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Amartya Sen’s famous study of famines found that people died not because of a lack of food availability in a country, but because some people lacked entitlements to food. Can the same now be applied to the causes of global poverty?
Poverty can be defined by 'the condition of having little or no wealth or few material possessions; indigence, destitution' and is a growing area within development studies. In time for The Development Studies Association annual conference taking place in Oxford this year in September, we have put together this reading list of key books on poverty, including a variety of online and journal resources on topics ranging from poverty reduction and inequality, to economic development and policy.
Yesterday I spoke on a panel of all female young adult authors and editors. Our audience was a group of almost all female librarians. After our panel, a representative from Gender Spectrum shared his understanding of gender and children, and his organization's mission to serve transgendered children.
As he spoke, I found myself getting more and more irritated. At the end, I raised my hand and fired off an aggressive question—I can hardly remember what I asked. Then, as he was answering diplomatically and politely, I cut him off, blurting out something like, “That’s a lot of powerful adults making a decision for a powerless child!”
It got worse. I stormed out of the panel and leaped in my car. It took a few minutes for the a wave of shame to overwhelm me. I’m not usually that rude, am I? Maybe I’m turning into the wicked villain of western fairy tales: a curmudgeonly old woman, I thought. That’s it. I’ve become a crone.
But as I drove to my parents’ house, I realized I was more than cranky and irritated. I was furious. But why?
He was championing marginalized children. I’m all for that.
He was encouraging us to create safe spaces for children in danger of bullying or self-harm. I’m definitely for that.
He was telling us that children should be free to decide their own identities. I can advocate for that.
Then why was I so ANGRY? I've been ruminating over the possible reasons for my rage, and here’s what I've realized.
(1) In his portrayal of gender as three-fold—in biology, expression, and identity—he didn’t mention the unique capacity of women to become pregnant, sometimes against our will. Being born with a biological uterus brings a potential cost that doesn’t come with expressing yourself as a woman and identifying as a woman. Especially in villages where brown and black women suffer through fistula, female genital cutting, child marriage, and rape. Think about living in places where a girl can be shot in the face for speaking up (I love you, Malala.)
(2) In his portrayal of gender as fluid, he didn’t mention the history of oppression that women have and continue to experience—especially brown and black women. Out of her suffering and marginalization, Sojourner Truth won the right to ask, “Ain’t I a Woman?”
(Take your time to watch the video below of Alfre Woodard re-enacting this landmark speech--it's beautiful.)
To choose to be a woman is significantly different than to choose to be a man given the history and continued existence of pervasive misogyny. Maybe this is why we are seeing an odd rift between feminists and the trans community. We're all in favor of championing marginalized voices, but we can't nod our heads dumbly without exploring the nuances and tension within each particular situation. “Diversity” is complex, and rightfully so.
(3) In his push to prove that gender is no longer binary (male and female), the Gender Spectrum speaker seemed to contradict himself: apparently, it’s no longer binary unless a child insistently, persistently, and consistently decides to be male or female. Why this particular statement was a punch in the gut didn’t come to me until this morning, when I realized it was an emotion akin to how I feel when I encounter cultural appropriation.
It's a question of power.
Here was a white, adult man telling me it was essentially the same thing for a girl to want to be a boy as for a boy to want to be a girl. It was all about the choice and desire of the child, he was saying. He was drawing squiggly lines here, there, and everywhere to show how anybody could choose to be anything. And this made the little brown girl in me furious, because the rights of powerless biological girls are consistently, persistently, and insistently overcome by the desires and intentions of powerful adults, usually men.
I was born a third daughter in a culture that scorned my mother for producing me. In response, she dressed me as a boy in public. People would laud her for giving her husband such a chubby, healthy son. I knew how unhappy she was, and so I (insistently, persistently, and consistently) wanted to be a boy for years. I wanted to make my mother happy—what child doesn’t?
Even if son-desiring parents wait until the child can express her gender and her identity, as this speaker was advocating, couldn’t a desire for adult approval and cultural power lead to this child passionately expressing a desire to become a boy?
My rage came to a head when I arrived at my parents’ house. Sixty years ago my mother was given in marriage to a man she didn’t know. The dowry was good. She was a teenager without voice or choice. (My great-grandmother was nine when she was married off, so I guess it wasn’t so bad for Ma—everything’s relative, right? No pun intended.) Now my mother is tenderly caring for a man she didn’t choose to marry, and she's doing it with grace and joy. If she could have looked ahead to the miscarriages, traumatic childbirths, shame, abuse, onerous maternal duties, and lack of power she experienced ALL THROUGHOUT her life as a woman, would the child version of her have chosen to identify and express herself as a man? Wouldn’t she have changed the biology of her daughters in the womb if science had given her the capacity?
