You have what it takes to change the world!
This is the empowering message parenting author and podcaster Cindy Wang Brandt wants every child to hear and embrace. In this inspiring picture book she speaks to every child who sees injustice in the world, revealing that they already have inside themselves everything they need to make big, transformative change in the world–just as they are. Every kid is a revolutionary! You don’t need to wait until you grow up. You don’t even need any special skills. Kids who are loud, kids who are quiet, kids who make art, kids who are good at math, kids with lots of energy, kids who are good listeners–all kids have what it takes to make a difference.
Lynnor Bontigao’s vibrant illustrations feature a diverse group of children taking up a call to action and using their individual gifts to change the world.
Paperback : 32 pages
ISBN-10: 9781506478302
Publisher : Beaming Books
Pub date: October 12, 2021
About the Author
Cindy Wang Brandt is the author of Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness. She is the host of Parenting Forward podcast and the Parenting Forward conference. She’s also the founder of the popular Facebook group Raising Children Unfundamentalist. Cindy writes at cindywangbrandt.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Cindy lives in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with her husband and two children.
Website: cindywangbrandt.com
Twitter: @cindywangbrandt
Instagram: @parentingforward
Facebook: @cindywangbrandt
Author Interview
Where did you grow up /live now? I grew up and still live in the southern city of Taiwan called Kaohsiung (pronounced Gao Shung), where we were pandemic free for most of the year 2020!!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I didn’t know, but someone should have suggested I become a writer because I always had my head in the books.
What is your education/career background? I grew up conservative evangelical so I was very religious. I went to a Christian college and seminary and actually became a career missionary for 5+ years! But now I have “faith shifted” and am no longer part of that world–this shift informs much of my work now.
Do you have kids and/or pets? I have two awesome kids and I had the cutest Yorkie in the world named Caramel, but we lost her a few years ago. 🙁
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Or what first inspired you to write? I entered the blogging scene in the early 2010s and eventually developed a career as a writer, publishing my first book in 2019 and now a children’s book in 2021. I didn’t grow up in a literary family, in fact, English is my second language, so there were no support or resources for my journey to become a writer. The democratization of the internet made it possible for me to share my words with the public and I’m forever grateful for the platform. Now, looking back there were many clues that I was meant to be a writer, I just didn’t know it at the time. Anytime I needed to write in life–for school, writing family newsletters, and eventually on social media, it lit me up inside and I felt the most joy when I found any opportunity to put words together.
Where/When do you best like to write? I’m a morning person so I only ever write in the mornings. However, I do get my best ideas randomly throughout the day–often in the shower, which I do at night.
When you are struggling to write/have writer’s block, what are some ways that help you find your creative muse again? Engaging with other people’s ideas. I’m always listening to podcasts and I’m very active on social media. You’ll find me talking to my podcast hosts even though they can’t hear me because I am always either resonating or disagreeing with them. I am endlessly curious in people and engaging in conversations get my brain juices going.
What inspired your story? As I’ve previously mentioned, I have “faith shifted,” meaning I’ve left the faith of my childhood. This has caused significant anxiety and trauma in adulthood. As I’ve sought to understand the source of my angst, much of it was having power wielded over me when I was a child. A big part of my own healing is to become an advocate for children today, that they be afforded full autonomy because they are human beings, not any lesser than adults. If kids are to be treated and respected as adults are, then what excludes them from becoming revolutionaries, people who make a change in the world? It is a human right to have a say in the way we live our lives, and yet we exclude kids from this work. I think our world still has a long way to go to extend children the rights they deserve, and I hope my book helps move progress.
What causes are most important to you? Which ones have you been involved with? I served on the board of One Day’s Wages, a grassroots organization that fights global poverty. Economic inequity across the world is the root of many social problems so ODW is a good fit to address a wide range of issues by niching down on global poverty. But I care about inequality of any kind, when people of power wield that power unjustly over marginalized people, it fuels my anger and stirs me to action.
Who do you hope will read your book? I work with parents and I want parents to know that their responsibility isn’t just to raise happy and healthy children, but that we have an awesome responsibility to raise conscious citizens that together create a better world for all. The best way to love our kids is to create a world that is kind to all kids. Parenting is a revolution in itself, an act of changing the world. I hope parents who feel this responsibility deeply will pick up my book and read it for their inner child as well as their own kids.
What do you like to do when you are not writing? For me, writing is sharing beautiful things. When I’m not writing I like to enjoy those beautiful things–whether it’s a good story in a book, TV show, movie, podcast; or going out in nature and seeing beautiful scenery; or as the city girl that I am, shopping for beautiful outfits or getting glammed up myself. And, everyone who knows me knows I am a die-hard foodie. I get cranky when I’m not enjoying good food.
Who are some of your favorite authors? This is too hard of a question for a reader/author. I’ll just say the answer to this changes and evolves throughout the span of my life. Right now, I am enjoying John Green.
Have you won any awards or honors (not just for writing)? I’m actually a little bit anti-awards because I believe so strongly that everyone should be celebrated and everyone gets to win. But if someone wants to give me an award, I’ll graciously accept.
What person(s) has/have helped you the most in your career? The late Rachel Held Evans. She was the one who inspired me to start blogging. Then she wrote the foreword to my book, and often lent me her platform so I could be discovered. I owe her much of my career.
How do your spouse/significant other/friends/family feel about your writing career? Like I’ve mentioned, I didn’t grow up in a literary family so from their perspective, I’ve taken an off-beat path. Because I live in Taiwan but my audience is mostly English speaking countries, many of my local friends/family aren’t engaged with my writing career. I feel lonely at times, and unrecognized, but for the most part, I think it keeps me grounded and reminds me there is so much to the world outside of my career–which is a good thing.
Review
You Are Revolutionary empowers young children to raise their voices for something they believe in. It shows that everyone and anyone can make a difference.
This book is told in lovely rhymes and sweet and diverse illustrations, showing how each child can use their talents to help. Whether it is writing letters, holding signs, singing a song, or making art, even young children can be revolutionary, alongside adults.
While being uplifting and empowering to young children, the illustrations focus on the homelessness issue and display ways children can get involved.
Reading this to kids helps to show kids they, too, can be involved, but this book is definitely optimistic as reality isn’t always that easy.
