Youth to Power

Starred review from May 1, 2020

Even though she describes it as the book she wished she'd had when she embarked on her journey as an activist at age fourteen, Margolin has written a one-stop handbook for all aspiring activists. She writes for youth, and her words have the power to motivate, but her wisdom goes beyond a single population or cause. In the introduction, Margolin explains that many adults have "lost their will to question and rebel" and that young people "are yet to be broken and burned out," so they're uniquely primed to question the rules of our current system in ways that engender meaningful change. She demonstrates advocacy in action by featuring profiles, interviews, and references throughout. With chapters that break activism down into incremental steps, including helpful tips relating to mental health and fatigue, Margolin offers concrete and intentional strategies that give readers immediate, focused, manageable action steps that will help them imagine and achieve meaningful changes. VERDICT This book acknowledges current sociopolitical problems while simultaneously spotlighting ways in which individual acts can challenge these structures. A must-read for youth on how to find their voice and work toward a better future.--Emily Bowles, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2020
Margolin's plate is full as the founder and director of a high-visibility climate-activism nonprofit organization, tackling some of the most important issues of a generation. What sets her apart from her peers is that she's 17, and also juggling the standard-issue tribulations of American high school. No woe-is-me memoir, her first book is a galvanizing how-to manual, instructing other young people about turning their activism dreams into reality. She offers keen, step-by-step advice on getting involved with existing community groups; starting one's own; finding a like-minded tribe; interacting with the press and elected officials; and most important, maintaining some semblance of a normal life. Margolin comes across as honest and funny, never trying to be someone she's not. This tactic of owning her youth is exactly what drove Margolin's success in the first place. Though Margolin's nonprofit, ZeroHour, is focused on climate change, she includes interviews with other Gen Z activists backing a variety of causes, from LGBTQ+ rights to immigration justice, and a foreword by star Gen Z go-getter Greta Thunberg. Impressive and insightful.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)