________________ CM . . . . Volume XXI Number 6. . . .October 10, 2014

cover

Every Day is Malala Day.

Rosemary McCarney with Plan International.
Toronto, ON: Second Story Press, 2014.
32 pp., hardcover, $18.95.
ISBN 978-1-927583-31-9.

Subject Headings:
Girls-Education-Juvenile literature.
Children’s rights-Juvenile literature.
Yousafzai, Malala, 1997- -Juvenile literature.

Kindergarten-grade 5 / Ages 5-10.

Review by Kay Weisman.

*** /4

   

excerpt:

In many countries bullets are not the only way to silence girls. Early marriage...
...poverty...
...discrimination...
...violence ...all play a part.
But because you are a girl, you have shown the world that these things will not stop you.
You, Malala, have reminded us that is it your right—my right—every child’s right to go to school.
Instead of living in fear...
...we must shout for change.
Because I am a girl, I am writing to let you know that every day is Malala Day.
Girls everywhere are behind you.

 

On July 12, 2013 the United Nations declared Malala Day, and 500 young people “took over” the UN for the day. Inspired by Malala Yousafzai and her speech to the UN General Assembly, the Plan International Communications Team created a short film depicting the reactions of girls from all over the world to Malala and her story. Adapted from that video, this photo-essay includes photographs of young women—from Peru to Niger to Nepal to Germany—and text in the form of a thank-you letter.

internal art     The crisp, well-chosen photos depict girls of all ages engaged in everyday activities. (Particularly haunting is that of a young child wearing a wedding dress.) The text, an open letter to Malala, is direct and to the point without being graphic about Malala’s experiences at the hands of the Taliban. Introduced with basic identifying information about this young woman and concluded with the text of Yousafzai’s UN speech and an explanation of how this book came to be, Every Day is Malala Day will be useful for introducing this inspiring young woman or for units on women’s or children’s rights.

Recommended.

Kay Weisman, a librarian and reviewer, now writes “Information Matters” for School Library Monthly and works as a youth librarian at West Vancouver Memorial Library.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

Next Review | Table of Contents For This Issue - October 10, 2014.
CM Home
| Back Issues | Search | CM Archive | Profiles Archive