Described by Publishing News as "one of the hottest books of [the 2003 Bologna Children's Book Fair]," this is a challenging and thoughtprovoking collection of new poetry and prose from some of the world's most prestigious and talented children's authors and illustrators, with an original cover by Jane Ray. They were inspired by their feelings about the conflict in Iraq, though the wars covered range from a 13th Century Crusade, through the earlier wars of the 20th Century, to more recent conflicts in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Kosovo, right up to what was happening in Iraq in 2003.
With over 150 poems, stories and pictures about war and peace, Lines in the Sand offers hope for the future. Perfect for use in schools to help educate children when dealing with the topic of war, each contribution depicts a strong antiwar message and will serve as a cry for peace in these troubled times.
All royalties will go to UNICEF to directly fund the bringing of aid to child victims of the war in Iraq. We feel very strongly that there is currently nothing available to children and their parents and teachers that deals so articulately with the atrocities of war and how they affect children the world over. This is an important book in a time in which the antiwar movement is in danger of being silenced in America. It will be appreciated by children 7 up and adults of all ages.
Gr. 5-9. Fueled by passionate resistance to the war in Iraq, more than 150 children's writers and artists from across the world have contributed to this anthology of poems, essays, stories, memoirs, and black-and-white pictures calling for peace. Some entries are little more than purposive messages, but many reach beyond propaganda to call up the particulars of people caught up in conflict and make powerful connections across time and place. One story goes back to the Crusades, but most take place during the last 50 years, focusing on young people in Nigeria, Kosovo, Cyprus, South Africa, Holocaust Europe, and other places. In Anna Levine's story, for example, two teenagers--one a Palestinian, the other an Israeli--face off in an alley, but after a bomb goes off nearby, they help one another to safety. The best art and writing bring the suffering close to home. Readers will find lots to talk about here, both in and out of the classroom. All profits go to UNICEF. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
