Young people give us hope. Young people who don’t give up or give in; who have loud voices and the courage to use them to say enough is enough. Young people whose empathy, compassion and sense of justice in the face of violence, oppression and tragedy is humbling.
We are book people. We’re lucky enough to work with books, and to be surrounded by them every day. Books give us hope. We believe that books can save lives and change lives.
Jen Ansbach’s recent tweet resonated with our book-people hearts, and we were inspired to compile a list of titles that put brave young people at the forefront who are willing to find light—and be light—in dark times. Whether they’re challenging oppressive dystopian regimes, discovering slam poetry or searching for hope and the courage to live their truth, these young people will empower readers to shape the future.
Here are some of our favorite books to inspire and empower young people who are leading the charge, embracing their voices, and finding light in the darkness:
In dystopian futures and other worlds…
A prime example of teenage-girl-saves-world (AND shoots arrows like a boss). Sixteen-year-old Katniss regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games. But she’s has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
In a future Chicago, Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life. Easy peasy, right? But her decision is made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.
“They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.”
Need we say more?
Lozen is a monster hunter with a unique set of survival skills and magical abilities. But it becomes clear to her that she is not just a hired gun. As the legendary Killer of Enemies was in the ancient days of the Apache people, Lozen is meant to be a more than a hunter. She is meant to be a hero.
Cassie is on her own and on the run, but when she meets Evan Walker, she must make a choice: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
Raised in an elite military family in a war-torn nation that was once the Western United States, 15-year-old June embarks on a revelatory cat-and-mouse manhunt for the boy suspected of her brother’s murder.
In 2199 in the Neo State of Korea, eighteen-year-old Jaewon begins to question his loyalty to an oppressive regime that creates weapons out of humans. Jaewon must decide where he stands—as a soldier of the Republic, or a rebel of the people.
In the sequel to Akata Witch, Sunny knows she must confront her destiny. With the support of her friends, she travels through worlds both visible and invisible to the mysterious town of Osisi, where she will fight a climactic battle to save humanity.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow…
The Boys Who Challenged Hitler
At the outset of World War II, Denmark did not resist German occupation. Deeply ashamed of his nation’s leaders, fifteen-year-old Knud Pedersen resolved with his brother and a handful of schoolmates to take action against the Nazis if the adults would not. The boys were eventually tracked down and arrested, but their efforts were not in vain: their exploits helped spark a full-blown Danish resistance.
We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler
This is the true story of the White Rose, a group of students in Nazi Germany who were active undercover agents of the resistance movement against Hitler and his regime.
Inspired by the real-life Clara Lemlich, Audacity is the powerful story of a remarkable young woman whose passion and selfless devotion to her cause changed the world.
Adults all told her: Hold your tongue. Be patient. Know your place. But Beals had the heart of a fighter—and the knowledge that her true place was a free one.
The Revolution Of Evelyn Serrano
Sonia Manzano has crafted a gripping work of fiction based on her own life growing up during a fiery, unforgettable time in America, when young Latinos took control of their destinies.
In this powerful memoir, Sandra Uwiringyimana tells the incredible true story of her survival, and how she found a way to give voice to her people and overcome trauma through art and activism.
Malala’s powerful story will open your eyes to another world and will make you believe in hope, truth, miracles and the possibility that one person—one young person—can inspire change in her community and beyond.
Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Dear Martin author Nic Stone recently visited teacher Lynn Hagen’s classroom, and Lynn wrote a powerful blog post about how and why Stone’s message resonated with her students. And here’s what one of our title experts, Jen, had to say after reading the the book:
“Dear Martin was one of my favorite books of the year. I heard Nic Stone speak last year at a conference, and it was amazing to hear a debut author speak about the impetus behind the book – her young boys and the news cycle of young men of color being killed by the police. The main character, Justyce, is a kid who is judged over and over again by the color of his skin, and he grows frustrated and angry because of the assumptions made about him by family, friends, classmates, and strangers. Stone explores how daily microaggressions affect a person and how seemingly small moments build upon one another to be crushing; how a joke to one person is an insult to another; how friends can be unaware that their words and behavior can be hurtful to someone that they care about. These things are going on daily in young people’s lives and I loved that writing to Dr. King was a way that Justyce felt heard. It’s not an easy read emotionally and there is no pat answer or fairy tale ending because life doesn’t work that way.”
When Alfonso wakes up in the afterlife, he’s on a ghost train guided by well-known victims of police shootings, who teach him what he needs to know about this subterranean spiritual world. Meanwhile, Alfonso’s family and friends struggle with their grief and seek justice for Alfonso in the streets. As they confront their new realities, both Alfonso and those he loves realize the work that lies ahead in the fight for justice.
The Epic Fail Of Arturo Zamora
Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of Jose Marti. Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy’s quest to save both.
Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart and unflinching honesty. You’ve probably heard of this one, yes?
Stories of abuse, humiliation, and stereotyping are countered by the voices of passionate women making themselves heard and demanding change.
Jazz has faced many challenges, yet she perseveres as she educates others about her life as a transgender teen. Through it all, her family has been beside her on this journey, standing together against those who don’t understand the true meaning of tolerance and unconditional love.
An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, Jason Reynolds’s fiercely stunning novel takes place in sixty potent seconds—the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother.
A powerful portrait of a boy teetering on the edge—of adolescence, of grief, of violence—and shows how Lolly’s inventive spirit helps him build a life with firm foundations and open doors.
In the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.
Some of today’s most influential young adult authors come together in this highly personal collection of essays and original stories that offer moments of light in the darkness, and show that hope is a decision we all can make.
Help us grow this list! Please share other books you’ve found that inspire today’s teens to think critically and deeply, help them grapple with tough issues and empower them to fight for a better future for themselves—and for all of us.
Very interesting and enlightening! Do you have a connection with the organization “Teaching For Change”?