Stand Up! Speak Up!: A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution

A story for every budding activist.

Using sparse text made up of two-word sentences that all end in “up,” the story follows an elementary-age kid who attends a climate change rally predominantly attended by other children. While the rally is well attended and positive, the protagonist watches the evening news and is disheartened to see stories of environmental destruction following the spot about the day’s rally. After a sleepless night, the young activist is motivated to be a force of positive change in the community, a decision that culminates in a final double gatefold that shows local change in action. (This scene includes a child in a pink pussy-hat, a nod to Joyner’s earlier work about a kid marching for change, The Pink Hat, 2017.) The story reads aloud smoothly and well, but the cartoon illustrations—black and white with pale gray tones and pops of, primarily, green and a few other muted colors—may not be easily seen from the back of a room. The final spread presents brief biographies of children working internationally to promote ecological activism. The book is a solid first step in discussing activism with young children, but caregivers and educators should be prepared to answer questions. The diversity of city characters, from ages to sizes to skin tones, is realistic and appreciated. The protagonist has straight, black hair and paper-white skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.2-by-20.4-inch double-page spreads viewed at 88% of actual size; the double gatefold was viewed at 44% of actual size.)