Gosh, these days I feel like I’m getting books on all sides! There are six of us and between our school stuff, work, responsibilities and especially our interests, we are going through books like crazy! In these stacks are some good books to raise world changers that I thought I’d share.
Three Usborne Books To Raise World Changers
Of course, with the start of school I was invited to get Usborne books, which are high quality books and stories for babies to teens, and their educational books are great. Heck, I read them as a kid!
Considering, I decided to host a “party” where I realized I could forgo the “party” (COVID-19 + Zoom fatigue) and just send people this link (and yes, if you buy books with this link I might get free books, but as you like me hopefully you’ll be okay funding my kid’s bookish Christmas presents).
As a homeschooler, I am a huge fan of their lift-the-flap hard education books. They are so much more engaging than most textbooks, which is vital if you want your kids to learn anything! My newest fav, for example, is the exploration of a museum. I haven’t been to a museum since COVID! I miss museums. As such, this book makes me happy.
But back to raising world changers…
#1.) Amazing Women: Over 100 Lives to Inspire You
I have to say, I might not even like all the women who changed history in this book, but it is so empowering for my daughter to enjoy reading about these models. She brings the book with her around the house. In fact, I will have my son read it too. He needs a few women role models! There is also a book on Malala and others who you might find to empower your children to lift up women.
#2.) Miss Molly’s School of Manners
My youngest is all boy and pretty rude. I’ve never seen how to be a decent human spelled out so creatively as I have in this book, reminiscent of Richard Scary’s Busytown books. For example, there was a science experiment of a burning flask and you had to choose which chemistry solution to pour in it…in this case “pardon me powder”. The rest of the night my son kept saying “pardon me” anytime he accidentally made a foul noise and was intent on saying the right solution.
#3.) The Tale of Two Beast
If you have little kids, you know they won’t get far changing the world without some basic manners.
This one is all about helping kids see things from other perspectives, but is geared for preschool to mid-elementary (however my middle school son also read it and was talking about the Beast). Essentially, it reads the same story twice, once from the child’s perspectives of “rescuing” an animal. Then it is the beast telling the same story, but in their view, it is more like being a P.O.W. Talk about addressing a savior complex early on with this book! In the end, they both see value in each other’s ways.
I am pretty sure all the adults need to read this book too!
Click here to look at these Usborne books
Books to Talk with Your Kids About Racism
If you specifically want to raise world changers by talking to your kids about racism, go here to look at the newest post from Your Voice on Racism. Yaneth, who submitted the post, gives us a whole list of books and resources on this subject!
Other World Changer Books For Kids
My kids Loved When Stars Are Scattered, a graphic novel about refugees in north Africa. I highly recommend it (or at least my 11 and 13 year old do).
In addition, they were both really surprised that the book Refugee, by Alan Gratz, was great. Neither of them could put it down. This covers three different refugee crisis, two of them historical: the Holocaust, the crisis in Cuba, and lastly, the modern Syrian Refugee Crisis. They were both astounded it tied all three stories together by the end of the novel. The added benefit is that this book is only six dollars here!
Girl Rising: Blackout Trafficking’s Book of the Month
I am also pretty excited that Blackout Trafficking (the non-profit I run) is now also doing a monthly “book club”. This month’s book is Girl Rising! And or very own Avi (who is the youth rep on our advisory board) is reading it and will be interviewed about it. She really likes it, but has a lot of questions, wanting to dialogue with me about the content. Unlike the other two books above, this one is non-fiction. If you ever want to read a world changing book that is beautiful, engaging, upifting, with lots of pictures (and is relatively simple) it is this one! Start your middle-schooler on here to learn about how girls can be uplifted globally to overcome human trafficking, child marriage, FGM and other topics!
“A Kids Book About…” Books For Kids
I’ve been getting ads from “A Kids Book About” books for a couple years and have really wanted to see if they live up to the hype.
Would they help you raise world changers? Yes.
Are they worth buying? The jury (meaning me and you) is still out on that one.
I got A Book About Racism, A Book About Shame, A Book About Body Image, and A Book About Disabilities.
The three big downsides:
- There are no stories
- There are no pictures
- They still cost a pretty penny
The three big upsides:
- They look cool and appealing
- They are great conversation starters
- They brand you as someone who cares (which probably only matters to the adults who see you have this book–like to keep on your bathroom magazine rack for visitors to read)
This makes me wonder…are these more for the kids or the adults? are they worth getting to raise world changers?
Personally, I already have conversations with my kids about many of the available topics of books on their website. Sure, these started MORE conversations.
For example, for A Book About Racism, my oldest son wanted to understand why people can’t get over racism (which would never be fully answered with a college degree on this subject). Then my six-year old was only vaguely engaged (this video was about the max of it). He was trying to go back to the Usborne Manners book the whole time (which still started conversations about respecting others, which could also incorporate racism).
And although maybe pride goes before a fall, but I feel like I could have written them. They are good, but I wouldn’t call them necessary.
I did like that it was like the author was in the room stating how they felt. In the book on racism, for example, the author said he is bi-racial, used colors on the letters and sizes of the words to show what he meant, while giving out terms, and said how mean words hurt him.
Maybe this is my conclusion: if you want a coffee table piece, get one! They are wonderful adult conversation starters. If you want to just use it to empower your own kids, get the cheaper kindle version or ask me to point you in the direction of example conversations to have with your kids.
What do you think? Worth it or not?
Books to Raise World Changers For Empowering Parents
I have been skimming through this guide recently, released by Oak Meadow: Foundations in Social Justice.
Honestly, it had good guidance and teaches you how to have the conversation. It covers a lot of classic social justice topics from a secular approach, from racism to economics, disabilities and sexuality. It reads like a small group study (parents were using it for discussions at my kids’ charter school). It might also be used well by a group of high-schoolers. This book seems to be digital only and you can read more about it here.
Personally, I felt a lot more empowered by Social Justice for All (and now I know the author who is such a cool person!). This book has countless more activities, resources, and her book is more colorful and engaging for different ages. She also comes at the topic of justice from my worldview, but even if I wasn’t a follower of Jesus, I might recommend Social Justice for All over the other. Get it here or read my review here.
Kids Character Challenge: Love Mercy and Live Justly
Of course, I am very partial to the book I wrote to empower parents and I have copies all around my house to send out to you! This is a simple method to teach your kids about justice in three stages: Global, community, and home. Each concept (like valuing people for example) gives you one short mantra for the week and one short activity, making it very easy to do, empowering you to raise a world changer!
Learn more about it here or just grab a digital or hard copy here.
I’ll probably add more to this post later but in the meantime, hope it helps you discover some new books to raise world changers!
