by Susan Hughes (Author) Nicole Miles (Illustrator)
In this inspiring story of individual activism, a boy recognizes gender inequality when his sister must stop attending school --- and decides to do something about it. Victor is very close to his twin sister, Linesi. But now that they have turned eight years old, she no longer goes to school with him. Instead, