This collection of interviews, art, songs, and essays is an on-point Call to Action for teens. A wide variety of role models share their best tips on being an activist with young readers. 

*Jason Reynolds gives an amazing interview, including how his tattoo is his own form of activism.
*Javier Munoz shares what it was like to be backstage and hearing that Mike Pence had come to see Hamilton. I have so long wondered what the cast felt like that night, and I'm so glad he shared.
*Jacqueline Woodson is amazing, as always.

I loved this collection, and we'll feature it on the 6/7 episode of YA Cafe Podcast. You can find us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts for our full thoughts.

I loved this collection of essays from some of my favorite YA writers. I feel like these essays were politically a little homogenous--mostly a centrist, liberal perspective, as far as I can tell--but all things considered, but this is a well-curated collection and I enjoyed reading it.

Brilliant and inspiring stories of resistance in a historical time where these voices are finally being given front shelf space to be heard.  A must read that will inspire inner and outer reflection and action.

This is exactly the kind of book I wish I had as a teenager when I was constantly being told that feminism, equal marriage rights, equality among people of colour, and other “millennial ideologies” (🙄) were just “bad words” or uneducated concepts for the naïve!  

In today’s age of social media and freedom of opinion/speech it can be too easy to get caught up TALKING about the things we don’t agree with, instead of acting to change them. How I Resist is a collection of inspiring and empowering essays, illustrations, and interviews (and other contributions) that will certainly make readers want to stand up and fight for what they believe in! It is by an impressively eclectic collection of authors, celebrities, activists, and other contributors that I hope will attract a lot of people to pick it up. How I Resist challenges it’s readers to find their cause and to find their voice and I highly suggest this emboldening read to anyone looking to do a little good in the world.

It is so easy to lose hope and feel overwhelmed. Things are scary and it seems like a lot of people are either ignoring it or actively celebrating it.

And it can be hard to keep resisting when it seems like it's not doing very much good. You no sooner get your elected officials to stop doing one thing when they start doing something else. 

This book is so needed because it (a) gives me inspiration to keep going and (b) reminds me that there are all kinds of different ways to resist. While voting, marching and calling elected officials are great and important, even taking a few minutes to post something on Facebook about the upcoming midterm elections counts. 

This isn't a normal time and we can't pretend it is. All we can do is keep going and persist and resist. I am so thankful for this book. Highly recommended.

This is this the kind of book I wish I had as a teen. Especially when I was trying to figure out where my voice fit into the world that often times felt like it was drawn out by the angry voices of adults who were too busy yelling at one another vs taking the time to listen to each other when it came to opposing views. As an adult reading this book, it's a reminder that there is hope in our future generations. That the word resistance isn't a dirty word, or a political stance. Resistance is your stance on matters that mean something to you. It's standing your ground for who you are, what you believe in, and so forth, despite what the rest of the world may believe, or say. Activism is fighting for change. 

This book is not what I thought it would be. It was much better. It's a reminder of what resistance, activism and hope are, and how they're all tied together. It's also a reminder of the active role we all play in them. What this is book is not, is a yelling match of political sides going back and forth, telling the other why they're wrong. If anything, this book reads like a roundtable discussion of shared thoughts, and calls to actions by a variety of people who's diverse background have had them resisting societies labels on them since they were young. Their interviews, short essays, thoughts, songs, poems, and guides are a valuable resource to readers who see themselves in them. 

So much hate has been spewed since last year. I feel like resistance and activism are words that get thrown around with hate. They're not. They're hope. This book will make readers realize we can all be apart of the resistance (think Star Wars if you have to) in their own unique ways. In listening to what's being said in the words of this book, readers of all ages will understand why these authors, artists, and activists, collaborated on this book.

I took some notes on the things that stood out to me while I read this book. Here's what I wrote down:

* There is hope in the open acceptances of our future readers; teens.

* Be educated; Be mindful; Be you! There are so many ways you can join a resistance.