Maybe we all would. Who doesn’t want their child to be powerful? That’s why children have eyelid surgery and babies sit in tubs of chickpea flour to lighten their skin. Meanwhile, gender selection is already happening for parents with the money and power to make it happen.
I’m grateful for a sisterhood of suffering brown women around the globe, and the chance to speak up on their behalf. Here’s what I want to say to the folks at Gender Spectrum before they make their next presentation: Step outside of North American borders, please, and exit modern time for a moment. Set your discussion about gender in the context of history as well as while acknowledging the present-day oppression of women. The biology of being born a girl, and especially a brown girl, launches you on a different hero’s journey. If you're not convinced, come over, have a cup of tea with my mother, and listen to her stories.
In the meantime, I’m casting my vote for Malala as woman of the decade.
This summer, as kids set up lemonade stands, car washes, and dog walking services, consider inspiring them to give a portion of their entrepreneurial proceeds to the children of Nepal.
Before the earthquakes, Nepalese were working fiercely to increase the literacy rate by building libraries across the country. Apart from our sorrow over the loss of life during and after the disaster, we also grieve a devastating setback in the country's efforts to progress in education.
We can help rebuild education and literacy in Nepal. Why not read a book featuring that beautiful Himalayan country with your children, Girl Scout/Boy Scout troop, summer reading program, Sunday School or Vacation Bible School class? Then encourage them to raise money for an organization working to rebuild libraries and literacy in response to the earthquakes. Check out a few choices below (reviews courtesy of School Library Journal), and please add more options for good books to read and organizations to support in the comments.
K-Gr 3—While shopping in the marketplace, Chandra and her sister, Deena, watch a man selling solar lights. Because few have electricity, at home, Nepali families use tukis, or kerosene lamps, that are very smoky and produce unhealthy fumes. Although the solar lamp is expensive, the girls are certain that it would help quiet their baby brother's smoke-induced cough. They excitedly share the information about the "magic light" with their father. However, it isn't until he sees one working at a neighbor's house that he becomes interested. The new lamps cost more than the family has available, so the girls brainstorm ways they can earn the money. They decide to sell bunches of colorful rhododendrons that grow in the hills. Arriving early to market, Deena has time to tell Chandra a story of the sun god, Surya, and the moon god, Chandra. The young girl is proud to be named for such a powerful god. The girls' stall does well, and they are able to purchase the last solar light available. That night, their little brother sleeps and breathes peacefully. The full-color, mixed-media illustrations dominate the pages with vitality and detail. Thorough endnotes provide much information about Nepal, its people and solar power as well as instructions for making a solar oven. This tale of sibling compassion and ingenuity provides enough story for enjoyment alone but would also work well as an introduction to another culture and religion. — Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY, School Library Journal
Namaste! by Diana Cohn (Author), Amy Cordova (Illustrator), published by Steiner Press, February 2013.
K-Gr 2 — Nima lives in the mountain country of Nepal. Every year her father has to leave to work as a mountain guide for climbers from around the world. The child and her mother part from him with prayers and rice offerings, and by placing a khata, the traditional shawl, around his neck for good luck. Then Nima walks to school. Along the way, she greets yaks, tourists, porters, traders, and Tibetan monks with a "Namaste" by bringing the palms of her hands together and bowing slightly. This greeting translates into "the light in me meets the light in you," and readers soon learn that Nima brings light to everyone around her. The vibrant folk-art illustrations showing the details of Nima's life in her village support the simple story perfectly. This beautiful book will appeal to primary readers and make an ideal addition to multicultural collections. An extensive glossary explains Nepalese terms, and an afterword gives background on Nepalese culture. — Monika Schroeder, American Embassy School, New Delhi, India, School Library Journal
K-Gr 3 – This fable begins at the marketplace, when a young father chooses a new basket for his family. Told from the point of view of the basket, the story proceeds as the baby boy grows up, the man's wife dies, and the son marries and has a family of his own. Through the years, the basket carries infants, crops, and even the woman's body to her grave; it becomes part of the family in a very fundamental way. At last, the father is a disabled old man and his son proposes to leave him at the temple so the priests will have to take care of him. The basket is consigned to carry him there, until the grandson intervenes with a haunting question that offers the moral of this traditional tale from Nepal. A quote from Kung Fu Tze in the sixth century B.C. opens the book: "What one wishes not upon oneself, one burdens not upon another." The simple text offers a splendid backdrop for the beautiful illustrations. Done in gouache, pastel, and collage, the pictures have graceful lines, subtle textures, and magnificent colors. With gold endpapers and gold edgings around each page, there's a timeless quality suited to the story. Lovely. – Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL, School Library Journal
Sold by Patricia Mcormack, published by Hyperion Books for Children, 2008.
