Group items tagged

Winter, Jeannette. The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2005. "In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.'"* --Alia Muhammad Baker Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For fourteen years, her library has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with the thirty thousand books within it--will be destroyed forever. In a war-stricken country where civilians--especially women--have little power, this true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge know no boundaries."

Curriculum from UNICEF UK. See photos and case studies on pages 22-33.

Do you know when this was published? Some of the information seems quite dated.

It was published in 2005, so I'm sure much of the content is outdated. I think the photos and case studies at the end may still be useful, though. Those stories highlight the causes of malnutrition (drought, poverty, polluted water, war, etc.) and the impact on children and families. All of that is still timely. So you could potentially adapt the stories to edit out any dated material and to be age-appropriate. Of course we would have to get permission from UNICEF UK, but it's a possibility if these case studies fit well into the unit.

Linda Sue Park, A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story (New York: Clarion Books, 2010). Age Level: 10 and up Publisher Description: When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Silva becomes seperated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva Dut, who after emigrating to America in 1996, began a project to dig water wells in the Sudan.

David J Smith and Shelagh Armstrong, This Child, Every Child: A Book about the World's Children (Tonawanda: Kids Can Press, 2011). Age Level: 8 and up Grade Level: 3 and up Publisher Description: A groundbreaking book of statistics and stories that compare the lives of children around the world today. Every second of every day, four more children are added to the world's population of over 2.2 billion children. Some of these 2.2 billion children will be cared for and have enough to eat and a place to call home. Many others will not be so fortunate. The bestselling author-illustrator team behind the phenomenal If the World Were a Village and If America Where a Village return with a revealing and beautifully illustrated glimpse into the lives of children around the world. This Child, Every Child uses statistics and stories to draw kids into the world beyond their own borders and provide a window into the lives of their fellow children. As young readers will discover, there are striking disparities in the way children live. Some children lack opportunities that others take for granted. What is it like to be a girl in Niger? How are some children forced into war? How do children around the world differ in their home and school lives? This Child, Every Child answers such questions and sets children's lives against the rights they are guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Organization Affiliation: CitizenKid

Amnesty International, We Are All Born Free Mini Edition: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures (London: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2011). Age Level: 6-9 Publisher Description: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed on 10th December 1948. It was compiled after World War Two to declare and protect the rights of all people from all countries. This beautiful collection, published 60 years on, celebrates each declaration with an illustration by an internationally-renowned artist or illustrator and is the perfect gift for children and adults alike.