* "The way we stand strong in our diverse, supporting on another, standing up for the little guy, uniting against the things that are just blatantly unfair, protecting each other, having compassion for each other.... I hope that those things are so prevalent, that that's what sticks with them." - Javier Munoz

* "..... I promise you if you keep walking, you'll get there. To that place you've always wanted to be. Where you can make of yourself anything you want." - John Paul Brammer

* "In any challenging situation, a positive can always be found. A light can always be found." - Ali Stroker

* "There is no right way to resist. Some of us will march, some will call Congress, something will write stories, even when they're tired. And for some of us, our very lives are complex and beautiful acts of resistance." - Rebecca Roanhorse 

* All of Jason Reynolds's interview. I wanted to highlight part of it, but his whole article is fascinating, and empowering. 

* "Just keep doing what you're doing." - Malinda Lo

* "None of us come into the world fully aware of who were are or what cause we want to take up. Make mistakes, they are inevitable. And when you feel ready to get to the podium, literal or metaphorical, take what hurts you and try and make it hurt someone else less." - Dylan Marron

Activism and resisting goes beyond politics. It's standing up for what you believe in, and standing strong. That might mean you march in a protest, maybe you lend your voice on a stage, or you write letters, make phone calls, or maybe you do something on a smaller scale. Either way, your actions and your words do have an effect on others. Resistance is your stance on matters that mean something to you, and not wavering in that stance, no matter what others do or say to you.

Sometimes listening is the first step in resisting and being an activist. I don't have to agree with everything that every contributor said, however I did listen to what they all had to say by reading their words. Sometimes listening is just as powerful as saying something. It helps you understand, and allows you see things from a different perspective. If you listen to the message at the heart of this book, you will take something away from it, no matter your stance on politics, world views or differences in opinions on a variety of matters. This book is meant to be guide, and a resource that readers can use.

After reading the description of the book, I was intrigued.  Since I work with teens on a daily basis, it seemed like a natural fit to help them become well-rounded and caring citizens, giving them a little dose of what it's like to care about something passionately.  After reading through this book, however, I won't be using it any time soon.  Yes, it does have some good themes to take away (like persistence in the face of adversity, caring about something bigger than yourself) but the stories seemed like a hodgepodge.  The only connecting thread was the devastation of Hillary Clinton's presidential loss, which made it seem very divisive.  I'm not a stout Republican and yet even I felt like the stories came off as bitter.  Overall it just turned me off.  I'm glad I got this free from Net Galley before purchasing it on my own.

I chatted with my neighbor before buying my Nevertheless, she persisted t-shirt. I live in a conservative area and wearing an Elizabeth Warren quote could alienate both me and my neighbors. My neighbor said go for it. She also pointed out that most people won’t realize what the shirt says or represents. They already think I’m a bit weird.

Wearing that shirt is one of the ways I resist. In How I Resistfollow there are many others. The book is a collection of essays, reflections, and even a song by inspiring people and edited by bestselling YA author, Maureen Johnson with Tim Federle.

We hear from actors, and performers, and authors, and they all come across as everyday people. They all have the same concerns; concerns many have here in the United States and around the world. Sorry, nasty has gone global.

The book’s intention was to arm and inspire teens to resist the current US political situation. I’m far from being a teen, but I was inspired. I also cried. We’ve now been living under a horrible government in the US for more than a year, but that’s not the only reason to stand up for what’s right. One man tells the story of being gay (sorry, I should have noted who said what and ebooks are hard to flick back to). I cried, both moved by what he has achieved and in sorrow that he had to endure so much.

Javier Muñoz, star of Hamilton, played Alexander Hamilton the night Mike Pence attended the show. He describes what it was like knowing there was someone who detested so many cast members existence in the audience. How the cast and crew had a choice of how to resist, and they chose to put on the best show they could. They also chose to give a speech asking Mike Pencefollow for tolerance and to uphold the values America was built on, that are in the show.

Not everyone has the opportunity or desire to resist as openly as Javier, and the cast did, and that’s the main theme of How I Resist. It’s that you can resist in many ways. Some are out and loud and marching in the streets. Some are quiet and friendly and using those friendships to build understanding and teaching different. And we need that mix. Later in the book, there’s a guide to identifying fake news and being a more discerning media consumer. There are also resources to help people find a way to stand up for what’s right. As we’ve seen with the treatment of the Florida teens speaking out on gun control, there’s a lot of backlash on teens being able or considered “eligible” to speak up. This book encourages them, and gives the resources to do it because to quote Rebecca Roanhorsefollow in How I Resistfollow:

Because you being you is the most powerful kind of resistance of all.

