Individuals at Risk

When I was younger, I wanted to be like Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Not because she lived in a castle, or was friends with a candelabra, or even because she got the handsome prince and lived happily ever after at the end of the movie. No, I liked Belle because she could read and walk at the same time. 

I would read all the time, anything I could get my hands on. Chapter books, picture books, magazines, those stupid riddles on the back of cereal boxes. And I like to think reading about foreign situations and people in other cultures was one of the things that sparked my interest in international human rights.

So to get kids thinking about human rights issues — or if you want to take a trip down memory lane — I've put together a short list of some of my favorite thought-provoking children's and young adult books. 

The Giver (1993), Lois Lowry: One of my favorite books of all time, by one of my favorite authors ever, The Giver is an incredibly sophisticated look at a world with no pain, no sadness — and no music, color or love. As Jonas, the main character, slowly awakens to the possibility of another life away from his restrictive society's protection, he struggles with the blithe ignorance of those around him. Great for provoking discussion about why basic freedoms are important, and about how much power the government should have in determining how we live our lives.

The Day They Came to Arrest the Book (1982), Nat Henthoff: This book, written by the Village Voice writer and famed civil libertarian, takes a surprisingly engaging look at issues of censorship from the perspective of its teenage protagonist Barney Roth. The story, which centers around a campaign to ban The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, could easily sink into didacticism, but it manages to balance what is essentially a high-school coming-of-age story with a serious discussion of the importance of freedom of speech.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), Harper Lee: I feel almost silly listing this book, because I would be surprised if there's anyone over the age of 12 who hasn't been assigned it in English class — but the reason it's so ubiquitous is that it's really, really good. The underlying human rights issues in the story of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman are pretty obvious, especially the effects of racial prejudice and the right to a fair trial. This book has awakened many a budding social consciousness, and remains both fresh and relevant even decades after its original publication.

Shabanu (1989): Daughter of the Wind, Suzanne Fisher Staples: This book, about a nomadic girl in modern Pakistan, confronts issues of women's rights through the perspective of its strong-willed twelve year-old heroine. Shabanu, forced to marry a man she doesn't love, is an appealing protagonist, and the novel paints a vivid picture of how difficult it is to enforce economic, social and cultural rights — and the consequences that stem from their violation.

Charlotte's Web (1952), E.B. White: Maybe human rights isn't the best way to describe the themes of this book, but Charlottle's campaign to save Wilbur through the messages in her webs is a great way to introduce kids to Amnesty's letter-writing campaigns. Charlotte's Web is charming and humane book, and the story of how Charlotte the spider mounts an effective campaign to get Wilbur the pig off death row (so to speak) is a great jumping-off point to talk to kids about how they can speak out on causes that are important to them.

These are all great books, and when accompanied with discussion can provide an entry point into some of the biggest issues in human rights.  

And next week, to celebrate the release of the fifth Harry Potter movie, I'm going to take a look at human rights through the lens of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

But for now, have a great weekend, and be sure to take some time to sit out in the sun (or under the air conditioner — it's getting pretty humid here) and read!

Rachel Dempsey