Gr 9-Up – As this heartbreaking story opens, 13-year-old Lakshmi lives an ordinary life in Nepal, going to school and thinking of the boy she is to marry. Then her gambling-addicted stepfather sells her into prostitution in India. Refusing to be with men, she is beaten and starved until she gives in. Written in free verse, the girls first-person narration is horrifying and difficult to read. In between, men come./They crush my bones with their weight./They split me open./Then they disappear. I hurt./I am torn and bleeding where the men have been. The spare, unadorned text matches the barrenness of Lakshmis new life. She is told that if she works off her familys debt, she can leave, but she soon discovers that this is virtually impossible. When a boy who runs errands for the girls and their clients begins to teach her to read, she feels a bit more alive, remembering what it feels like to be the number one girl in class again. When an American comes to the brothel to rescue girls, Lakshmi finally gets a sense of hope. An authors note confirms what readers fear: thousands of girls, like Lakshmi in this story, are sold into prostitution each year. Part of McCormicks research for this novel involved interviewing women in Nepal and India, and her depth of detail makes the characters believable and their misery palpable. This important book was written in their honor. – Alexa Sandmann, Kent State University, OH, School Library Journal
A film based on McCormick's award-winning novel, Sold: The Movie, produced by Emma Thompson, is available for screening. Here's the trailer.
Organizations working to (re)build literacy in Nepal
READ has its roots in Nepal, where their first office opened in 1991 after a rural villager told the organization's founder that all he wanted for his village was a library. Since then they have opened READ Centers across the country, offering training programs in livelihood skills, literacy, health, and technology. With partner communities, READ has seeded sustaining enterprises that address community needs: from fish farming and turmeric farming to a community radio station. Almost 4,000 women participate in savings cooperatives at READ Centers in Nepal.
In 1998, Room to Read's Founder, John Wood, delivered his first few hundred books to a school high in the Himalayas, and the organization—then known as Books for Nepal—was born. Since then, Room to Read's local team has expanded operations in the country to include school libraries, reading and writing instruction, school construction, book publishing and girls’ education. They now work in both the Himalayan region and the lowlying Tarai flatlands to improve educational opportunities for Nepal's children.
The Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation maintains seven rural libraries in Nepal, and is seeking to build more. Once books arrive in Nepal, volunteers sort through them and divide them between the libraries. Books are either flown or taken by truck to the trail head and then loaded onto yaks, dzopkyos, donkeys, horses or people who carry them to their remote destinations.
For an overview of Nepalese Children's Literature, check out History of Children’s Literature In Nepal by Biswambhar Ghimire (Chanchal), courtesy of the International Board of Books for Young People.
"If you were living in another country and heard that lots of Americans were hungry, would you leave behind your own safety and comfort to return here and serve?"
"If you asked a lot of people for help once you got here and they all said no, would you give up? Or would you try and come up with a way to solve the problem without their help?"
"What's the difference between a celebrity and a hero?"
Before reading TWENTY-TWO CENTS: MUHAMMAD YUNUS AND THE VILLAGE BANK by Paula Yoo (Lee and Low) to a group of fifth-graders, I might start by asking questions like these. Then I would launch into the story, letting their eyes linger on the beautiful paintings by Jamel Akib. I agree with Publisher's Weekly's review: "In detailed and inviting prose, Yoo shares the story of activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus, beginning with his childhood ... Akib’s grainy, jewel-toned chalk pastels contrast a sense of scarcity and deprivation with one of warmth and humanity. Yoo makes the significance of Yunus’s contributions understandable, relevant, and immediate."
Without overstating Yunus' humble and yet not impoverished background, Yoo and Akib make it clear that this world-changer didn't come from privilege. Children in all circumstances will be inspired by Yunus' life and by the difference he has made throughout the planet. I pay attention to cultural details about my own Bengali heritage, and Akib didn't disappoint with his accurate depiction of practices like giving and receiving with the right hand, squatting to chat, and sitting cross-legged to learn. In the final pages, he paints a panel of proud young brown women whose faces and postures speak volumes about empowerment and hope.
It's been a while since I read a biography aimed for children, but after enjoying this one so much I'm going to look for more. I remember discovering a series in the library when I was in fourth or fifth grade called “The Childhood of Famous American Series” from Bobbs-Merrill. Looking back, I'm surprised by how many world-changing women were featured: I read about Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, and Louisa May Alcott. All the books began with a person my age or so who went on to change the world, and as I devoured them I began to imagine trying to make my own mark.
I invited Paula to chat with me on the Fire Escape about creating the book and about the power of biography to inspire and inform. Read on to enjoy her brilliance.
Welcome, my multi-talented friend. Your website is a dizzying display of diverse talent—music, children's books, television writing. You're a celebrity in your own right. Okay, let's start with an easy question: why did you want to write this biography?
