Written By: Evan Sargent
Illustrated by: Aura Lewis
For Ages: YA Middle grades and up
Language: English
Topics Covered: Activism, Politics, American History, Constitution, Call to Action.
Summary:
I don’t think anyone could argue with the fact that right now, we are in a time of great (and in my opinion, long overdue) social change. I personally feel that in order to make lasting change, there needs to be systemic and legislative shifts in addition to minds changing and shifting. We the People is a book that breaks down the constitution, how it came to be, and asks the reader to think critically about this document that purposefully left out the rights of a lot of people living on this land that it holds colonizing power over.
It’s crucial to encourage younger generations today to question if the laws that shaped our nation are fair (spoiler: they’re not) and how they can become involved. Understanding legalese is not easy, and having a book like this that breaks down and explains the amendments and the branches of government makes learning much more accessible. We have the right as citizens to be knowledgable about how our country functions, and how to change the inequalities that are incredibly prevalent in some communities.
Throughout the book is also colored boxes that give fast facts and questions for the reader. I especially love the Looking Forward section that is a call to action to use our rights and knowledge to change the unjust and unfair aspects of our society. We can do this by getting involved, calling and writing our local politicians when unfair things happen to others, and use our privilege when politicians want to rollback rights and freedoms that are crucial for equitable treatment of marginalized citizens.
This book was kindly sent to us by Quarto, but all opinions are our own. This book is out tomorrow, July 1st!
Evan is an intuitive creative director, strategist, designer and with a knack for seeing the big picture and a love for co-creating in the moment. Her background includes over a decade as an art director and creative director in advertising, where she developed and implemented national integrated campaigns (print, tv, digital and more) for Chase, Marriott, Chevron, and other iconic brands at many of NYC’s top ad agencies. Today her passion is helping people and organizations with world-changing ideas get their work out into the world quickly, effectively and beautifully.
Evan is also passionate about political engagement and activism.
Aura Lewis is an author-illustrator traveling around the world. She has an MFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. Aura’s debut picture book, Gloria’s Voice, was published in March 2018 with Sterling Publishing, and is available online and in bookstores! Her second book, The Illustrated Feminist, was published in March 2020 with Abrams, and is available everywhere. Her third book, We The People, will be published by Quarto in July 2020, and is available for preorder. Aura has several other books in the works for 2020 and beyond, so stay tuned!