100 Books Like I Am Malala

I was immediately drawn to this book. I knew this story. A childhood friend’s family had fled the Russian army when they invaded Estonia during World War II. So it is easy for me to believe, counter-intuitive as it may seem, that an unlikely group of Eastern European refugees would flee the advancing Russian army, hoping for safety in Germany.

I loved their “found family.” How many of us, far from where we grew up, turn to friends for support? But Sepetys’ group boards the ill-fated Wilhelm Gustloff, a German ship carrying 10,000 refugees. Based on the true story of a maritime disaster, the novel highlights how war creates victims on all sides but also how people rise to help each other face unimaginable challenges.

I love the book’s gentle tone and message that action can create healing. My husband and I have been honored to host many amazing Young African Leaders in the last few years–some with stories of survival and all with inspiring projects to help their countries and the world.

So, I connect personally with the book's premise of a refugee boy’s resettlement in Minneapolis and coming to terms with his mother’s disappearance during the war in Somalia. Knowing our “African family” makes it easy to believe Kek’s story, written in clear verse, about the fallout of that war. And who can’t cheer for Kek and his brother as they fight to save a well-worn cow? A cow who, in reality, saves them. 

I’ve been lucky to work on projects with several tribal elders who’ve shared how indigenous peoples’ lives have been disrupted since the earliest European colonization. It’s not a perspective I was taught in school, but it’s so important that we know what happened and the consequences of those actions today.

This is beautifully written by Joseph Bruchac, a member of the Abenaki tribe. It’s set in 1759, during the French and Indian War, one of the bloodiest encounters between warring European factions in North America. Native people were drawn into the conflict, including Saxso’s family, who lived in a French mission village near the St. Laurence River. I love that Saxso isn’t a victim but a young man driven by love to save his family. 

I love a book that tells me something new. Yes, I knew WACs served in World War II and that in the 1940s, women didn’t hold combat positions. I knew Black men served in segregated units. But I didn’t know about the Black women’s WAC 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion.

I was riveted by this story of their deployment to Europe to sort mail for the troops. So many books about wars feature men. I loved the female characters and the grandmother sharing memories with her granddaughters–creating a bridge for today’s readers. I respect how the book speaks not only to military life and commitment but also to racial segregation and its effects on the young women serving our country.

While I’ve never met Malala, I’ve long admired her, like many others. I have worked with the Global Partnership for Education across the Indo-Pacific for the last few years and understand the life-changing impact that access to education can have, especially for girls. Malala’s voice in this book is calm, brave, and utterly persuasive.

Her story is extraordinary not only because she survived an attempt to silence her, but because she chose to speak louder afterward—not in anger, but with purpose. She reminds us that courage is not just about resistance in the moment, but a sustained commitment to hope and change.

In Malala’s own kid’s eye view of the world, she tells how she yearned for a magic pencil, like the boy in a TV show she watched, so she could magically make the world a better place. One of the fortunate girls in Afghanistan who was sent to school because her parents believed strongly in education for women, she eventually realized she had that magic pencil already. Her words, her voice, could bring change. This is an empowering book for kids to see that they can make a difference in their world from one of the heroes of their time.

Malala Yousafzai inspires me because she never lost sight of the importance of education and continues to work for justice in the world. Malala was a young student in Pakistan when the Taliban took over her nation and prohibited girls from going to school. Malala spoke out against Taliban actions, advocating for universal education. That was enough to make the Taliban afraid of her. They tried to kill her; she almost died in the attempted assassination. That would have caused many people to retreat in fear, but not Malala. Once she recovered, she became an even more outspoken activist for female education and won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. 

I loved this story as Eric weaves an enchanting tale that is unique and captivating. The world drew me in with its various realms, some of which are hidden. I loved the magical mix of potions, spells, talking animals, powerful wizards, and dynamic, witty, and brave sisters. 

Could you imagine a world where writing and books have been forbidden? I was happy to learn about a hidden library within the Pennymore’s home and my mind lit up whenever Parker entered this library with flying books, papers, quills, and more.

It was such a fun read and I highly recommend this book for young readers aged 8 to 12.

Athletes, Activists, Achievers. Rad Girls Can is chock-o-block with engaging biographical sketches of girls and young women who have taken the world by storm in nearly every discipline. Whether they’re succeeding in traditionally male-dominated sports, fighting for climate action, or for education for girls, or accomplishing great things as scientists and inventors, each story is compelling and awe-inspiring. I wish this existed when I was young – it literally gives concrete examples of real girls doing just about anything they put their minds to. The wide-ranging topics and diverse women enhance the engagement factor. I loved how readers are free to browse and focus on the stories that most appeal to them (chances are good, that will be most, if not all of them). Comprehensive, engaging, inspiring. What more can you ask for?

This highly browsable picture book uses poems, quotes, and short bios to tell the stories of young change agents like spies Jacqueline and Eileen Nearne, student Ruby Bridges, and scientist Angela Zhang. Fourteen artists illustrated the book, providing readers with an exciting new image on each page. I love this book because it’s for younger children—and they are hungry to learn about history, too.