Jason Low of Lee and Low Books first approached me about the life of Muhammad Yunus as a possible children's picture book biography. He suggested I read Professor Yunus' autobiography, BANKER TO THE POOR: MICRO-LENDING AND THE BATTLE AGAINST WORLD POVERTY (Public Affairs, 2008). I read this book in one day—I was mesmerized by Professor Yunus' passion and dedication towards helping others left fortunate. His colorful childhood and awakening as an activist inspired me. I agreed with Jason that Muhammad Yunus would make for a great biography to inspire children to learn about compassion and generosity.
What kind of research did you do for the book?
I read several more books and newspaper/magazine articles about Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank. I also interviewed historians and professors who teach college courses about the history and culture of Bangladesh. Most importantly, I had the honor of meeting and interviewing Muhammad Yunus himself when he visited Los Angeles. It was such a privilege to sit down with Professor Yunus and hear his thoughts on how to eradicate world poverty.
A good biography is not dry and boring. A good biography is a compelling and engaging story about a person's life and what events inspired him or her to follow a certain path in life that would change the world forever. I love a good plot, but I love a good character even more. To me, a strong biography is one that embraces its main subject as a CHARACTER who faces obstacles and overcomes them with his or her clever initiatives, passion and drive. It's important for young people to read biographies so they can learn how one person CAN make a huge difference in our world. It's also fun for young people because they also are entertained by a suspenseful storyline that shows HOW that one person changed and grew as a result of overcoming their obstacles in life.
Could you sum up for us the dream response of a reader who knows little or nothing about Bangladesh's history and culture?
For me, a dream response of a reader who knows little or nothing abut Bangladesh's history and culture would be their admiration and respect for a country that has never given up, even in the face of war, famine and natural disaster. I would hope readers would be inspired to read more about Bangladesh and its beautiful and complex cultural history as well. And of course, to visit a restaurant and eat the awesome food, especially the many different kinds of pithas that Muhammad loved to eat as a child! :)
Now let's move to the journey of getting the picture book published. What was a high point? A low point?
I researched and wrote several drafts of this book that Jason Low read and critiqued. I revised it quite a bit before it was deemed submission-worthy. The high point was getting the email announcing the exciting news that it had been selected for publication. No matter how many books you write and publish, every new book that is accepted for publication always feels like your first book! It's an exciting feeling that never gets old. I also know picture books can take awhile because you also have to wait for the illustration/art to be completed. So the "low" point was me impatiently waiting and checking my emails obsessively for a sneak peek of the art work! But it was worth the wait - Jamel Akib's art work was phenomenal.
His pastels are gorgeous! I went to his website and want to buy all of his paintings. Okay, next question: what was the biggest change you made in response to an editorial suggestion?
The biggest change I made in response to an editorial suggestion was figuring out how to increase the presence and influence of both Muhammad's mother and father on his growth as a child learning how to become more compassionate and generous. I had focused more on his mother and then was asked to research his relationship with his father more. As a result, I feel the parents' portrayal is much richer and add more depth to what drove Muhammad to become such an advocate for the poor.
Yes, I completely agree. Could you describe a fear you have about this picture book that can keep you up at night?
As a Korean American, I wanted to make sure the portrayal of Muhammad Yunus and his country of Bangladesh were portrayed in the most accurate and authentic way as possible. I channeled into the universal themes that connected me as a human being to Muhammad's life—focusing on the universal themes of his life and his country's history helped me as I triple fact-checked everything. I also found it quite challenging to sum up the history of Bangladesh in such a short amount of text because this was written in the genre of picture books for children, which requires much brevity. Bangladesh has a complex and rich history and I did not want to cheat that historical depth or write anything that was too short and out of context. So I wold say my fear was really more of a concern to make sure Muhammad Yunus and Bangladesh were portrayed in the most authentic light possible.
This book proves without a doubt that authenticity doesn't depend on having the "right" ethnic credentials (whatever that means), but I'd like to explore how much Jamal's Malaysian heritage informed his gut about life in a Muslim country. I'd love to find out what kind of research he did about Bangladeshi cultural practices before finalizing the art. Maybe I'll invite him out here someday. Last but not least: what's next for Paula Yoo in the creative realm?
I'm working on a bunch of manuscripts-in-progress, from a new YA novel idea I have to a couple adult novel ideas, as well as some new picture books (researching new biography topics). I'm also working on a special children's book project that I can't announce yet but stay tuned! :) I also am a TV producer so I'm currently writing for SyFy's DEFIANCE. As for picture books, I host the very popular NAPIBOWRIWEE (National Picture Book Writing Week) event every May 1-7 in which I challenge writers to write 7 picture books in 7 days to help defeat procrastination. (That way everyone has 7 rough drafts they can then pick and choose to revise for the rest of the year!) I feature fun Q and As with published picture book authors and writing advice, plus a fun contest featuring some awesome autographed books from myself and others. The next event takes place May 1-7, 2015.
