5 books that teach kids the value of dissent

Any attempt to disrupt accepted norms of the society has, more often than not, cost one their dignity and sometimes their freedom too. Dissent is a large part of democracy and it’s never too early to learn its value. As the Supreme Court recently pointed out as well, “Dissent is the safety valve of democracy.” Dissent comes with the ability to think independently and question every wrongdoing and here are some books which can teach that to your kids.

A is for Activist by Innosanta Nagara

Nagara’s debut book as an author and activist is an alphabet board book to instill political consciousness in children. He originally wrote the book out of the need for a “pro-activist, pro-social justice, pro-gay, pro-labor, pro-diversity, pro-gressive ABC book.” In the book, each letter sparks thought-provoking entries, such as “A is for Activist. Advocate. Abolitionist. Ally. Actively Answering A call to Action.” or “Y is for You. And Youth. Your planet. Your rights. Your future. Your truth. Y is for Yes. Yes! Yes! Yes!”

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, by Debbie Levy


Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who spent a lifetime voicing her opinion against every injustice, wrote her first biographical picture book for kids to introduce children to topics ranging from racial and sexual discrimination to nontraditional family roles.

Dare!: A Story about Standing Up to Bullying in Schools (The Weird! Series by Erin Frankel 


The narrative revolves around a case of bullying among three children. Sam keeps bullying Jayla and her friend Luisa, who eventually find the courage to put an end to it all.

She Persisted around the World by Chelsea Clinton


This book illustrates the journey of 13 women who rebelled against patriarchal obstacles to realise their goals in life. “And all over the world, girls are more likely to be told to be quiet, to sit down, to have smaller dreams. Don’t listen to those voices. These thirteen women from across the world didn’t,” writes the author.

Like a Girl by Aparna Jain

This book chronicles stories of 51 women–daring and ambitious–who forged new paths for themselves and others. No matter what obstacle came their way, they never stopped chasing their dream and became champions in their respective fields.

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