2014 Awards for Human Rights Children’s Books
By Margaret Drew
In 2014 we celebrated the success of several new human rights books this year, including the publication of Human Rights Advocacy in the United States by Martha Davis, Joanne Kalb and Risa Kaufman. Other exciting human rights books were published this year. One catagory not previously discussed on this blog are those books written for younger readers.
This year the Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards were presented primarily to authors of books with human rights themes. One of the books designated an “honor book” is Razia’s Ray of Hope by Elizabeth Sunaby, who based her story on Afghani girls’ struggle to be educated. The storyline involves a young girl of Kabul who wants an education and her attempts to convince the men in her family to permit her to attend school. The author met Razia, a resident of the U.S., at a school fundraiser. As described on the book’s website:
“The story’s protagonist goes to the Zabuli Education Center for girls outside of Kabul, started by Razia Jan. ‘At a fundraiser for the school, I heard Razia Jan recount story after story of the challenges girls who want an education face,’ explains author Elizabeth Suneby. ‘I knew right then that I needed to share these stories with grown-ups and kids living in developed countries who, understandably, take education for granted.’ “
The two books that received awards are Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel and Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Brave Girl is based on the true story of young Clara Lemlich who led the largest walkout of female women in the U.S.
Sugar is the story of a freed slave who remains on the plantation where she was enslaved. The story addresses the complications of the girl’s relationship with the plantation owner’s son as well as the difficulties that arise when Chinese workers are hired to work on the plantation.
Several other books are discussed on the School Library Journal website. I encourage you to take a look.