Thanks so much for spending time out on the Fire Escape with me, Paula, and for writing this book. God bless you and your work in 2015!
I've been reading The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence by Gary Haugen and Victor Boutros, which makes a strong case against the atrocities of gender violence. Yesterday I ran across this troubling article from ThinkProgress explaining how the world quickly stopped caring about the kidnapped Nigerian girls, and this opinion in the Telegraph that hashtag campaigns may fail by giving the perpetrators exactly what they want: global publicity. There's another way to keep our minds and hearts focused on the true protagonists of this horrible event—through the power of fiction. Here are three great reads that can connect us to the girls themselves as we hope and pray for their release.
No Laughter Here (Harper) by Rita Williams-Garcia Even though they were born in different countries, Akilah and Victoria are true best friends. But Victoria has been acting strange ever since she returned from her summer in Nigeria, where she had a special coming-of-age ceremony. Why does proud Victoria, named for a queen, slouch at her desk and answer the teacher's questions in a whisper? And why won't she laugh with Akilah anymore? Akilah's name means "intelligent," and she is determined to find out what's wrong, no matter how much detective work she has to do. But when she learns the terrible secret Victoria is hiding, she suddenly has even more questions. The only problem is, they might not be the kind that have answers.
"This exquisitely written short novel tackles an enormous and sensitive subject… Unapologetic, fresh and painful." — Kirkus Reviews (Starred review)
"Combines a richly layered story with accurate, culturally specific information ..... [a] skillfully told, powerful story."� ALA Booklist (Starred review) The Other Side of Truth (HarperTrophy) by Beverly Naidoo, winner of the Carnegie Medal.
A shot. Two shots at the gate in the early morning and a car screeches away down an avenue of palm trees. A tragedy - and a terrible loss for Sade and her younger brother Femi, children of an outspoken Nigerian journalist. Now terror is all around them and they must flee their country. At once. And alone. Plans for their journey have to be hastily arranged. Everything must be done in secret. But once Sade and Femi reach England, they will be safe - won't they? "Totally gripping, somewhat shaming and entirely believable, this is an engrossing and thought-provoking read for 10-years-olds plus." — Sunday Telegraph
"Narrated with exceptional skill in a bracing, unadorned style…" — The Scotsman
Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating.
As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father’s authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins’ laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together.
"Prose as lush as the Nigerian landscape that it powerfully evokes. . . . Adichie's understanding of a young girl's heart is so acute that her story ultimately rises above its setting and makes her little part of Nigeria seem as close and vivid as Eudora Welty's Mississippi." — The Boston Globe
"In a soft, searing voice, Adichie examines the complexities of family, faith and country through the haunted but hopeful eyes of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood. Lush, cadenced and often disconcerting. — Publishers Weekly
When challenged by others as to why he focuses on stories about foreigners working in African countries, New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof responds with the idea that "bridge" characters are needed to draw readers into a story.
The rules must be different in the world of global children's literature. Kristof makes two assumptions that don't work for me: first, that readers won't be able to connect with stories unless you include an American, and second, that his readers are American.
I've never included "bridge" foreigners in stories set outside North America. First, I trust young readers to connect with characters of a different culture. Second, since I grew up "between cultures," so I never assume that my reader is staunchly in the majority culture. I always ask how the story would be received by a child within that culture as well as by North American readers, and "outside saviors" seem to discourage rather than empower non-majority children.
Of course, this literary premise of needing "bridge" characters may be the reason why (a) global books don't sell well without a big gatekeeper push, and (b) I got rejected for years and years because I was submitting books without them.
What do you think? Does a "bridge" character in fiction draw you into a story? If books by authors like Jhumpa Lahiri and Khaled Hosseini didn't have anything or anybody "American" in them, would they have won such wide cultural favor?
Today in my "Race, Culture, and Power in Children's Stories" class at Saint Mary's College of California, we took a look at the winners of the 2014 ALA Youth Media Award, announced early this morning. We explored four questions:
Do any of the winning books or honorees feature a main character belonging to a group that has endured oppression in North America due to race or culture?
Are any of the winning books or honorees set in a non-Western country?
Are any of the main characters from an economically powerless family or subculture?
Did any of the winning authors/illustrators grow up on the margins of power when it comes to race, culture, and/or class?
Do these questions matter in children's stories? Setting aside the Coretta Scott King and Pura Belpré awards for a moment, how would you answer these questions?
