Oh, the Things We’re For!

With Seussian rhyme, Nagara crafts a progressive call-to-arms about social justice topics, including universal health care, climate change, free public education, and prison abolition. Utilizing a framing device—a child questioned by skeptics—Nagara walks readers through a rhythmic summation of contemporary issues. Busily colorful digital art combines textures, gradients, and typography, reinforcing the energy with which Nagara conveys the necessity of standing up for various rights. Though the book meanders across a wide range of topics, and the rhyme prizes levity over clarity (“Look up! you exclaim./ What do you see?/ A HUGE ball of plasma!/ Clean energy for free!”), this primer offers a useful starting point for readers seeking to begin conversations about social justice. Ages 4–8. [em](Oct.) [/em]