29 Books to Inspire the Activist in You

Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card

By Sara Saedi

This hilarious, poignant and true story of one teen’s experience growing up in America as an undocumented immigrant from the Middle East is an increasingly necessary read in today’s divisive world. Perfect for fans of Mindy Kaling and Trevor Noah’s books.

Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)

By Abdi Nor Iftin

Adapted from the adult memoir, this gripping and acclaimed story follows one boy’s journey into young adulthood, against the backdrop of civil war and his ultimate immigration to America, in search of a better life.

Color Me In

By Natasha Díaz

A powerful coming-of-age novel, pulled from personal experience, about the meaning of friendship, the joyful beginnings of romance, and the racism and religious intolerance that can both strain a family to the breaking point and strengthen its bonds.

Dear Martin

By Nic Stone

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning #1 New York Times bestselling debut, a William C. Morris Award Finalist.

Dear Justyce

By Nic Stone

The stunning sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Martin. Incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas.

Does My Body Offend You?

By Mayra Cuevas, Marie Marquardt

A timely story of two teenagers who discover the power of friendship, feminism, and standing up for what you believe in, no matter where you come from. A collaboration between two gifted authors writing from alternating perspectives, this compelling novel shines with authenticity, courage, and humor.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

By Erika L. Sánchez

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian meets Jane the Virgin in this poignant but often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA about losing a sister and finding yourself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican American home.

Invisible Son

By Kim Johnson

From the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of This Is My America comes another thriller about a wrongly accused teen desperate to recclaim both his innocence and his first love.

Just Mercy (Movie Tie-In Edition, Adapted for Young Adults)

By Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson’s incredible fight to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality comes to life in this young adult adaptation of the acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestseller that was adapted into a major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan, Jaime Foxx, and Brie Larson.

Like Home

By Louisa Onomé

Fans of Netflix’s On My Block and readers of Elizabeth Acevedo and Angie Thomas will love this debut novel about a girl whose life is turned upside down after one local act of vandalism throws both her relationships and neighborhood into turmoil.

Love Is in the Hair

By Gemma Cary

A feminist coming-of-age comedy that follows the endless humiliations, unrequited obsessions, and all-consuming friendships of fifteen-year-old Evia Birtwhistle as she leads a body hair positive revolution at her school.

Mexican WhiteBoy

By Matt de la Peña

Newbery Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Matt de la Peña’s Mexican WhiteBoy is a story of friendship, acceptance, and the struggle to find your identity in a world of definitions.

Nevertheless, We Persisted

By Array

A powerful collection of essays from actors, activists, athletes, politicians, musicians, writers, and teens, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, actress Alia Shawkat, actor Maulik Pancholy, poet Azure Antoinette, teen activist Gavin Grimm, and many, many others, each writing about a time in their youth when they were held back because of their race, gender, or sexual identity—but persisted.

Parkland Speaks

By Sarah Lerner

Featuring art and writing from the students of the Parkland tragedy, this is a raw look at the events of February 14, and a poignant representation of grief, healing, and hope.

Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman

By Kristen R. Lee

A striking debut novel about racism on elite college campuses. Fans of Dear White People will embrace this activist-centered contemporary novel about a college freshman grappling with the challenges of attending an elite university with a disturbing racist history, which may not be as distant as it seems.

The Assignment

By Liza Wiemer

Inspired by a real-life incident, this riveting novel explores discrimination and antisemitism and reveals their dangerous impact. Based on true events, The Assignment asks: What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail?

The Book Thief (Anniversary Edition)

By Markus Zusak

When Death has a story to tell, you listen.

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

The Color of a Lie

By Kim Johnson

In 1955, a Black family passes for white and moves to a “Whites Only” town in the suburbs. Caught between two worlds, a teen boy puts his family at risk as he uncovers racist secrets about his suburb. A new social justice thriller from the acclaimed author of This Is My America!

