A couple of new picture books take a look at protesting: how to do it, what forms it can take.

If You’re Going to a March is a how-to book. In fact, for schools that assign kids to try writing how-to texts, this would be a great mentor text. It assumes you’ve found your protest and know what issue you care about and starts right in with instructions about making posters and packing for the protest. Illustrations show three different kids attending a protest, and the text examines issues to think about in getting to the protest, and describes what you might encounter during the protest, including reporters, police assigned to patrol the event, and opposition protesters. The book concludes with the three protesting children going home and climbing into their own beds for the night.

Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights describes a range of actions people take to enact social change. The book is an ABC book, but it never explicitly tells the reader than in either title or text. Instead, it leaves it up to you to uncover the organizational principle. For example, the “B” page reads:

“Make buttons. Make banners. Make bumper stickers. Boycott! Boycott! Boycott!”

I love the art in the book. It’s in bold colors and is made from cut paper.

These books would pair well with a more traditional picture book biography about protest–Walking in the City with Jane or The Youngest Marcher, for example, or any of the wonderful books profiled on M is for Movement.

If You’re Going to a March by Martha Freeman, illustrated by Violet Kim. Sterling: 2018.

Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Jared Andrew Schorr. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers: 2018.

Alyson Beecher hosts the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge at kidlitfrenzy.com. Visit there for more great nonfiction picture books!