Name: Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save the World
ISBN: 9781536233025

Better Than We Found It: Conversations to Help Save the World

by Frederick Joseph, Porsche Joseph

Subject: Social Science - Politics & Government
Age: 9-12 years
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 528
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9781536233025

What is disinformation, and how does it influence our lives? How did the wealth gap become so staggeringly wide? Why do so many Americans lack access to quality health care? And—most importantly—what can we do about it all? Through a combination of personal anecdotes and interviews, authors Frederick Joseph and Porsche Joseph make a compelling case for tackling some of the biggest issues of our day, from gun violence, the prison system, transphobia, and indigenous land theft to climate change, education, housing, and immigration. Covering sixteen topics and featuring more than two dozen interviews with prominent activists, authors, actors, and politicians, this is the essential resource for those who want to make the world better than we found it.
Featuring interviews with:
Mehcad Brooks * Keah Brown * Julián Castro * Sonja Cherry-Paul * Chelsea Clinton * Charlotte Clymer * Mari Copeny, aka “Little Miss Flint” * Greg D’Amato * Jesse Katz * Amed Khan * Daniel Alejandro Leon-Davis * Willy and Jo Lorenz * Ben O’Keefe * Brittany Packnett Cunningham * Anna Paquin * Robert Reich * Brandon T. Snider * Nic Stone * Anton Treuer * Andrea Tulee * David Villalpando * Elizabeth Warren * Shannon Watts * Natalie Weaver * Brandon Wolf

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What reviewers said

While this material is both accessible and enlightening, the most compelling parts of the book are when the co-authors share personal experiences. They tell stories about events they've witnessed, recalling their emotions and reactions, and explaining the lasting effects. . . . Whether considered individually or taken as a whole, these crucial topics will shape the future, and the Josephs want readers to be ready to join the conversation.

Booklist (starred review)

Using an approachable first-person narration, the Josephs tackle a wide range of topics, including the climate crisis and environmental racism, wealth gaps, and gun violence. . . . While maintaining a warmth and sense of hope that keeps readers engaged, this worthy read offers necessary deep dives into relevant topics.

Publishers Weekly

Perfect for anyone interested in helping others or getting involved to help the current generation be better and more informed. . . . The matters are current and provide a tell-tale sign of the times for future readers to consider.

School Library Connection

Now more than ever, young people yearn to drastically change the world, and the question so many of them pose is how? The Josephs have not only provided answers to the hows but also the whys and the why nows. Better Than We Found It is the manual for change that every young and not-so-young activist-in-the-making needs. This book will empower a generation.

Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give

Better Than We Found It is an unflinching and incisive clarion call, road map, and lighthouse guiding us toward social change and collective liberation in these tough times. Fred and Porsche Joseph demand that we dig deeper into the rotted roots of injustice in order to stand tall on the mighty shoulders of our revolutionary predecessors. Vital and radically profound!

Ibi Zoboi, New York Times best-selling author and coauthor of Punching the Air

This is a text that not only debunks the myth that certain topics are ‘too complex’ for young people but also breaks said topics down in a way that young people can understand, identify with, discuss . . . and push back against. Should be required reading for every high schooler in America.

Nic Stone, author of Dear Martin

“Accessible and enlightening. . . . Whether considered individually or taken as a whole, these crucial topics will shape the future, and the Josephs want readers to be ready to join the conversation.”

Booklist (starred review)