Books to Inspire Kids to Change the World

Last summer, as I was reading some recently published children’s literature about real kids who made an impact on the world, I couldn’t help asking myself the question, “How do we enable children to do what they can to make the world a better place?” I started this blog thinking I’d use stories about real kids making an impact on the world. But I found so many fiction/nonfiction books that focus on ways people can make the world a better place, that I decided to start there. Next week, I’ll share the books about kids who really made a difference in some way.

The Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

Changing the world begins with a hug??? This might be a little strange for this list, but a kid who can’t stop hugging can motivate readers to make the world a little kinder. The Hug Machine hugs everyone – soft things, hard things, small things, and large things. He even hugs spiky things and things so large they need a sliding hug. This book would be a great conversation starter about why hugs make us feel better, who needs our hugs the most, why hugs are a form of kindness. If I were teaching this book, I would love to create a class book called Many Kinds of Hugs. I would share The Quiet Book with the class and have the class imitate that style (where Deborah Underwood talks about all kinds of quiet).

A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara

Changing the world begins with know what issues really matter. This board book (yes, a board book) addresses almost all social issues with a clever combination of alliteration and rhyme. Open Minds operate best. Critical thinking Over tests. Wisdom can’t be memorized. Educate! Agitate! Organize. Each letter introduces one of a variety of issues including immigration, democracy, justice, and caring for our planet. This book would be great for introducing a unit on world-changing people or for encouraging students to realize that they have the power to improve the world. It is also a great book for developing vocabulary as it includes many fascinating and fun words.

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

Changing the world can start with getting to know the other side. This is the story of two sides of a fence. On one side lives Annie’s white family. On the other side, is Clover’s African-American family. The fence separates the families both physically and socially. Although the girls have been told not to cross the fence, they manage to breach the boundary and become friends. The final image of the book is of the girls sitting on the fence. This book, is obviously, a good place to start a discussion of racial issues that face our country and world. But, racial divisions aren’t the only barricades that face our society. Having students brainstorm and discuss these divisions could lead them create solutions that would make us all better people.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Changing the world begins with making choices. During World War 2, people were faced with the choice to support authority, which Hitler represented, or to challenge it. Number the Stars is set Denmark where the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population across the border into Sweden. Anne Mariemarie’s family helps conceal and sneak her friend Ellen into Sweden. I hope that no one can read this book without asking themselves the question, “What would I do?” It’s easy to think that we’d all be the ones who would do the right thing, but this book is pretty realistic about the sacrifices some people, especially the Resistance fighters, had to make when they decided to take a stand. Next week, I plan to share the book The Boys Who Challenged Hitler, which would be a great companion book to Number the Stars. It’s the real story of the Resistance Fighters and their courage. I found it almost impossible to believe that teenagers could be so passionate and ardent about helping other people.

The Three Questions (Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy) by Jon J Muth

Changing the world begins in this moment…Nikolai wants to be a good person but he isn’t sure how to become that person. He believes that if he could just answer three questions, he would always know what to do. And so he goes on his quest to find the answers to, “When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?” With the help of his friends and real life experience he finds his answers. “Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world.” This last quote could be on every wall in every classroom. Sometimes changing the world isn’t about big problems or big issues, but is about being good to those around you whenever you can.