The Far Away Brothers (Adapted for Young Adults)

By Lauren Markham

The inspiring true story of identical twin teenage brothers who escape El Salvador’s violence to build new lives in California as undocumented immigrants—perfect for fans of Enrique’s Journey and anyone interested in learning about the issues that underlie today’s conversations about DACA and immigration reform.

The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge

By Matthew Hubbard

Coming 04.01.25

A queer coming-of-age about three teenage boys in small town Alabama who set out to get revenge on their ex-boyfriends and end up starting a student rebellion. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jason June!

The Sun Is Also a Star

By Nicola Yoon

The #1 New York Times bestseller and National Book Award Finalist from the author of Everything, Everything is now a major motion picture starring Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton!

This Is My America

By Kim Johnson

“Incredible and searing.” —Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin

The Hate U Give meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting first novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system.

This Rebel Heart

By Katherine Locke

A tumultuous tale of the student-led 1956 Hungarian revolution set in a colorless post-WWII Budapest—where the magical Danube river has plans of its own—from Sydney Taylor Honor winner Katherine Locke.

Walk Toward the Rising Sun

By Ger Duany, Garen Thomas

The amazing autobiography of a young Sudanese boy who went from a child soldier to an international peace activist, a struggling refugee to a Hollywood actor.

We Are All We Have

By Marina Budhos

When a teenage girl’s single mom is taken by ICE, everything changes—all of her hopes and dreams for the future turn into survival.

We Say #NeverAgain: Reporting by the Parkland Student Journalists

By Melissa Falkowski, Eric Garner

A journalistic look at the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and the fight for gun control—as told by the student reporters for the school’s newspaper and TV station.

Wide Awake Now

By David Levithan

From the New York Times bestselling author of Every Day, this is a queer love story set against the backdrop of the 2024 presidential election, in a reimagining of David Levithan’s 2004 novel Wide Awake.

Yes She Can

By Array

Return to President Obama’s White House in this New York Times bestselling anthology for young women by young women, featuring stories from ten inspiring young staffers who joined his administration in their 20s with the hope of making a difference.

You'd Be Home Now

By Kathleen Glasgow

From the critically acclaimed author of Girl in Pieces comes a stunning novel that Vanity Fair calls “impossibly moving” and “suffused with light”. In this raw, deeply personal story, a teenaged girl struggles to find herself amidst the fallout of her brother’s addiction in a town ravaged by the opioid crisis.

29 Books to Inspire the Activist In You

Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card

By Sara Saedi

Call Me American (Adapted for Young Adults)

By Abdi Nor Iftin

Color Me In

By Natasha Díaz

Dear Martin

By Nic Stone

Dear Justyce

By Nic Stone

Does My Body Offend You?

By Mayra Cuevas, Marie Marquardt

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

By Erika L. Sánchez

Invisible Son

By Kim Johnson

Just Mercy (Movie Tie-In Edition, Adapted for Young Adults)

By Bryan Stevenson

Like Home

By Louisa Onomé

Love Is in the Hair

By Gemma Cary

Mexican WhiteBoy

By Matt de la Peña

Nevertheless, We Persisted

By Array

Parkland Speaks

By Sarah Lerner

Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman

By Kristen R. Lee

The Assignment

By Liza Wiemer

The Book Thief (Anniversary Edition)

By Markus Zusak

The Color of a Lie

By Kim Johnson

The Far Away Brothers (Adapted for Young Adults)

By Lauren Markham

The Last Boyfriends Rules for Revenge

By Matthew Hubbard

The Sun Is Also a Star

By Nicola Yoon

This Is My America

By Kim Johnson

This Rebel Heart

By Katherine Locke

Walk Toward the Rising Sun

By Ger Duany, Garen Thomas

We Are All We Have

By Marina Budhos

We Say #NeverAgain: Reporting by the Parkland Student Journalists

By Melissa Falkowski, Eric Garner

Wide Awake Now

By David Levithan

Yes She Can

By Array

You'd Be Home Now

By Kathleen Glasgow

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