Dreams of Freedom

by Amnesty International, Various (Illustrator)

Overview

A 2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (National Council for the Social Studies-Children's Book Council)

"I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter... I have taken a moment to rest, but I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities." Nelson Mandela

"If you are tired, keep going. If you are scared, keep going. If you are hungry, keep going. If you want to taste freedom, keep going." Harriet Tubman

This inspirational book, following We Are All Born Free, contains 17 quotations about many different aspects of freedom, from the freedom to have an education to that not to be hurt or tortured, the freedom to have a home and the freedom to be yourself. All the chosen quotations are in simple words that can be understood by young children.

Authors of the quotations include: Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Anne Frank, the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi and Malala Yousafzai. The book is illustrated by internationally acclaimed and award-winning illustrators, including Alexis Deacon, Chris Riddell, Ros Asquith, Jackie Morris and Shirin Adl from the UK, Barroux from France, Roger Mello from Brazil, Birgitta Sif from Iceland, aboriginal artist Sally Morgan from Australia and Mordicai Gerstein from the USA. The cover is illustrated by best-selling author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781847804532
Publisher:	Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Publication date:	03/15/2015
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	1,018,068
Product dimensions:	9.60(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI has a varied network of members and supporters around the world. At the latest count, there were more than 2.2 million members, supporters and subscribers in over 150 countries and territories in every region of the world. Although they come from many different backgrounds and have widely different political and religious beliefs, they are united by a determination to work for a world where everyone enjoys human rights.

Editorial Reviews

02/23/2015
Illustrations from artists including Ros Asquith, Barroux, Shane Evans, and Peter Sís combine with quotations about the many forms freedom can take from Anne Frank, Nelson Mandela, and others, creating a kaleidoscopic vision of what a just world might look like. “I don’t mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is an education,” reads a quote from Nobel Prize–winner Malala Yousafzai, as Roger Mello offers a birds-eye view of a girl reading on the bow of a boat. Beside a quotation from Harriet Tubman, Mordicai Gerstein pictures a dark-skinned woman stepping out of a black forest of chains, thorns, and a noose into a verdant field filled with birds and flowers. A portion of proceeds from sales will benefit Amnesty International. Ages 5–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"There is much here to inspire children and adults, and many complex issues and emotions to discuss."

"The succinct text for each statement is profound in its brevity and this is an artform that can be explored in its own right."

"This book has a powerful message to be explored with young children and it is done in a uniquely sensitive way."

"This is a tremendous and moving book … It is a most inspiring read and what impresses one is the sense the book gives of there being many different versions of freedom – it is not, ever, just another word for nothing left to lose."

Highlight of the Children's Buyer's Guide

"Seventeen inspirational quotes  about freedom, illustrated by acclaimed names."

"A stunning book, brimming with inspirational quotes coupled with a range of stunning and poignant illustrations, what’s not to love?...It colourfully captures the meaning behind this incredibly hard hitting set of quotations and highlights the many facets of freedom."

Recommended in the Between the Covers column

"Besotted"

"Utterly mesmerising quotes coupled with truly luxurious and involving illustrations. Once again, a book that belongs on every child's bookshelf."

Selected as a Book We Love

"The wealth of diversity - from the experiences relayed in the quotes from the freedom champions, to the spreads they come in - make this book a priceless gem."

"Children’s literature can highlight important ideas, as ‘Dreams of Freedom’ illustrates… One to buy and keep."

"This book has a powerful message to be explored with young children and it is done in a uniquely sensitive way."

"The succinct text for each statement is profound in its brevity and this is an artform that can be explored in its own right."

"There is much here to inspire children and adults, and many complex issues and emotions to discuss."

From the Publisher

04/01/2015
Gr 2–6—This title offers a series of quotes from writers and human-rights champions, loosely arranged around the theme "Dreams of Freedom." Each selection occupies a spread and is accompanied by art from an internationally acclaimed artist. For example, "Freedom to be a child" is illustrated by Birgitta Sif and depicts a child's bedroom at night, with two youngsters in a tent reading by lantern light. Mikhail Bakunin's accompanying quotation reads, "Children are neither the property of their parents nor even the world. They belong only to their own future freedom." "Freedom to Learn" pairs a Malala Yousafzai quote ("I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is education and I am afraid of no one.") with Roger Mello's illustration that shows an overhead view of a child reading a book with a monkey on the prow of a large ship in the midst of a fantastical sea of colors. While there is no real narrative, the pairings provide a landing place for readers to stop and consider the message the words contain. A foreword touches on the mission and the purpose of the book (all proceeds will be donated to Amnesty International), and there is a brief biography for each writer and illustrator. VERDICT While not an essential purchase, this inspirational title is a worthwhile selection for large collections.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

School Library Journal

2015-01-20
Twenty artists from around the world illustrate many aspects of the concept of "freedom," accompanying inspirational sayings from thinkers living and dead.Illustrations range from the representational to the surreal in their interpretations. Mordicai Gerstein paints a black figure in a yellow dress emerging from a thicket of chains, brambles and nooses into a lush, green, bird-filled paradise to illustrate Harriet Tubman's recollection of "cross[ing] that line." Illustrating a quotation from Malala Yousafzai, 2014 Hans Christian Andersen winner Roger Mello, from Brazil, offers a brilliantly colored and patterned aerial view of a boat; in its prow, a long-haired figure sprawls, reading a book. Joining such familiar voices as the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Anne Frank are Mikhail Bakunin, a 19th-century Russian anarchist; Chief Standing Bear, a Ponca Indian who sued the U.S. Army and won; and two former prisoners of conscience, Armando Valladares, a Cuban artist, and Jack Mapanje, a Malawian poet. Barroux's illustration of a pithy quote on freedom of expression from Ali Ferzat, a Syrian political cartoonist, gives potent visual meaning to "the power of the pen." With an introduction by Michael Morpurgo, concluding thumbnail biographies of all the contributors, and endpapers displaying a serene, starry night sky from Peter Sís, it's a handsome package indeed. With proceeds going to Amnesty International, this album provides much food for thought for those children—and adults—who take the time to contemplate its pages. (Picture book. 5-12)

Kirkus Review