Skip to main content
book cover for A Flea For Justice

A Flea For Justice

Marian Wright Edelman Stands Up for Change

You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now

Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date Sep 16 2025 | Archive Date Sep 15 2025

Talking about this book? Use #AFleaForJustice #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

Marian Wright Edelman is a flea for justice. Just like her hero, Sojourner Truth, Marian pushes for change even when it's uncomfortable. She makes people itch, just like a flea.

A historical and political picture book biography for 6-9-year-olds about Black perseverance. An aspiring read for future activists and changemakers!


As Marian Wright Edelman grows up, she never loses the spirit she had as a child when she swapped the signs on water fountains designating where Black and white people were allowed to drink.

Marian learns about Sojourner Truth, and she decides to make people itch in order to make change, just like Sojourner did. Marian becomes the first Black woman lawyer in Mississippi, and she creates the Children’s Defense Fund, which continues to be a voice for poor children, children of color, and children with disabilities today.

A Flea for Justice is an accessible read with a unique, kid-friendly structure; award-winning educator Valerie Bolling directly asks the kid readers questions, like--“Do you know what Sojourner told that man?” to engage in the story. An inspiring, call-to-action biography that’s sure to make readers itch!

“Marian has spent six decades bending the moral arc of the universe toward justice, and we are all the beneficiaries of her noble mission.”
Hilary Rodham Clinton
Marian Wright Edelman is a flea for justice. Just like her hero, Sojourner Truth, Marian pushes for change even when it's uncomfortable. She makes people itch, just like a flea.

A historical and...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781623545826
PRICE $17.99 (USD)
PAGES 32

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Reader (PDF)
NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)

Average rating from 3 members


Featured Reviews

This is a book that should be read by children and adults. I have been reading about Freedom Schools and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee but wasn't aware there were Freedom Schools for children. Marian Wright Edelman is an important figure in American history, and her story deserves to be known. I highly recommend this book for schools and libraries and hope it wins all of the awards.

Was this review helpful?

Such a wonderful and important book, and this will always be relevant. Maybe one person can't make a huge change, but we can all be a flea for justice, finding ways to make it known that we are here and ready to do the right thing, one irritating little bite at a time.

Was this review helpful?

What is "a flea for justice"? It is someone who gets things done by causing other people to feel bothered or disturbed, just the way a flea bite disturbs people. When Marian Wright Edelman was growing up, she noticed inequalities that made life difficult for Black children. And when she grew up, she dedicated her life to moving our society ahead by providing equal access to education and social equality for all people. She worked hard to see that children had a good start towards a rewarding life. Her dedication and her achievements are a model for everyone.

This book clearly explains why Marian Wright Edelman used the term "flea for justice" and how she applied it. The text is engaging and it is well-supported by colorful illustrations and back matter.

Perfect for read-alouds, for book discussion groups, as part of a study of civil rights, or simply individual reading.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: