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theseventhl's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating collection of stories, each addressing a different article from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Some read better than others, but they all do a great job highlighting why the declaration was created in the first place and why institutions like Amnesty International still exist to protect the rights of all human beings. Some of my favorite authors like Roddy Doyle and Eoin Colfer contributed to the book, and I am glad to say their respective stories do not disappoint.
daveparry67's review against another edition
2.0
I got my Hay Festival Exclusive Edition some years ago... there’s a foreword by Jacqueline Wilson & 14 stories, illustrating some of the articles of the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights. It doesn’t say it’s written for children but the authors are predominantly (if not all) writers of fiction for children & young adults… I’m not sure if I’m more embarrassed at missing the point of some of the stories or at failing to realise they may be aimed at young readers; children feature throughout & some of the stories are very powerful either way.
There’s weirdness here; a transcript of the Police interview of a boy who broke in to the room where the Crown Jewels are kept in the Tower of London; a man forcing his way into a girl’s house with a guinea pig which disappears in a cloud of feathers; the crows having a parliamentary election against other bird species… There’s also colour; in the bright, pacey tale, written in verse, of children trying to retrieve water in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina; in little pockets like an aunt’s turquoise earrings, a border guard’s orange uniform & a child slave’s note on a scrap of red cloth.
There’s also jeopardy; in the fear & uncertainty of a family fleeing post-election violence & destruction across an African border; in the Indian aunt being disowned by her husband & who might not survive to see her niece again; in the bullying & prejudice faced by a German boy & a local recluse in post-war England. There’s also reconciliation, bravery, absurdity, discrimination, fear, confusion, cultural divides & cross-cultural unions, oppression, injustice & misunderstanding. My favourite stories here though are delightful, surprising & hopeful…
‘Setting Words Free’ by Margaret Mahy is about 2 friends from opposite sides of town who bond over words, delighting in finding new words & quotes & liberating the words in playful banter; it’s about freedom of expression & the right to have friends across whatever might otherwise divide us, including class, & it’s delightful in its simple appreciation of the power of words to set us free.
‘Prince Francis’ by Roddy Doyle finds a refugee boy in Ireland telling his new class mates of the imaginary land ‘Pikipiki’ where he & his father were the king & prince &, far from being mocked as we fear he’ll be, he’s accepted by them; his father hasn’t made it with him to Ireland & his new nickname is a comforting reminder their bond. This story is well written, captures children’s voices perfectly, doesn’t sugarcoat pain or oppression & is brimful of hope.
‘No Trumpets Needed’ by Michael Morpurgo is about a film maker finding a Palestinian shepherd boy who’s stayed silent since his older brother was killed by the Israeli army, who flies handmade kites & lets them go so they land with the children over the wall that separates the communities, to reach out a hand of peace. It’s poignant & beautiful & the joy of the unexpected ending closes the book with a powerful message of hope from future, younger generations.
There’s weirdness here; a transcript of the Police interview of a boy who broke in to the room where the Crown Jewels are kept in the Tower of London; a man forcing his way into a girl’s house with a guinea pig which disappears in a cloud of feathers; the crows having a parliamentary election against other bird species… There’s also colour; in the bright, pacey tale, written in verse, of children trying to retrieve water in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina; in little pockets like an aunt’s turquoise earrings, a border guard’s orange uniform & a child slave’s note on a scrap of red cloth.
There’s also jeopardy; in the fear & uncertainty of a family fleeing post-election violence & destruction across an African border; in the Indian aunt being disowned by her husband & who might not survive to see her niece again; in the bullying & prejudice faced by a German boy & a local recluse in post-war England. There’s also reconciliation, bravery, absurdity, discrimination, fear, confusion, cultural divides & cross-cultural unions, oppression, injustice & misunderstanding. My favourite stories here though are delightful, surprising & hopeful…
‘Setting Words Free’ by Margaret Mahy is about 2 friends from opposite sides of town who bond over words, delighting in finding new words & quotes & liberating the words in playful banter; it’s about freedom of expression & the right to have friends across whatever might otherwise divide us, including class, & it’s delightful in its simple appreciation of the power of words to set us free.
‘Prince Francis’ by Roddy Doyle finds a refugee boy in Ireland telling his new class mates of the imaginary land ‘Pikipiki’ where he & his father were the king & prince &, far from being mocked as we fear he’ll be, he’s accepted by them; his father hasn’t made it with him to Ireland & his new nickname is a comforting reminder their bond. This story is well written, captures children’s voices perfectly, doesn’t sugarcoat pain or oppression & is brimful of hope.
‘No Trumpets Needed’ by Michael Morpurgo is about a film maker finding a Palestinian shepherd boy who’s stayed silent since his older brother was killed by the Israeli army, who flies handmade kites & lets them go so they land with the children over the wall that separates the communities, to reach out a hand of peace. It’s poignant & beautiful & the joy of the unexpected ending closes the book with a powerful message of hope from future, younger generations.
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