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In:Geopolitics and Activism in Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Edited by Giuliana Fenech and Justyna Deszcz-Tryhubczak
[Children’s Literature, Culture, and Cognition 18] 2026
► pp. 104–117

Chapter 7
The imaginary citizens, the trickster, and the mighty child

Anti-corruption children’s stories from Indonesia

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This chapter explores a series of anti-corruption children’s books that emerged in post-authoritarian Indonesia. With over 150 titles since 2016, these books, identified by the Berani Jujur Hebat (Honesty is Bravery) label, position children as “becomings” rather than “beings”, emphasizing socialization into ideal citizenship. Among these, sixteen picturebooks portray child agency within didactic narratives, showcasing children navigating moral dilemmas independently while adults take passive roles. This chapter explores selected anti-corruption books, drawing on Weikle-Mills’s concept of “imaginary citizens” (2012) and Beauvais’s The Mighty Child (2016). It argues that these books shape children as “imaginary citizens,” instilling societal adherence without direct political engagement, yet empowering the “mighty child” to challenge adult authority and transform the future.
Article outline
  • Children as imaginary citizens
  • The trickster turns good
  • Children as mighty
  • Conclusion
  • References
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