcox, $19.95

Whether they live alone or together, in a hive or in a hole in the ground, bees do some of the most important work on the planet: pollinating plants. What’s the Buzz? celebrates the magic of bees — from dancing honey bees to buzz-pollinating bumble bees — and encourages readers to do their part to keep bees in flight. All over the world, bees are struggling, but there are things that everyone can do to help save them, from supporting local farmers to growing bee-friendly gardens.

When They Call You a Terrorist: a Story of Black Lives Matter and the Power to Change the World. Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele, $25.99 (ages 12-18, YA Edition)

Patrisse Khan-Cullors' and asha bandele's instant New York Times bestseller, When They Call You a Terrorist is now adapted for the YA audience with photos and journal entries!

A movement that started with a hashtag — #BlackLivesMatter — on Twitter spread across the nation and then across the world.

From one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement comes a poetic memoir and reflection on humanity. Necessary and timely, Patrisse Khan-Cullors’ story asks us to remember that protest in the interest of the most vulnerable comes from love. Leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, a threat to America. But in truth, they are loving women whose life experiences have led them to seek justice for those victimized by the powerful. In this meaningful, empowering account of survival, strength, and resilience, Cullors and asha bandele seek to change the culture that declares innocent black life expendable.

When You Look Out the Window: How Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin Built a Community. Gayle Pitman, illustrated by Christopher Lyles, $22.95 (ages 4-8)

When You Look Out the Window tells the story of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, one of San Francisco's most well-known and politically active lesbian couples. Describing the view from Phyllis and Del's window, this book shows how one couple's activism transformed their community — and had ripple effects throughout the world.

Includes a Reading Guide that provides helpful historical context, and a Note to Parents, Caregivers, and Educators about the importance of teaching LGBTQ history and culture to children. This is a unique way to introduce children to untold stories in history while also being a clever tribute to two notable women.

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations about Race, Revised and Updated Edition. Beverly Daniel Tatum, $24.99

The classic, bestselling book on the psychology of racism — now fully revised and updated.

Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of race in America.

Why Do We Fight? Conflict, War, and Peace. Niki Walker, $16.95 (ages 10-14)

Battles, protests, standoffs, strikes. We hear about them all the time. On the surface, a battle and a protest don't seem to have much in common, but they're really just two ways of handling a dispute. One uses violence, the other uses signs and picket lines. But both start as a disagreement between two groups of people. Both are conflicts. Since it's impossible for people to agree on everything all the time, conflicts naturally pop up every day, all over the world. Sometimes they turn into full-blown wars, which can be a lot trickier to understand than the conflicts that pop up in everyday life, but every conflict has some things in common.

Using real world examples, WHY DO WE FIGHT teaches kids to recognize the structures, factors, and complex histories that go into creating conflicts, whether personal or global — as well as the similarities between both. They'll be given tools to seek out information, enabling them to make informed opinions while learning to respect that others may form different ones. From culture clashes and trade disputes to disagreements about how to govern, WHY DO WE FIGHT insists that the key to fulfilling humankind's wish for "world peace" lies in how we choose to deal with conflict and provides a genuine cause for optimism in the face of an at-times frightening world.

World Issues Series. Harriet Brundle, $26.99 each (K-2)

Immigration. Harriet Brundle

• What does it mean to be an immigrant?
• Why do people move to a new home?
• How does it feel when they get there?

This informative title answers all the big questions on immigration and helps children to understand this topical issue from a range of perspectives. Modern images and accessible text make each page engaging for young readers.

Racism. Harriet Brundle

• What is racism?
• How does racism happen?
• What can we do to stop racism?

This informative title answers all the big questions about racism and helps children to understand this topical issue from a range of perspectives. Modern images and accessible text make each page engaging for young readers.

Refugees. Harriet Brundle

• Why do people become refugees?
• How does it feel to be a refugee?
• How do refugees travel to a new home?

This informative title answers all the big questions on refugees and helps children to understand this topical issue from a range of perspectives. Modern images and accessible text make each page engaging for young readers.

The World Needs Your Kid: How to Raise Children Who Care and Contribute. Craig Kielburger & Marc Kielburger, with Shelley Page, $19.95

Everything you need to know about raising kids, lending a hand and changing the world. Inside this guide is a profound philosophy that encourages children and their parents to become global citizens. Drawing on life lessons and success stories, Marc and Craig Kielburger demonstrate how small actions make a difference in the life of a child and ultimately change the world.

You Can Change the World: Everyday Teen Heroes Making a Difference Everywhere. Margaret Rooke, $25.95 (ages 13-18)

This inspirational book tells the stories of 50 real-life teens who've dared to change the world around them. This unforgettable book shows you how you can survive in a social media and celebrity obsessed world by refusing to conform to other people's expectations. It shows how you can find ways to achieve against the odds. And it features tips for actions you can take to create genuine social impact, and change within yourself.

You Can't Celebrate That! Navigating the Deep Waters of Social Justice Teaching. Nadia Jaboneta, Edited by Ann Pelo & Margie Carter, $27.95 (Reimagining Our Work (ROW) Collection)

Find inspiration in this compelling story of an educator's social justice journey as she partners with families to explore racial identity, religious celebrations, and racism in response to a biased comment by one child to another in her diverse preschool class. You Can't Celebrate That! goes beyond anti-bias activities and reveals the critical thinking and process that goes into social justice education. Jaboneta models the self-work we all need to do as anti-bias educators — she is curious, reflective and takes risks as she engages the families and her colleagues into the dilemma.

You Can't Celebrate That! is part of the Reimagining Our Work (ROW) collection. Use the ROW collection to discover how early childhood educators in the field are reimagining their work and thinking alongside children.

You Should Meet: Kids Who Are Changing the World. Sheila Sweeny Higginson, illustrated by Alyssa Petersen, $6.99 (ages 6-8)

Have you ever wondered what you could do to change the world? Find out how kids are helping the environment, inventing incredible medical devices, aiding the homeless, designing apps so other kids won’t ever have to eat alone in the cafeteria, and more! Learn all about what they’ve come up with and how their ideas are changing lives in this story of four amazing kids. Meet the inventive kids who are coming up with ways to save the world in this fascinating, nonfiction Level 3 Ready-to-Read, part of a series of biographies about people you should meet!

A special section at the back of the book includes extras such as biographies of famous young inventors and contemporary activists plus interesting ideas for other ways that kids can change the world. With the You Should Meet series, learning about amazing people has never been so much fun.

Young, Gifted and Black. Jamia Wilson, illustrated by Andrea Pippins, $29.99

This book brings together 52 icons of colour from the past and present and celebrates their inspirational achievements. Meet figureheads, leaders and pioneers such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and sporting heroes, including Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams. Strong, courageous, talented and diverse, these extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream... whatever it may be.

The Zero Footprint Baby: How to Save the Planet While Raising a Healthy Baby. Keya Chatterjee, $24.95

In our culture, pregnancy, birth, and childrearing are deeply connected to consumption and resource use. From the baby shower to the minivan and the larger apartment or first house, the baby-raising years are the most hyper-consumptive of our lives, and can set a family on an unsustainable track for years to come. THE ZERO FOOTPRINT BABY shows how to raise a child with little to no carbon footprint. This timely book covers every issue new parents face, including pregnancy (what kind of birth has the lowest impact?); what to feed your baby (breastfeed, formula, or both?); childcare (who should take care of the baby, and how?); and of course, diapering. Using a mix of personal anecdotes, summarized research, and clear guidance on how to pursue the most sustainable baby-rearing options, environmental expert and new mom Keya Chatterjee has authored the ultimate resource for all new parents with green inclinations.