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

In a foreword to this eclectic roundup of biographical sketches, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker underscores the importance of “pay[ing] back the blessings we have inherited from those who have resisted with our own continued struggle, service, and resistance.” Chambers’s snapshots focus on such familiar historical change-makers as Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Nelson Mandela, and Rachel Carson. Among contemporary activists are Malala Yousafzai and the million participants in the 2017 Women’s March; lesser-known crusaders include Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese man stationed in Lithuania during WWII, who fabricated visas for Jewish refugees. Chambers writes in a clear narrative style that briefly explores each individual’s drive to bring about change and their resulting accomplishments. Each profile opens with a quote (the wittiest is the Dalai Lama’s: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito”) and concludes with an often cogent “#Resist Lesson.” Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. [em](Sept.) [/em]