Short story books are always a hard sell to teenagers in our library. They don't pick them up. I think they will pick up this one though!

The list of authors is star-studded, the title is appealing and speaks to the social justice conversations happening amongst our youth, and the writing is great!

I grabbed this book because of all the uprising and protests I wanted to read more on our youth. I found it to be captivating and inspiring to read. The interviews and information will help anyone choose to stand and fight for whatever they believe in.

HOW I RESIST, edited by Tim Federle and Maureen Johnson, will certainly have teen appeal since it features writing by a variety of authors (such as Jason Reynolds) and artists (like Rosie O’Donnell) that they will recognize.  However, an obvious concern with this book is how blatantly political and anti-Trump it is.  That surprised me because I would have thought that promoting hope and activism – be it for environmental concerns, LGBTQ rights, gun reform, voter registration or other causes – would have had wider appeal and readership amongst the target audience. This past year, our library has hosted displays and promoted action, in part contrasting events from 50 years ago (lowering voting age, changing the dress code for female students anti-war protests and petitions, politicians’ response) with today’s issues.  Throughout the process, we have respected each student's views and encouraged them to get involved, rather than dictating a position to take. One of the most interesting projects they developed was an exploration of "What it feels like to be ________ at our high school." The choice of a label – anxious, Asian, Black, dancer, gay, Jewish, poor, and many more – and the subsequent responses are amazing.  Everyone has been reading and commenting on them; feels like conversation or a book idea that it is open to all.

Maureen Johnson, a bestselling YA author and found of the site YA for Obama, and Tim Federle, a highly lauded writer who has adapted stories like Tuck Everlasting for Broadway and Ferdinand for film, have collected a series of thirty essays, poems, and interviews about Resistance by well-known authors, performers and those in the media. Although the one thing that you'll notice is that not everyone is down with the term. There are also so many ways to resist. Rebecca Roanhorse points out that resistance is exhausting and that in fact, as an indigenous woman, every day of her life is resistance. Living authentically and not being silent about who you are is resisting. For Maureen herself, resistance is not letting [Fill in the Blank] steal your joy. For Tim it's remembering to take care of yourself. For Rosie O'Donnell it comes down to learning as much as you can (hopefully from credible sources) and showing up. For Jodi Picoult all art is political and in a prescient remark she says (paraphrasing) that young people are out outshining their elders. Sabaa Tahir offers a poem about resistance. Ali Stroker talks about what resistance means for the disabled and the difference between articulating and advocating and whether activism is resistance. And so on.

This is a book that is very easy to read through. It might be ideal to work through one entry a day for a month (sort of what I did) And certainly reading a few pieces at a time, then discussing them, might be an option for a teen activist group. But I wonder about how accessible this format is in terms of reaching its intended audience. While there are certainly still many young adults picking up books, a physical book with talking points about resistance seems if not a passé mode of delivery, one that might not reach as many young adults as say, a monthlong Reddit topic managed by Johnson and Federle with subreddits for each of these contributors thoughts.

This book aims to be inspiring to our young adults. It succeeds in the goal. I just hope many of them take the time to read it.

How I Resist is an anthology edited by Maureen Johnson, and is marketed to readers under the age of 18 who want to be politically active but are too young to vote.

“Because in time, I promise if you keep walking, you’ll get there.”

The anthology has a variety of contributors from a variety of different fields: authors, actors, bloggers, and many more. Not only are the authors from a variety of fields, but they’re from many different status identities as well! And the content is varied as well, there are essays, interviews, songs, comics, and poems, lots of different stuff for everyone.

“People think it’s easier to be silent. To tiptoe around stuff, as opposed to having conversations and confronting and disrupting.”

I think this anthology will be very helpful to young readers, because as the contributors share, there are many different ways to protest. Some say doing your own thing even when people say you shouldn’t is a good way to protest, another post encourages readers to make things and never give up. There’s a little something in here that will appeal to everyone.

One thing I found extremely helpful were the bios on each of the contributors that were placed before their work. There were individuals I’d never heard of before, so having a bio that gave me information about who they were and what they did was helpful and let me understand why they chose to share the content they did.

