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We Are Mighty by Sharon McMahon Review: Hopeful Civics Picture Book for Young Readers
by Sharon McMahon
We Are Mighty: 12 Ordinary Americans Who Did the Next Needed Thing is a #1 New York Times bestselling picture book by Sharon McMahon, illustrated by award-winning Susanna Chapman, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. It profiles twelve ordinary Americans — teachers, kids, and quiet changemakers — whose small, courageous acts created lasting ripples in their communities, designed to inspire readers ages 6 and up to believe that doing the next needed thing is within anyone's reach.
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Best for
Parents, teachers, and librarians seeking a civics-minded picture book for preschool through grade-3 readers that models everyday courage through profiles of real, relatable ordinary Americans.
Worth it if
The reader wants a read-aloud or early independent title that makes civic values and kindness feel attainable for young children, especially fans of the Ordinary People Change the World or Little Leaders series.
Skip if
Adults or older readers looking for substantive biographical depth will find the 32-page picture-book format too brief to satisfy, and the content is pitched too introductory for anyone beyond the preschool-to-grade-3 range.
What readers & critics say
School critical coverage describes the book as "an engaging biography collection" that "celebrates 12 ordinary Americans who make simple choices that ripple into meaningful change." Common Sense Media notes it can be read straight through or by browsing, and highlights that its multimedia illustrations provide detail and context to the factual narratives.
“Introduces 12 ordinary Americans who did what needed to be done — showing how ordinary people, even kids, can make a difference.”
— commonsensemedia.org5.0from 227 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
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We Are Mighty: 12 Ordinary Americans Who Did the Next Needed Thing is a #1 New York Times bestselling picture book by Sharon McMahon, illustrated by Susanna Chapman, that profiles twelve real, relatable Americans — including teachers and children — whose small acts of courage created lasting community ripples. Ideal for preschool through grade 3, it translates McMahon's signature focus on overlooked American stories into a format accessible to the youngest readers, making civic values feel genuinely within reach. The key caveat: the 32-page picture-book format keeps each of the twelve profiles necessarily brief, so adults or older readers seeking deeper biographical detail will need to look beyond these pages.
- Is it worth reading?
- For its target audience of preschool through grade 3, We Are Mighty delivers a clear and well-matched picture-book experience: it sparks curiosity, models courage, and makes civic values feel attainable through twelve real, relatable American stories. The endorsement from Brad Meltzer — whose Ordinary People Change the World series is a benchmark in the genre — lends it strong genre credibility, and the #1 New York Times bestseller status reflects a broad existing readership built on McMahon's prior work. The main caveat is format: at 32 pages, the book necessarily keeps each profile brief, so readers seeking deeper biographical detail will need supplementary resources.
- Similar books
- Readers who enjoy We Are Mighty will find kindred spirit in other books that blend inspiration, character, and courage for young audiences. Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss shares the same ambition of encouraging children to believe in their own potential. Wonder by R. J. Palacio, though a longer middle-grade novel, similarly centres everyday courage and kindness as transformative forces. Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy by The School of Life likewise invites young readers to engage with big moral and civic ideas in an accessible format. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein offers another picture-book exploration of generosity and quiet impact that pairs naturally with McMahon's themes.
- Who should read this?
- We Are Mighty is squarely aimed at children in preschool through grade 3 — roughly ages 4 to 8 — and functions equally well as a classroom read-aloud or a family bedtime book. It will resonate especially with young readers who need to see themselves reflected in stories of courage, since the cast includes children and teachers alongside adult community figures. Fans of Brad Meltzer's Ordinary People Change the World series, the Little Leaders books, or other civics-minded picture books will find it occupying familiar and friendly genre territory. Adults seeking deep biographical profiles of the twelve individuals featured should note the 32-page format keeps each story brief by design.
- What age is it for?
- Best for ages 6 and up for early independent reading, though the picture-book format makes it equally suitable as a read-aloud for children as young as 4. The text and concepts are pitched at a preschool-through-grade-3 comprehension level, using concrete, incremental civic ideas — "the next needed thing" — rather than abstract political philosophy, which keeps it fully accessible across that age band.
- Who is Sharon McMahon?
- Sharon McMahon is known widely as "America's Government Teacher" through her Instagram presence Sharon Says So, and is the host of the award-winning podcast Here's Where It Gets Interesting and founder of the newsletter The Preamble. Her previous book, The Small and the Mighty, was a New York Times bestseller, and We Are Mighty extends that project by translating her signature focus on overlooked American stories into a picture-book format for the youngest readers. That consistent authorial throughline gives the picture book a clear sensibility: the belief that history is made not just by presidents and generals but by people whose names rarely appear in textbooks.
- Is it good for read-alouds?