Note: In my author hat, I'm thrilled for all of the winners and so proud to see children's books making headlines. Congratulations, one and all! But in teacher mode, I am encouraging a focus on marginalized and powerless children and so invite you to join the discussion.
If your kids are complaining about school, don't lecture them about the gift of an education. Instead, read them Razia's Ray of Hope: One Girl's Dream of an Education by Elizabeth Suneby, illustrated by Suana Verelst (Kids Can Press, 9/13).
This inspiring story is about a brave girl in Afghanistan who must convince the men in her family to allow her to attend school. The author, Elizabeth Suneby, was inspired by Razia Jan, one of CNN’s 2012 Top 10 Heroes of the Year. Jan founded the Zabuli Education Center outside Kabul, near villages where there had never been a school for girls.
Instead of telling us information about the school from an insider's perspective, Suneby introduces us to another Razia, a girl who gazes longingly at the school from the outside. Details about life in Afghanistan are seamlessly woven into the story. As they cheer for Razia on her brave quest, American children might begin to understand the value of an education and why so many of their counterparts in other countries desperately desire it.
Cloud Tea Monkeys (Candlewick) by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham is a tale about a compassionate, spunky, animal-loving girl about nine or ten. Know any girls like that? Then please invite them for afternoon tea and biscuits and read Tashi's story aloud.
More than a fairy or folk tale (even though it was an accolade book for the Aesop prize), this engaging child-centered story depicts clearly the source of our tea. Set in a Himalayan community, neither the story nor illustrations stint on the labor required from women and children to grow a product that many of us take for granted. Let your guests savor the glowing, gorgeous illustrations by Juan Wijngaard as you're transported to the faraway world of tea gardens, but you might also ask questions about how hard the women have to work and why Tashi isn't going to school.
One also wonders what might have happened to Tashi and her mother if monkeys hadn't come to the rescue. Real life doesn't have as many happy endings. How we consume in America makes a huge difference in the lives of girls like Tashi who don't have access to magic. (For example, Honest Tea buys 100% fair trade tea, Lipton is moving to this by 2020, but Snapple is far from that goal.)
Encourage children to learn about fair trade tea—it's a concept most of us can grasp at a fairly young age. Here are some free curriculum and great teaching suggestions from Equal Exchange, and enjoy this video from the people at Art of Tea.
Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients who traditionally lack access to banking. Organizations like Kiva and the Grameen Bank believe it's a vital weapon in the war against poverty. But how do we help kids grasp the concept? Here are five books that introduce children to the impact of microfinance (full disclosure: one is mine).
A young girl's dream of attending school in her small Ugandan village is fulfilled after her family is given an income-producing goat. Based on a true story about the work of Project Heifer.
Naima is a talented painter of traditional alpana patterns, which Bangladeshi women and girls paint on their houses for special celebrations. When Naima's rash effort to help to raise money puts her family deeper in debt, she draws on her resourceful nature and her talents to save the day.
Beatrice (the girl from Beatrice's Goat)visited my classroom in 2001 when she was 16 years old. She was a lovely, articulate young woman who shared her story with my 4th grade students (in English, one of the many languages she spoke by then). They were so inspired by her that they set a goal to raise enough money to buy a goat, which I believe was $95 at the time. They were so successful that they raised more then $600 to donate to the Heifer Project. Heifer does wonderful work.
Michelle Cusolito Polliwog on Safari http://michellecusolito.blogspot.com/
Debra L. Holland said, on 5/7/2010 3:08:00 PM
Yes, Heifer is wonderful. Note that Jan West Schrock is the daughter of Dan West, founder of Heifer project. I was privileged to meet Jan at Heifer University last November, still carrying on Dan's work.
Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. Can you believe it? This horror must end, and thankfully many good people around the globe are engaged in the battle.
When it comes to those of us who care about books and kids, you've heard me say it before: books can play a part in shaping a child's heart to care and learn about this issue.
In honor of World Water Day, here are five tried-and-true picture books illuminating the life-giving power of water (please add more suggestions in the comments):
BRINGING THE RAIN TO KAPITI PLAIN (Dial, 1981) by Verna Aardema, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal
Based on a Kenyan folktale, this Reading Rainbow selection uses cumulative rhyme to show how Ki-pat ingeniously brings rain to the arid Kapiti Plain.
THE WATER HOLE (Abrams, 2001) by Graeme Base
As one rhino gives way to two tigers, then three toucans, on up to 10 kangaroos, die-cut pages reveal the water hole in 10 different worldwide habitats, from African plains to Himalayan mountains to the Australian outback. But the water hole keeps shrinking, and with it the number of frolicking frogs. Can anything bring back the water that the animals all need to survive?
