ACLU Back-To-School Bookshelf 2026: Artists, Authors, and Creators Share Their Favorite Reads About Civil Liberties

One afternoon, a single reckless act leaves Sasha severely burned. Richard then receives charges for two hate crimes and faces life imprisonment. In “The 57 Bus,” Slater writes about what happened in a complex case that gained international attention.

In Alyssa’s Words: “The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater begins with one terrible act and refuses to give us the comfort of a simple villain. In telling the true story of two teenagers whose lives collide across lines of race, class, gender identity, and privilege, Slater asks us to consider what justice looks like when punishment alone cannot repair the harm. It’s the kind of book young people deserve: honest about the world they are inheriting and brave enough to trust them with its complexity.”

Vibe: Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, and balanced.

After his death, Jerome remains on Earth as a ghost and encounters other the ghosts of Black children unjustly killed across American history — including Emmett Till, the young boy who was lynched in 1955. The book has faced temporary bans and challenges in multiple school districts.

In Jason’s Words: “It’s one of my favorite books ever. It’s about a young boy named Jerome who is unfortunately killed by a cop, because he has a toy gun and the cop thinks it’s a real gun. And he’s killed in Chicago. And then, there’s this connection from that moment to the historic moment of Emmett Till’s death where this young man in the afterlife gets to then talk to Emmett Till. And it’s mind-boggling to even consider that. And then his spirit, the same deceased young man, gets to talk to the cop’s daughter. She can see him, she can see his ghost. And they have a relationship and are talking about the father’s actions, the police officer’s actions. It’s a brilliant complex take on some of the really unfortunate social injustices that happened.”

Vibe: Heartbreaking and somber, with a metaphysical angle.

“The Best at It” explores themes of sexuality, cultural identity, and mental health. The children’s book has also been challenged or banned from classrooms in multiple states.

In Maulik’s Words: “I recommend it because it is full of heart, it’s very funny, and it’s about discovering that it is okay to be exactly who you are.”

Vibe: For young readers looking for a coming-of-age story that’s funny yet heartfelt.

He lives in the thriving queer community of Berlin. But everything changes when Hitler rises to power. Bertie’s workplace, the Institute of Sexual Science, is raided. The Eldorado Club, the hub for Berlin’s queer community, is closed. As queer people are rounded up, Bertie escapes with his girlfriend. What follows is life in isolation during the war, the continued persecution of queer people after the war, and Bertie’s eventual journey to the United States.

In Damian’s Words: “‘The Lilac People’ by Milo Todd is a powerful reminder that queer and trans people have always been here — and have always had to fight for the right to exist safely and openly. This book reminds us that our community has survived persecution, erasure, and attempts to rewrite our history before, and it reminds us that we are not walking this path alone.”

Vibe: Melancholic with interwoven moments of queer joy. For fans of “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr.

The Art of Saving Democracy features the work of 20 renowned American artists, such as Roy Lichtenstein, Shepard Fairey, Carrie Mae Weems, Vincent Valdez, and Deborah Kass. Whether you’re taking to the streets or taking up a pen, The Art of Saving Democracy can help you be more effective when you express yourself, champion our shared rights and freedoms, and resist hate and authoritarianism.

In Na’s Words: “While social media feeds and news alerts barrage us with a relentless series of crises, ‘The Art of Saving Democracy’ offers welcome relief and a strong bias toward action. Beautifully presented, the kit is full of hope, inspiration, and practical advice on how to rally for a more just America.”

Vibe: Interactive yet accessible. For readers looking for ways to take action.

For more than 150 years, Black communities have gathered on Juneteenth to honor the ongoing struggle for liberation. The holiday has since become more widely observed across the United States. The book brings together essays, photographs, and art to show how Black people have created and sustained Juneteenth traditions as rituals of remembrance.

In Blair’s Words: “I’d recommend ‘Black Freedom’ because it explores a history that feels particularly urgent right now. At a moment when the honest explorations of Black history are under attack in our museums and in our schools, I wanted to do more to remind the nation how generations of Black people claimed their freedom and then continued to celebrate their history. Their vision of emancipation pushed the nation to live up to its promises. That history feels essential to understanding what we have survived and what is at stake now.”

Vibe: For readers interested in a deep dive through the archives.

It explores the impact of political power, social inequality, and authoritarianism on their lives. “The House of the Spirits” translated from “La Casa De Los Espíritus” is an epic family saga blending magical realism with historical turmoil. The book has faced numerous challenges in local school districts across the country and the world.

In Nhora’s Words: “Through the intertwined stories of Clara, Blanca, and Alba, Allende centers women’s voices and their remarkable acts of resistance, showing how memory, storytelling, and solidarity can become forms of survival and defiance. Originally banned in Chile under General Augusto Pinochet and later challenged in U.S. schools, The House of the Spirits reminds us why the freedom to read — and the freedom to tell difficult stories — matters.”

Vibe: For fans of magical realism and the supernatural.

It starts with Lewis’s childhood living on a family farm in Alabama and continues through the Bloody Sunday march in 1965. The graphic novels even portray key moments in more recent history, such as Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration in 2009. The trilogy has been challenged or banned in some school districts, and has even been banned from some prisons and jails.

In Susan’s Words: “Powell’s compelling, black-and-white art pairs perfectly with the recollections of Lewis to create an unforgettable text, inviting readers to enter into the legacy of ‘good trouble’ that changed the United States for the better.”

Vibe: Grounded and honest. For fans of graphic novels.

While working in corporate law during the day, Brittany K. Barnett became moved by Jones's story and worked to help gain her freedom. This book follows a harrowing course through the criminal justice system. This book is both Barnett’s memoir, coming-of-age story, and a powerful account of bringing justice to those impacted by America’s legal system.

In Chris’s Words: “‘A Knock at Midnight’ is more than a book about injustice — it is about the human cost of laws that sends people to prison for decades, and sometimes for life, for drug offenses. Brittany K. Barnett takes us inside the lives of people buried beneath America’s federal drug laws, and inside her own work to bring them home despite being a corporate attorney by trade, showing what love, courage, and refusing to give up can make possible. I recommend this book because it reminds us that civil liberties are promises that only mean something if they belong to everyone.”

Vibe: For fans of “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander looking to dive deeper into the stories of people impacted by the American justice system.

His fight against the Supreme Court affirmed access to birthright citizenship for children who were born on U.S. soil. His fight remains relevant today as the ACLU recently challenged President Donald Trump’s executive order attempting to get rid of birthright citizenship. As a result, the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order attacking birthright citizenship in June.

In Grace’s Words: “Almost everyone knows that if you are born in the United States, you are a U.S. citizen, regardless of your parents’ country of origin. But most people don’t know that it almost wasn’t that way. Wong Kim Ark, an American with parents of Chinese origin, had to fight all the way to the Supreme Court to establish birthright citizenship. This book tells this often overlooked but so important piece of history to children (and adults) and shows how Asian Americans are truly a part of American history; but I personally like how it shows how one can make great change simply by standing up for what you know to be true.”

Vibe: For young readers ages 4-8 years old.