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MALALA

ACTIVIST FOR GIRLS' EDUCATION

A realistic and inspiring look at Malala Yousafzai’s childhood in Taliban-controlled Pakistan and her struggle to ensure...

A fight for girls’ education.

Opinionated, vocal, and resilient, Malala Yousafzai stood up for herself and for girls everywhere when the Taliban destroyed schools in her native Pakistan. Striking illustrations, evocative of the Pakistani landscape and of Malala’s own hopes and dreams, show Malala and her world in intricate and colorful detail, while straightforward text depicts her childhood and family life in the mountains and valleys of Pakistan and describes the growth of her determination to improve opportunities for girls in her own country and elsewhere. The Taliban’s assassination attempt is dealt with sensitively and honestly, with a focus on her ultimate recovery and return to work as an outspoken advocate for children, girls, and education. Children will find much to be inspired by and empathize with here, from Malala’s warm and supportive family, her stalwart belief in doing what is right, her concern for the lives of others and her determination to help them, and her own words: “One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.” Extensive notes and photographs are included in the backmatter, as well as a timeline, map, and further reading.

A realistic and inspiring look at Malala Yousafzai’s childhood in Taliban-controlled Pakistan and her struggle to ensure education for girls. (Picture book. 6-10)

Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-58089-785-3

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016

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THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH

A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering.

An honestly told biography of an important politician whose name every American should know.

Published while the United States has its first African-American president, this story of John Roy Lynch, the first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, lays bare the long and arduous path black Americans have walked to obtain equality. The title’s first three words—“The Amazing Age”—emphasize how many more freedoms African-Americans had during Reconstruction than for decades afterward. Barton and Tate do not shy away from honest depictions of slavery, floggings, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow laws, or the various means of intimidation that whites employed to prevent blacks from voting and living lives equal to those of whites. Like President Barack Obama, Lynch was of biracial descent; born to an enslaved mother and an Irish father, he did not know hard labor until his slave mistress asked him a question that he answered honestly. Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Lynch had a long and varied career that points to his resilience and perseverance. Tate’s bright watercolor illustrations often belie the harshness of what takes place within them; though this sometimes creates a visual conflict, it may also make the book more palatable for young readers unaware of the violence African-Americans have suffered than fully graphic images would. A historical note, timeline, author’s and illustrator’s notes, bibliography and map are appended.

A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering. (Picture book biography. 7-10)

Pub Date: April 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-8028-5379-0

Page Count: 50

Publisher: Eerdmans

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015

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A JOURNEY TOWARD HOPE

An emotional entry point to a larger, necessary discussion on this complex and difficult subject.

The paths of four migrant children from different Central American countries cross as they enter Mexico, and together they continue their journey to the United States.

Though their reasons for undertaking the perilous journey are different, their hopes are not: They all hope for asylum in the U.S. Ten-year-old Alessandra, from Guatemala, hopes to reunite with her mother, who left four years ago. Thirteen-year-old Laura and her 7-year-old brother, Nando, from El Salvador, are going to live with relatives in the U.S. And 14-year-old Rodrigo, from Honduras, will try to join his parents in Nebraska rather than join a local gang. Along the way they encounter danger, hunger, kindness from strangers, and, most importantly, the strength of friendship with one another. Through the four children, the book provides but the barest glimpse into the reasons, hopes, and dreams of the thousands of unaccompanied minors that arrive at the U.S.–Mexico border every year. Artist Guevara has added Central American folk art–influenced details to her illustrations, giving depth to the artwork. These embellishments appear as line drawings superimposed on the watercolor scenes. The backmatter explains the reasons for the book, helping to place it within the larger context of ongoing projects at Baylor University related to the migration crisis in Central America.

An emotional entry point to a larger, necessary discussion on this complex and difficult subject. (Picture book. 7-10)

Pub Date: July 7, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-64442-008-9

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Six Foot Press

Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020

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