- We Are Mighty is explicitly designed for read-alouds and early independent reading, and its structure — twelve individual profiles, each anchored to a single act of courage — lends itself naturally to pausing for discussion between stories. The "next needed thing" framework is well-suited to family or classroom conversations about civic responsibility and kindness, and Susanna Chapman's award-winning illustrations give visual anchor points throughout. At 32 pages, it fits comfortably within a single story-time session.
Summarize this book
Is it worth reading?
Who should read this?
What age is it for?
Who is Sharon McMahon?
Is it good for read-alouds?
Summarize this book
We Are Mighty is a picture book published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on May 19, 2026, written by Sharon McMahon and illustrated by award-winning Susanna Chapman. It profiles twelve real, ordinary Americans — teachers, children, and quiet community changemakers — each of whom took what the book calls "the next needed thing," a single act of courage or care that created ripples in their communities. Rather than celebrating presidents or generals, McMahon's design intent is to show young readers that civic courage belongs to anyone, building a cumulative portrait of everyday character across twelve individual profiles.
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Age & Reading Level
Recommended age
Ages 5–8
Best for: Ages 6+ — text and civic concepts are pitched at a preschool-through-grade-3 reading and comprehension level; younger children enjoy it best as a shared read-aloud with an adult.
Skip if you're looking for deep biographical detail about the twelve Americans profiled — the 32-page picture-book format keeps each story necessarily brief.
Our Review
A #1 New York Times bestseller, We Are Mighty makes the case that courage isn't reserved for the famous — it lives in the choices of ordinary people.
What the Book Is and Who It Profiles
We Are Mighty is a picture book for early readers, targeting grades preschool through three, that spotlights twelve real, ordinary Americans — teachers, children, and quiet community changemakers — who each took what the book frames as "the next needed thing." Rather than centering celebrated historical figures, McMahon's design intent is to show young readers that the kind of person who shapes a community doesn't have to hold a title or a platform. The book is structured around individual profiles, each anchored to a single act of courage or care, building a cumulative portrait of everyday civic character. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, published the book on May 19, 2026.
Interior spread featuring an illustrated portrait of a historical figure alongside narrative text and decorative period-appropriate design elements.
Sharon McMahon's Place in This Genre
McMahon arrives at this picture book with a well-established identity as an educator and public communicator. Known widely as "America's Government Teacher" through her Instagram presence Sharon Says So, she is also the host of the award-winning podcast Here's Where It Gets Interesting and the founder of the newsletter The Preamble. Her previous book, The Small and the Mighty, was a New York Times bestseller, and We Are Mighty extends that project — translating her signature focus on overlooked American stories into a format accessible to the youngest readers. That throughline gives the picture book a clear authorial sensibility: the belief that history is made not just by presidents and generals but by people whose names rarely appear in textbooks.
Interior spread featuring an illustrated biography of an American changemaker with portrait, biographical text, and dynamic blue and gold artwork.
Strengths: Storytelling and Illustration
The publisher describes the book as featuring "powerful storytelling" from McMahon alongside "vivid art from award-winning illustrator Susanna Chapman." The art in We Are Mighty is Susanna Chapman's work, and her award-winning credentials lend the visual dimension a distinct pedigree. The book's central idea — that one kind act can create ripples that can't yet be seen — is built to resonate with both children and the adults reading alongside them, and Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of the Ordinary People Change the World series, offered a blurb that captures the book's appeal directly: "Want mighty kids? Give them these spectacular mighty heroes. I love it. Sharon McMahon is a national treasure!" Meltzer's endorsement carries particular weight given that his own long-running series occupies the same genre territory.
Interior spread featuring an illustrated portrait of a woman alongside text and decorative orange citrus motifs.
Themes and Educational Value
The book is explicitly designed to celebrate courage and character in accessible terms for young readers. By choosing subjects who include teachers and children alongside adult community figures, McMahon keeps the cast relatable to its audience — a six-year-old can see someone who looks like them in these pages. The framing of "the next needed thing" is intentionally incremental: it doesn't ask children to be heroes in a grand sense but to take the next available right action. For classroom use and family read-alouds, that framework is well-suited to discussion about civic responsibility and kindness. This review covers the book's content and available published reception; hands-on classroom use is best assessed by educators directly.
Interior spread featuring an illustrated biography of an ordinary American changemaker with narrative text and colorful artwork.
Who This Book Is For — and Where It Has Limits
Readers drawn to the Ordinary People Change the World series, the Little Leaders books, or similar civics-minded picture books will find We Are Mighty occupying familiar and friendly territory. Its target age range of 6 and up, combined with a 32-page format, positions it firmly as a read-aloud and early independent reader title rather than a deep-dive reference. Adults seeking more biographical detail about any of the twelve figures profiled will need to look beyond these pages — the picture-book format necessarily keeps each story brief. For what it sets out to do — spark curiosity, model courage, and make civic values feel attainable — the book's design is clear and its ambitions are well-matched to its audience.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
- 1
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penguinrandomhouse.com
- 4
- Further reading
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