RATA PATA SCATA FATA (Little Brown, 1995) by Phyllis Gershator, illustrated by Holly Meade
Preferring to dream away the days on his Caribbean island, little Junjun tries saying magic words to get the chores done — including filling the rain barrel with much-needed water.
MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER'S GOURD (Orchard Books, 2000) by Cristina Kessler, illustrated by Walter Lyon Krudop
Residents of a Sudanese village rejoice when a traditional water storage method is replaced by modern technology, but Fatima's grandmother knows there is no substitute for the reliability of the baobab tree.
Great suggestions. Thanks for this post. See more reading suggestions (PB and others) at Feb's Social Justice Challenge at mawbooks: http://socialjusticechallenge.mawbooks.com/monthly-social-justice-themes/water/
A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerley (Nat Geo 2002) is a lovely look at water and the ways it is sipped everyday around the world. The photos, poetic text and explanations are prowerful!
As we focus on the disaster in Haiti, I thought I'd compile a few books written for children and teens set in that country. Stories can bring faraway people and places from the screen into our homes and hearts, and keep them there, even through information overload or compassion fatigue. As always, feel free to suggest additions in the comments and I'll add them to our list.
SELAVI, THAT IS LIFE: A STORY OF HOPE IN HAITI by Youme Landowne
Cinco Puntos Press, 2005
Ages 5 to 10
The true story of Sélavi ("that is life"), a small boy who finds himself homeless on the streets of Haiti. He finds other street children who share their food and a place to sleep. Together they proclaim a message of hope through murals and radio programs.
TAP-TAP by Karen Lynn Williams, Catherine Stock (Illustrator)
Clarion, 1995
Ages 4 to 8
After selling oranges in the market, a Haitian mother and daughter have enough money to ride the tap-tap, a truck that picks up passengers and lets them off when they bang on the side of the vehicle.
RUNNING THE ROAD TO ABC by Denize Lauture, Reynold Ruffins (illustrator)
Simon and Schuster, 1996
Ages 3-8
Six Haitian children awaken before dawn each morning to run barefoot to school, a journey that is complemented by the sounds of nature and the bright morning sun, in a rhythmic ABC story that captures the nation's hill and meadow regions.
ANACAONA, GOLDEN FLOWER, HAITI, 1490 by Edwidge Danticat
Scholastic, 2005
Ages 9-12
Queen Anacaona was the wife of one of her island's rulers, and a composer of songs and poems, making her popular among her people. Haiti was relatively quiet until the Spanish conquistadors discovered the island and began to settle there in 1492. The Spaniards treated the natives very cruelly, and when the natives revolted, the Spanish governor of Haiti ordered the arrests of several native nobles, including Anacaona, who was eventually captured and executed, to the horror of her people.
A TASTE OF SALT by Francis Temple
HarperCollins, 1991
YA
In the hospital after being beaten by Macoutes, seventeen-year-old Djo tells the story of his impoverished life to a young woman who
Well, great minds think alike. I just started a post like this today, and now I don't need to finish it! Here are two additional titles I pulled from my shelf.
I really like the book CIRCLES OF HOPE by Karen Williams.
PLEASE, MALESE!: A TRICKSTER TALE FROM HAITI by Amy MacDonald is great fun and the illustrations are a wonderful homage to Haitian art.
You could include the Campbell family series by Janet Lambert, which begins with The Precious Days. The Campbells live on a boat in Haiti before their parents (in a later book) send them back to the US for school. This series is a bit dated but still very enjoyable. http://www.imagecascade.com/precious-days.html
Great idea, Mitali. I find it interesting that the last book was published five years ago. I've been trying to place a picture book manuscript set in Haiti for almost a year now. I received very nice rejections full of pride about the music of the text and what not, but rejections nevertheless. I do wish people would start thinking of Haiti as something else than the "most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere." There is so much more... But then, something horrifying like that happens. Anyway, writing a post about other books, but for adults. Haiti's history and culture are extraordinary and deserve to be better known. Thanks again.
I'm bullish on the power of story to inspire and revolutionize acts of justice and peace. So when I read about something as exciting as Bishop Desmond Tutu's simple yet powerful plan of universal birth registration, my mind begins to whirl around plot possibilities. A dystopian YA novel about teens with lost identities? A picture book featuring one of these children to show how important a birth certificate can be? As you watch the video below, what stories come to mind for you?
It was a typical suburban corner bake sale fundraiser on a sunny summer afternoon, so I stopped to do my part.
"We're heading to India in 2010 to work at an orphanage," a cheerful high-schooler said as she handed me a packet of brownies.
Just the kind of girl who might read my books, I thought. "I actually wrote a novel about that," I said, forking over the cash. "It's called Monsoon Summer."
She took a step back. "No way. No way."
"I did. It's set in Indian orphanage."
"I read that book four times," she told me. "It's the whole reason I'm going on this trip."
