ALICE PIPER SPEAKS UP, by Sage Andrew Romero, Loralee Sepsey, Morgan Thompson, Heyday, June 2, 2026, Hardcover, $20 (ages 8-12)
Alice Piper Speaks Up, written by Sage Andrew Romero, Loralee Sepsey and illustrated by Morgan Thompson, tells the story of a Native teenager’s history-making fight for equal education.
Alice Piper just wanted to go to public school.
The year was 1923, and Alice, a Native Nuwuvi (Paiute) teenager in California, dreamed about learning from teachers, making new friends, and being respected for who she was. So, when the school board refused to let her and six other Native students attend, she decided to speak up, and she sued for her right to an equal education.
Alice Piper Speaks Up, the first book dedicated to this major champion of civil rights, features new research into Alice’s life and court case.
Each chapter begins with verse and full-color illustrations that invite readers into Alice’s story. Paired with the poems are sections filled with keyword definitions, historical context, timelines, primary sources, and questions that help readers relate Alice’s experience to their own lives.
The text connects Alice’s case to larger themes about education, Native rights, and movements for school desegregation across the United States. The third book in Heyday’s widely acclaimed Fighting for Justice series, Alice Piper Speaks Up shows how one teen’s action resonates throughout America’s history, even now. —Synopsis provided by Heyday
Alice Piper Speaks Up is a fascinating nonfiction book that touches on the more recent history of some of the Native people who live in California.
Geared toward middle-readers, each chapter features illustrated verse and text that furthers historical understanding. Also included are photographs — both period and recent — of the people and places highlighted in the book.
The authors’ use of verse and “traditional” text offers readers both a close-up view of Alice’s experience and a broader view of the surrounding circumstances. It’s a format that’s accessible and informative, giving Alice’s story a personalized touch.
Alice Piper Speaks Up is a lesser-known story of desegregation that holds interest from beginning to end.
About the creators:
Copyright © 2026 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
