Drake, Jane and Ann Love. Yes You Can.

Drake, Jane and Ann Love Yes You Can
Tundra Books 2010 136p 12.95
978-0-88776-942-9 ms/hs Social change VG-BN


This is a primer for students who want to make a difference, covering everything from how to organize a meeting to mastering negotiation skills, with lots of examples and time-lines for actual campaigns.
This little manual is very helpful for the student who is interested in social activism ... it starts out with the story of the young man who began Amnesty International, with great detail about how the organization wrote its constitution to accomplish specific goals and avoid possible pitfalls that would have compromised its work. There are chapters on different types of strugges, from human rights to global warming and recycling efforts. Each chapter also includes important information on tactical and strategic decision-making, with lots of examples. It should be required reading for service clubs and student councils in middle schools and high schools, and would be a good basis of classroom or club discussions. Kennedy, Carol

Ali, Nujood with Delphine Minoui. I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced

Ali, Nujood with Delphine Minoui I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced
Three Rivers Press see Random House 2010 188p 12.00
12-0007-58967-5 ms/hs E-BN
Nujood Ali has no birth certificate but she has been told she is 10 years old. She loves dolls, chocolate cake and learning how to read. Then one day Nujood was married to a man twice her age. It was then that she learned the true meaning of the word cruelty. Although from a very poor family, Nujood, 5th daughter in an ever increasing family, is very happy playing with her sisters and other playmates. Poverty is very hard for her family but they all help in many different ways. Nujood helps by taking care of the younger children and she is learning how to cook flatbreads and other things. Then her father looses his poorly paid job and they need to resort to begging.
In Yemen women have no voice. Men are in charge of everything including marrying off their daughters. Nujood’s two sisters were barely in their teens before they were married off. Nujood dreamed of her turn but she always imagine that it would be something to celebrate and there would be sweet cakes. Then the day came and it happened so fast, Nujood was dressed in an old brown dress two sizes too big and surrounded by very unfriendly people, she was given in marriage to a nasty looking individual who promised not to touch her for at least two years. No sooner was she taken away to his house was she violated and later beaten.
Nujood decided she wanted a divorce and she also decided she was going to get it as quickly as possible. And so began her trek to the courthouse where she declared her desired to get a divorce and the authorities could not believe that a ten year old was already a married woman.
This story made news and was brought to the attention of the world by Nujood’s lawyer Shada, who worked for women’s rights in Yemen and this story made it possible to start working towards the crime of marrying girls as young as 9 year old to old men. Diaz, Magna

Do Animals Work Together?

Brynie, Faith Hickman. Do Animals Work Together?

Enslow 2010 32p 22.60 I Like Reading About Animals(Enslow)

978-0-7660-3328-3 elem E-BN

A fun and interesting look at how and why animals communicate with each other and how the communication benefits them. Loaded with interesting and appropriate photographs. The focus of this book is both animal communication and cooperation. The author begins by telling the reader that animals have ways to tell each other what they want. “They make sounds. They move in special ways. They touch each other.”(5) She then proceeds to supply examples on how this communication takes place within different species.
As with other titles in the series the photographs draw in the reader. The information, with its specific focus, transmits the intended facts. The selection of animal species is unusual and include birds, lizards, mammals, and insects.
This colorful book doesn’t overwhelm its audience with too much information. Supplemental materials include references to additional sources of information and a very nice index.
Spadaro, Trish