Now that's why I write for young people. As I've said before, it's a window in life's journey when hearts are wide open.
Which books released in the last couple of years set in contemporary times can inspire teens to battle global poverty and xenophobia? Here's what I've gleaned from a quick look at the lists at YALSA's Best Books For Young Adults. Please add titles in the comments.
Alvarez, Julia. Return to Sender. Random House/Knopf. 2009. 978-0-375-85838-3. $16.99. Tyler learns that honesty, patriotism, and the line between right and wrong are not always black and white when his family must hire migrant workers to save their Vermont dairy farm.
Bondoux, Anne-Laure.The Killer's Tears. Tr. By Y. Maudet. 2006. Random House/Delacorte, $15.95. (ISBN-10, 0-385-73293-7; ISBN-13, 9780385732932). When murderer Angel Allegria kills young Paolo's parents, the killer and the orphan embark together on a journey of rebirth and redemption.
Budhos, Marina.Ask Me No Questions. 2006. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum/Ginee Seo, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 1-4169-0351-8; ISBN-13, 9781416903512). When their father is detained by U.S. Immigration, Nadira and Aisha must maintain an illusion of normality while they fight for his release.
Engle, Margarita. Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba. Henry Holt. 2009. 978-0-8050-8936-3. $16.99. In 1939, Daniel leaves his family behind when he flees the horrors of holocaust Europe. Now a refugee in Cuba, he must find hope to make a life for himself.
Jansen, Hanna. Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You. Tr. by Elizabeth D. Crawford. 2006. Lerner/Carolrhoda, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 1-57505-927-4; ISBN-13, 9781575059273). Based on the experiences of the author's adopted daughter, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, this story provides a heart-wrenching perspective on the horrors of a modern holocaust.
Jaramillo, Ann.La Linea. 2006. Roaring Brook/Deborah Brodie, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 1-59643-154-7; ISBN-13, 9781596431546). Mexican teen Miguel crosses la línea to join his parents in the United States, but the journey is full of danger and hardship.
Lat.Kampung Boy. 2006. illus. Roaring Brook/First Second, $16.95. (ISBN-10, 1-59643-121-0; ISBN-13, 9781596431218). Mat’s Malaysian village comes alive in this graphic novel, showing a picture of life in a 1950s Muslim kampung. Western influences, however, threaten his familiar world.
McCormick, Patricia.Sold. 2006. Hyperion, $15.99. (ISBN-10, 0-7868-5171-6; ISBN-13, 9780786851713). In this startling, frank novel in free verse, a 13-year-old Nepalese girl is sold into prostitution by her stepfather after a monsoon leaves her family destitute.
Resau, Laura.Red Glass. Random House/Delacorte, 2007; ISBN13: 978-0-385-73466-0; $15.99. Fear has ruled the life of 16-year-old Sophie until dehydrated, speechless Pablo, a 6-year-old survivor of an illegal border crossing, is brought to her home.
That's so great! It's awesome to hear when the work you do makes a difference in someone's life, especially when it'll cascade into making a difference for more people.
Yes, that never happens to me, so it was a delicious suprise (in more ways than one :)) Very touching experience, and meant more to me than professional reviews, Amazon sales rankings, etc. etc.
By: Alex Guyver,
on 9/14/2016
By: Mitali Perkins,
on 10/28/2015
The Other Side of Truth (HarperTrophy) by Beverly Naidoo, winner of the Carnegie Medal.
Purple Hibiscus (Algonquin) by Chimamanda Adichie
Beatrice's Goat | Page McBrier | Atheneum | 2001 
SELAVI, THAT IS LIFE: A STORY OF HOPE IN HAITI 
TAP-TAP
RUNNING THE ROAD TO ABC
ANACAONA, GOLDEN FLOWER, HAITI, 1490
A TASTE OF SALT
It was a typical suburban corner bake sale fundraiser on a sunny summer afternoon, so I stopped to do my part.
Great Post and blog! Re-posted at blog: Friends of African Village Libraries www.favl.org/blog
such a great list -- we need more like this!
Beatrice (the girl from Beatrice's Goat)visited my classroom in 2001 when she was 16 years old. She was a lovely, articulate young woman who shared her story with my 4th grade students (in English, one of the many languages she spoke by then). They were so inspired by her that they set a goal to raise enough money to buy a goat, which I believe was $95 at the time. They were so successful that they raised more then $600 to donate to the Heifer Project. Heifer does wonderful work.
Michelle Cusolito
Polliwog on Safari
http://michellecusolito.blogspot.com/
Yes, Heifer is wonderful. Note that Jan West Schrock is the daughter of Dan West, founder of Heifer project. I was privileged to meet Jan at Heifer University last November, still carrying on Dan's work.