Blacklisted!

Reach for this book when your teen starts questioning why some voices are silenced or when they are struggling with the pressure to conform to a group's opinion. It is an essential resource for families navigating conversations about civil liberties, the cost of integrity, and the delicate balance between national security and personal freedom. This narrative nonfiction account dives into the 1947 Red Scare and the Hollywood Ten, a group of creatives who refused to answer to the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Through archival photos and primary sources, Larry Dane Brimner explores how fear can lead to systemic injustice. This book is developmentally appropriate for middle and high schoolers who are beginning to understand the complexity of political systems. It provides a sobering but necessary look at how individuals face professional and personal ruin to defend the First Amendment. You might choose this to help your teen see that history is made of real people making difficult, sometimes life-altering choices to stay true to their convictions.