“You cry. Right there in the middle of the fabric store, faux fur and hideous trim in your hands, making a scene in front of God and Selena Quintanilla in Heaven and all the customers.”

Even though this anthology is all about resisting, it’s written with a very hopeful tone and not negative about our political climate. Some of the contributions were serious, but others had a more humorous tone that kept the book light.

Since this book is all about resisting, share with me what resisting looks like to you!

A very diverse, poignant look on resistance. While not the most captivating read, it is certainly interesting and many young people can benefit from it.

How I Resist is a collection of essays designed to inspire the youth to speak up on the issues they're passionate about. The diversity of the essayists shined through the abundance of subjects that the essays were on. Each of them had a different and refreshing writing style, and the subtle shifts in tone here and there made it easy to consume. I enjoyed this collection a lot.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.  
This book is being marketed to teens, and I can understand why with all the essays. poems etc in the book.   They talk about resistances with out violence with is something that is needed in this world today.  

I wouldn't market this though how to start activism,  it was more of a acceptance book for me.  Its ok to feel the way your are feeling, its ok to want better.  
To me this book represents hope for our future.

Perfect book for this day and age with all the terrible events on the news, the opinions of politicians and the rise of young resistance fighters

How I Resist is a YA anthology and it is AMAZING. It has a vast list of diverse contributors, including authors like Malinda Lo and Sabaa Tahir, actors such as Javier Munoz and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (and his husband) and many others, including activists and journalists. It has essays, poetry, and art--all on the topic of activism and resistance. There are essays on solutions to problems we are facing in the current political climate, there are interviews with contributors about their ideas on resistance and life, and there are how-tos on how to contact your representatives and complete other acts that show that you resist.

I really enjoyed reading all of the book and, even though I am not a teenager, I still found a lot of the essays and perspectives valuable and helpful to my frame of mind about the things happening in the US right now. It made me feel better about the things I am doing, and gave me some more ideas for other things I can do to continue to remain politically active and show that I will not just accept some of the terrible things that are happening right now.

I honestly don't know what else I can tell you about this collection, except for that it is a must read for any teenager who is looking to get involved in society and resist. It gives a lot of good perspective about protest, but also about self care and a range of ways to engage depending on what you are comfortable with. I highly recommend giving it to any teen, but I also recommend reading it yourself.

Note: I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a book of hope, courage, resistance, good and bad. Full of personal stories and creativity, it is an interesting collection. Will this book appeal to everyone? No. However, it is a book that everyone can find something in. Some inspiration.

No matter who you are and where you live, you have to admit there are problems in every country and the world. Individual and global issues, and each one affects us differently. No matter what you are passionate about, looking at what it takes to make a difference can seem overwhelming. What can we do? Where do we start? 
HOW I RESIST: ACTIVISM AND HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION shows us the way by entertaining, teaching, and inspiring.

The essays, poems, and songs in this book not only teach us ways we can resist, but they give us insight into what it’s like to live someone else’s life, for a brief time at least. To be a different sex or race, to be gay or persecuted because of your religion. You don’t have to be a minority to want, DEMAND, changes, you just have to open your heart and mind. In doing so, you may find you are not as different as you think.

One of my favorite essays is by Maya Rupert. In Wonder: Imagining a Black Wonder Woman, she wrote about a real connection with Wonder Woman (played by Linda Carter in 1975.) They were both outsiders on two levels. Wonder Woman’s powers set her apart from other humans, but because of her gender, she was relegated to secretary. At a young age, Rupert’s race set her apart from white classmates and her gender marked her as inferior. These few pages strengthened my belief that no matter who the woman is, or where she comes from, all women have similar issues. 

This book also reminds us that there’s no one right way to resist, and the way we choose to do it are as individual as we are. For example, we can be outwardly active by participating in marches and calling your representatives, we can get involved with campaigns of candidates we believe in, groups that support the causes we are passionate about, and educate ourselves by reading and making sure our sources are legitimate. But what really moved me was the line from Jodi Picoult’s essay. What changes minds, I have found, are not statistics, but human beings. We have to share our stories, our passions, and listen to the stories of others. 

This is not just a book for teens. There are lessons and suggestions here for everyone. No one is too young or too old to open their mind to new ideas and resist.