Recent Work
Allison Matulli
Allison Matulli, J.D., M.Ed. is a former attorney and certified Montessori lead educator who believes that knowing one’s rights and respecting those of others is the path to creating conscious citizens and community – starting with our kids.
A DEI specialist and education reform activist, Allison consults with schools worldwide on how to provide families, educators and students with tools and understanding to address issues of race, systematic racism, prejudice, legal literacy, diversity and inclusion. As Founder of The Little Lawyers, she also runs an organization that provides curriculum and workshops to empower children to understand their rights and responsibilities. Additionally, Allison is a Criminal Justice professor at Florida International University, one of the nation’s 10 biggest public universities. She has been featured as a keynote speaker in various events including roundtables sponsored by the New York Times and has been a contributing writer to Education Week and more.
Allison is the author of Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment (Running Press Kids, Fall 2023), which has already received a starred review from Booklist. In addition, she is the author of I Am Because We Are and another picture book, forthcoming from Disney.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Allison’s lifelong quest to connect with and understand others has led her to visit 30 countries and live in several nations including Italy, Argentina, and England. She also speaks fluent Italian. She has just received a Fulbright Global Scholar Award for 2023-2025; during which she will study and write about how children experience freedom of speech in various countries around the world.
Allison is always looking to engage in inspiring conversations about “right” and “wrong”. After all, she is a graduate of Howard University School of Law – a school known for pioneering the Civil Rights Movement. She understands how law drives the most dramatic, emotional stories of American history (and present!) and aims to approach her writing for children in a way that passes that intrigue and passion on to the next generation.
She lives in Miami with her husband and two children. Visit www.thelittlelawyers.com or follower her online:
Praise for Allison’s writing in YOUR FREEDOM, YOUR POWER:
★ “This offering’s subtitle includes the words ‘A Kid’s Guide,’ and here those words are especially apt. Readers are addressed directly, kids’ rights and relatable issues are kept at the forefront of every discussion . . . . Most important, this book empowers kids, telling them how to use their voices and defend their rights.”
– Booklist, starred review
“Current, insightful, and savvy.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“Matulli and Castro-Malaspina break down the functions of the First Amendment in this handy guide to American politics. Through their conversational approach, the authors demystify the document to present a primer for young people.”
– Publisher’s Weekly
“An ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to middle school and community library Political Science collections for young readers.”
– Midwest Book Review
“What makes this guide so powerful is that while most books about the First Amendment provide examples of landmark cases brought before the courts in defense of adult rights, all the cases here are brought on behalf of minors.”
– School Library Journal