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The Day No One Played Together by Donalisa Helsely
Sisters Jadyn and Genesis can’t agree on what to play until they find a compromise. Students examine the lose/lose cost of not compromising and practice applying the same skill to their own conflicts.
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The Garden on Green Street by Meish Goldish
Neighbors build a garden on a vacant lot, only to have it threatened by developers. Students learn the difference between advocating for themselves, for others, and for broader community change.
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Granddaddy’s Gift by Margaree King Mitchell
Set after the 15th Amendment, Granddaddy risks everything to become the first Black man in his Mississippi town to register to vote. Students discuss why every voice matters and the barriers voters have faced.
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The Walk by Winsome Bingham
Centers on Dr. King’s belief that voting is the foundation of democracy, using a local-government S.T.A.R. Card about election-commissioner duties to connect the book’s story to real civic institutions.
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Carl the Complainer by Michelle Knudsen
Carl complains constantly about his neighborhood but never acts, until he finally does. Students reflect on turning complaints into action and consider what it takes to become a community leader.
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The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson
The true story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a nine-year-old who joined the Civil Rights Movement, set against the history of segregation. Students connect her courage to youth activists making change today.
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The Ballot Box Battle by Emily Arnold McCully
Looking at the 19th Amendment and the voting-rights struggles that continued for women of color afterward, students learn about suffrage activists and discuss ongoing challenges to voting access today.
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70+ Children’s Books, from C70
A crowdsourced bibliography from Philadelphia educators pairing children’s books with the civic themes they teach, from becoming a change agent to understanding the electoral process, for further reading beyond the core lesson list.
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Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt
Written with a 2nd-grade collaborator, this lesson uses Maddi’s empty fridge to introduce food insecurity, asking students to define the term in their own words and consider what they’d do if they were hungry.
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The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Duncan’s crayons “quit” to voice their frustrations peacefully. Students connect the story to Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolent action and consider how to use their own voice for positive change.
Curricular Resource Category: Reading List
