HOW WE CAN LIVE

A young people’s primer on the Black Lives Matter movement.

After defining principle in the introduction, this book explains the movement’s 13 principles, offering a brief explanation for each along with several questions to help readers consider the implications. While some famous activists appear in the illustrations, so do many “everyday people.” Davidson includes visual motifs throughout of beautiful shapes with embedded silhouettes of Black and brown faces; hearts and Black Power fists appear, too. On each verso, Garcia discusses a principle and ends with biographical notes on people who are illustrated on the recto, most of whom gaze out at readers. The text’s density and frequent inclusion of specific terms may limit children’s ability to use the book independently, though the “Afterword for Adults” encourages caregivers to have potentially difficult conversations with young people. While children also appear on the cover and occasionally in the images, the book doesn’t highlight children who have made or are making change. Still, this is an important book that will help adults and young people alike understand and appreciate the Black Lives Matter movement.

A timely, informative, and inspiring read.