From Empathy to Action: Building Allyship Through Middle Grade Books
There are few better conference moments than walking out of a session feeling inspired, energized, and proud of the potential of our field. Even better is the thought, “That could have been a keynote.” At the PLA 2026 Conference, I felt exactly that after attending Tanvi Rastogi’s Speak Up: Using Middle Grade Books to Build Allyship Muscles.
The session began with a stark reminder of the difficult and often heartbreaking times we are living in. Rastogi was originally scheduled to present alongside Caitlin Quinn of the Los Angeles Public Library and author Esmé Symes-Smith. Both ultimately made the difficult decision not to travel to Minneapolis due to ongoing ICE raids and the resulting fear and uncertainty affecting their communities. Rastogi also shared her own experiences working with youth who continue to navigate that trauma. It made the work she presented feel all the more urgent.
Rastogi created her middle grade book club, Good Books, Young Troublemakers, in response to a familiar idea that books build empathy. She posed a critical question. What do we do with that empathy?
Empathy alone does not stop injustice. It does not challenge harmful behavior, correct internal biases, or name oppression when we encounter it. As Rastogi emphasized, empathy without action is not enough. Her program uses books as a starting point, helping young readers translate empathy into action. She describes this as creating “good trouble.”
Like many book clubs, the program begins with a shared text and a discussion guide. However, these guides go beyond traditional questions about character and plot. Instead, they focus on the injustices presented in the story and ask participants to connect those moments to real-life experiences.
When patterns of injustice emerge in discussion, Rastogi asks participants, “Do you know there’s a word for that?” She introduces terms such as transphobia, white supremacy, and xenophobia. When young readers say they would have intervened in a situation from the book, she encourages them to practice. “Let’s try saying it right now.” Through role play, participants build the language and confidence needed to respond in real-world situations.
Even moments of discomfort are treated as opportunities for growth. When a participant expresses a biased or harmful idea, Rastogi responds by asking, “Can I challenge you on that?” From there, the conversation explores the sources of that belief, including disinformation and propaganda, with the goal of moving toward a more informed and compassionate understanding.
Hearing these stories and seeing the structure behind the program was powerful. It was one of those moments that reminds us what youth librarianship can be. It is grounded, intentional work that supports learning, critical thinking, and intellectual freedom.
Starting a chapter of Good Books, Young Troublemakers may not be feasible for every library. What I would encourage is exploring the freely available discussion guides and thinking about how these approaches can be adapted in smaller ways. Even a single question added to a casual conversation, such as “What did you think of that book?”, can open the door to deeper reflection.
We may not always run a formal program, but we can still help build the next generation of thoughtful, engaged readers. These are readers who are prepared not just to understand the world, but to speak up within it.
Tags: pla2026scholarship
