ENOUGH! 20+ Protesters Who Changed America, written by Emily Easton, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

 

When was the United States of America established? Officially when the Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4, 1776. But that date was preceded by years of unrest as people in the British colonies began to protest laws, issued by the King of England, which they considered unfair—such as tax levies on goods needed for building strong lives and communities independent of the King's control. Yes, our country began with protests—the actions of individuals declaring their beliefs. Soon, the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution clearly articulated our right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press...and the “right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

 

The book ENOUGH! 20+ Protesters Who Changed America, by author Emily Easton, highlights courageous individuals who have used the right to speak their beliefs in pursuit of justice and fair play in our country. Readers may not recognize all the people featured but they will appreciate the causes for which, in the author’s words, “protesters have stood, marched, sat or knelt for change”—change in the way our society thinks and acts as we, together, seek to be a better nation. Each double-page spread of this bold picture book has a single sentence capturing an individual’s protest, such as “Samuel threw a tea party”, “Rachel wrote a book” and "Colin took a knee." The rich illustrations by Ziyue Chen draw readers into the immediacy of each protester’s action. Ending the book are six pages detailing the time, place and purpose of each person’s protest. We learn more about Samuel Adams, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Woody Guthrie, Rosa Parks, Ruby Bridges, Rachel Carson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, Muhammad Ali, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Gilbert Baker, Jazz Jennings, Colin Kaepernick, America Ferrera, Parkland students, and Black Lives Matter supporters. This slim, well-crafted book is an excellent way to begin discussions about speaking and acting on one’s beliefs in constructive ways. Ages 5-8. Dragonfly Books / Penguin Random House, 2021.