For Every Child

Drawing from the fifty-four principles adopted by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, this photo essay provides an in-depth look at fourteen of the declarations that affect a child's everyday existence.

PreS-Gr 3-Fourteen of the rights that were formally laid out by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are highlighted. The book begins with an introduction by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who asks readers to help make a difference. One double-page spread is devoted to each featured tenet, which is illustrated by a different artist. Some of the pictures are bold and dramatic, while others are quiet and subdued. Some are whimsical and others are serious. All bring home the point. Each illustration covers almost the entire spread, with the text on a small strip of white at the bottom. The artists include John Burningham, Shirley Hughes, Rachel Isadora, Satoshi Kitamura, and Jerry Pinkney. The book concludes with biographical sketches of the artists and additional details about the rights.-Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Published in association with UNICEF, this book presents 14 of the 54 principles adopted at the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and pairs each with illustrations by an international cast of all-stars. On the first spread, text beginning with "Whoever we are, wherever we live, these rights belong to all children under the sun and the moon and the stars" accompanies Rachel Isadora's picture of a multicultural lineup of children. Rendered in black and white, the children each hold an instrument in their hands, and above their heads hovers the "music"Aa brightly colored array of abstract shapes. On the next page, Henriette Sauvant supplies a surreal oil painting for "Understand that all children are precious...." Also represented are Babette Cole, with a sprightly watercolor and pastel composition featuring her signature slyly humorous nudies, and Jerry Pinkney, who crafts a contemplative seaside study. From John Burningham to Satoshi Kitamura, Shirley Hughes to P.J. Lynch, the artists present distinctly different styles. In theory, the range of stylistic approaches seems compatible with the global reach of the text; unfortunately, the striking differences tend to detract from the strengths of each composition. The work seems fractured, not in harmony with the unifying message of the text. All ages. (Jan.) FYI: $1.50 per book sold will be donated to UNICEF.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 6-9. Published in association with UNICEF, this picture book briefly expresses 14 rights of children, based on the 54 principles adopted by the United Nations in 1989 as The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Each double-page spread pairs one of the rights, expressed in simplified language, with an evocative painting by one of the planet's best illustrators. A forceful poster-like painting by Claudio Munoz illustrates "Protect us always from anyone who would be cruel," while Yang Tswei-yu's ephemeral dreamscape illustrates "All children shall have time to play and time to rest when we are tired." With a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and artwork by the likes of John Burningham, Shirley Hughes, Rachel Isadora, P. J. Lynch, and Jerry Pinkney, this is a handsome, unusual book for which librarians should find uses. Carolyn Phelan
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