Published by North South Books

Published by Flyaway Books

Summary: These two books arrived in the library for me from interlibrary loan land on the same day. Walking Toward Peace is the story of Mildred Lisette Norman, who had a vision of walking across the U.S. advocating for peace in the aftermath of World War II. She changed her name to Peace Pilgrim, and from 1953 until her death in 1981, walked through all 50 states, handing out flyers and talking to people about ending war and living in peace. Remarkably, she never carried any money with her, relying on her knowledge of outdoor living and, to a great extent, the kindness of people she encountered on the road.

Peace draws on Baptiste and Miranda Paul’s experiences growing up in war-torn Mozambique. With simple rhyming text (“Peace is pronouncing your friend’s name correctly/Peace means we talk to each other directly”) and pictures of kids and animals living harmoniously, the book offers concrete actions for fostering peace. The authors’ note explains how war affects not only humans, but animals and the natural world as well. Both books are 40 pages and recommended for ages 4-8.

Pros: I’ve heard about Peace Pilgrim for years, so I was happy to learn about this new book. Her story is sure to intrigue both children and adults, and is a moving testimony to following your own path in life (literally, in her case). Peace would make a great follow-up book to read, with its emphasis on how peace is important to animals as well as humans, something that will resonate with a lot of kids. I loved the simple actions described, and the illustrations, especially the beautiful tree on the endpapers, with the word “peace” written in different languages on its leaves.

Cons: It seems like an ironic bummer that Peace Pilgrim was killed in an accident while riding in a car at the age of 72, and did not live to see the end of the Cold War.

Published by Norton Young Readers

Summary:  Nicholas Winton was a young man living in England when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938, and a friend asked him to come to Prague to help.  England was accepting refugees under the age of 17 if they had families to take them in.  Nicky set up an office in Prague and began collecting names and photos of children.  One of those children was Vera, a 10-year-old girl whose Czech parents wanted to send her to England.  A few months later, Nicky returned to London to recruit families to take the children.  He eventually got almost 700 children (including Vera) on eight trains out of Czechoslovakia.  A ninth train with 250 children never made it out after the borders were closed, and only two children on that train survived the war.  After the war, Vera returned home, but her entire family had perished, so she moved permanently to England.  Nicky never told anyone what he had done until his wife discovered his lists in 1989 and arranged a TV reunion with many of the people he rescued.  Nicky never thought of himself as a hero.  “I only saw what needed to be done.”  Includes a long author’s note with additional information and a photo of a young Nicholas Winton.  64 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  Peter Sis uses spare, understated text and folk art-style illustrations to tell this amazing story of a quiet hero and the girl whose life he saved (among many others).  Keep a Kleenex handy as you read this compelling story which is sure to engage readers well into middle school and may be considered for a few awards next year. And while you have the tissues out, watch this YouTube clip of Nicholas and Vera’s 1988 reunion on British television.

Cons:  I wish there had been a few more photos.

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Summary:  The narrator addresses Ona Judge, asking her why she ran away from slavery in the home of George and Martha Washington.  As Martha’s personal slave, Ona had fine clothes, good food, and the chance to visit some of the best homes in New York and Philadelphia.  She also never had the chance to learn to read and write and was given as a gift to Martha’s “mean and sassy” granddaughter.  Ona left Philadelphia one night and escaped to New Hampshire, where she lived the rest of her life as a fugitive, despite George Washington’s efforts to bring her back to his family.  Includes an author’s note, timeline, bibliography, and a note on the text explaining the author’s poetic use of rhetorical questions.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  This haunting text explores the question of why someone who had a relatively luxurious life, but was enslaved, would leave that life behind.  The excellent back matter provides additional context.  Older students may want to move from this book to Never Caught: The Story of Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleve.

Cons:  Reviews I’ve seen recommend this book for ages 3-6 or 4-8, but I think older elementary and even middle school students would find Ona’s story thought-provoking.

Published by Quill Tree Books

Summary:  When Thoroughgood Marshall was in second grade, he decided to change his name to Thurgood.  Growing up in Baltimore, he saw plenty of other things he wanted to change in his segregated city.  After attending college and law school, Thurgood worked for the NAACP, where he argued several cases before the Supreme Court, including Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.  In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson nominated Marshall to the Supreme Court, where he became the first Black justice.  Includes a timeline; additional information on Thurgood Marshall’s major court cases; a list for further reading; and a bibliography.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  It’s a tossup as to which Thurgood Marshall picture book biography I would choose…this or the Jonah Winter/Bryan Collier collaboration Thurgood (2019).  This one packs a lot of information into 40 pages and has excellent back matter, probably giving it an edge as a book for research.

Cons:  Most reviews recommend this for readers as young as 4 or 5.  If you want to try it out in a kindergarten class, more power to you, but I think it would have greater interest and impact with older kids.