Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice

Gr 6 Up—Thirty-five short stories about people who fought to make a difference locally and globally. The individuals profiled represent an inclusive mix of genders, races, nationalities, sexualities, and abilities. They span nearly 600 years, from Joan of Arc to the millions who marched in 2017 in the worldwide Women's March. The goal of the book, as expressed in the inspirational introduction by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, is to encourage young people to learn from history and continue to struggle against injustice, and the text emphasizes that small actions can have a lasting future impact. Chambers and her clear, direct writing are most successful when highlighting specific actions, such as Chiune Sugihara issuing thousands of travel visas to Jewish people fleeing Europe during World War II. Some of the stories are told successfully in two to four pages; but for others, the brevity is limiting, and the result is confusing and often lacking key background information. Chambers paints a false and rosy picture in some cases, either not including the violent ending of a life (Harvey Milk and Sitting Bull) or failing to mention well-documented issues of racism (Susan B. Anthony). Additionally, the recommended reading list is very sparse and includes texts that are inappropriate for the age group.