How does this issue impact YOU and the people you care about?
STEP 1: 5 MINUTES
Get Curious: Pick A Story
Which stories and videos make you interested in learning more about this issue?
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Let's explore
Tricksters & Cultural Fluency
Tricksters - Story characters who reveal unspoken rules of their culture and disobey the culture's power structure.
Cultural Fluency - Understanding the differences what different groups consider acceptable behavior, and using that knowledge to treat members of other cultures in a way that feels respectful.
SMASH THE KYRIARCHY
Why Act Now?
Reading trickster stories from around the world increases our cultural fluency and inspires us to consider which cultural rules we're willing to break. Tricksters reveal the unspoken rules of a culture by breaking the rules and facing consequences so kids don't have to test misbehavior on their own.
Tricksters often push up against entrenched power systems - whether as underdogs or petulant brats, they give us a creative outlet to imagine life without the restrictions of social expectations.
In raising a generation of kind and courageous activists, we share trickster stories to show kids that there are both benefits and unavoidable consequences to rejecting the status quo.
Trickster Toolkit For Clever Kids
Cultural Fluency & Survival Strategies For Surviving Fascism
CHOSEN BY KYRIARCHY-SMASHING KIDS
Best Trickster Stories For Kids
Find Trickster Stories that connect to your family's culture and stories told with permission from Indigenous elders local to you.
STEP 2: 10 MINUTES
Ask Questions
Talk about this topic with an adult who you trust to be honest with you..
Which...
Which trickster characters do we feel kinship with? Which do we disagree with?
Which trickster stories did we inherit from our ancestors?
Which stories are indigenous to the people and places we call home?
Who...
Who is allowed to share these stories? Under what conditions?*
How do these stories connect us to our ancestors, and to each other?
How...
How have these stories changed over time?
How can we learn what the people who share this story view as 'good' or 'naughty' behavior from the way they tell the story?
How do our favorite tricksters help us identify rules worth breaking?
*Do your research and be respectful of the people whose culture the story belongs to before sharing a trickster story.
Many stories, particularly those originating from Indigenous and First Nations people through Turtle Island, are respected as living or told as a closed practice due to cultural and historical reasons- or under threat of distortion from colonizers, can only be shared by authorized storytellers.
Some may only be shared during specific events and seasons. Some stories are sung, or shared in a rhythm of call-and-response.
Some trickster stories coincide with religious faiths and cultural creation stories, while others are relatively recent additions from pop culture. Some must be told exactly the same while others are welcome for anyone to make their own spin on them.
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STEP 3: USE WHAT YOU HAVE
Get Creative
Flex your brain using what you've learned & discover what's within your control to change.
Infants & Toddlers
Crib Mobile for Baby Troublemakers
Welcome a sense of rebellion and critical thinking early with your infant with high-contrast, newborn-friendly calls to rebel against the system. This downloadable PDF guidebook includes Sun Wukong (Monkey King) printables that will make the boring folks in your life question your parenting choices and back away slowly, so you have more room for mischief-making.
Pre-K
Sun Wukong (Monkey King) Affirmation Cards
Trace or print these full-color printable affirmation cards to give you a pep of energy when you've had enough of this bullshit kyriarchy and are ready to wreak havoc on systemic injustice.
Elementary+
Trickster Bingo
Listen to stories of tricksters both familiar and new to your family. Start with this bingo chart of popular tricksters in lore, faith, and stories from around the world.
Elementary+
How To Draw A Nine-Tailed Fox
Simple step-by-step guide on how to draw a chibi-style Nine-Tailed fox, via Aram of How To Draw For Kids.
Create a drawing of your favorite trickster and tell us about your creation in the comments below.
RAISING LUMINARIES
Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.
ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
STAY IN TOUCH
Get free weekly email notifications with toolkits, guides & little delights
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Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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TOPICS
CONTACT
RECIPROCATE
Collaborate with Raising Luminaries on an issue important to you.
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Luminary Braintrust
Feeling overwhelmed by the rising forces of fascism?
From protecting our public schools to safeguarding civil rights, the Luminary Braintrust helps you find clever ways to survive and care for each other when our rights are under attack.
Not a member yet? Join the Luminary Braintrust.
STEP 4: ASSESS YOUR CAPACITY
Step Into Your Power: Take Action
Whether it's time, money, or our voice - we all have something to contribute.
if you have 10 minutes
Unite Against Book Bans
Children's book censorship targets the traditional and lived stories of BIPOC, LGBTQi2S+, disabled, and other people forced into silence and stigma. Learn how to advocate against censorship with in your local elections to end and prevent book bans motivated by bigotry.
DIG DEEPER
Bonus Resources
Share what worked for your family (and what didn't).
Add the resources you suggest in the comments below to help families like yours.
WATCH
Trickster Playlist
Collecting our favorite trickster stories for older kids & adults as we find good ones. Share your favorites in the comments.
Via Raising Luminaries
READ
Subverting Racist Gatekeeping in Kidlit
Zetta Elliott advocates for opportunities so under-represented creators can share their stories - and how to circumvent the gatekeepers who prefer us silent.
via Zetta Elliott
JOIN
Is Your Fave Kids Movie Problematic?
Join me as I unpack a new kids movie every week to celebrate diverse representation and rip apart problematic tropes.
via our Luminary Braintrust Membership Community
FLAUNT
Shake Whatcha Got
I couldn't resist making some subversive kids shirts out of our Rebel Baby Mobile graphics.
Grab a trickster t-shirt with Sun Wukong,' Nezha about to set shit on fire, or a pooping bunny. Your orders support my work on this toolkit.
Stay Curious, Stand Brave & Smash The Kyriarchy
Raising Luminaries reduces the workload on overworked caregivers
igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders
Ashia (they/them or she/her)
Raising Luminaries is founded & run by me, Ashia Ray – an Autistic, multiracial (Chinese/Irish) 2nd-generation settler raising two children alongside my partner on the homelands of the Wampanoag and Massachusett people. I support families and educators in raising the next generation of kind & courageous leaders, so we can all smash the kyriarchy together.
Reciprocate & Contribute
Help me keep these resources free & accessible for all
RAISING LUMINARIES
Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders.
ABOUT | MISSION | FINANCIALS | ACCOUNTABILITY
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
STAY IN TOUCH
Get free weekly email notifications with toolkits, guides & little delights
FREE STUFF
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
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Posts may contain affiliate links and sponsorships, which allow me to earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
PARTNERS IN CAHOOTS
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RECIPROCATE
Collaborate with Raising Luminaries on an issue important to you.
You’re welcome to share & boost this toolkit, with attribution to Raising Luminaries.
Raising Luminaries is anchored in the land of the Wampanoag & Massachusett People.
Support Wôpanâak early childhood education here.
©2025 Ashia Ray of Raising Luminaries™. All rights reserved.
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Photographs via Unsplash & Illustrations via Storyset, used with permission.
1 comment
I love how you’ve curated a toolkit of trickster stories that challenge kids to think critically and question the world around them. It’s such a clever and meaningful approach to storytelling — encouraging kids to embrace curiosity, cleverness, and problem-solving. The way you emphasize diverse perspectives and complex characters is so important, and it’s clear you’re passionate about helping kids build empathy and resilience through stories. Thank you for providing such a thoughtful and engaging resource for parents and educators alike.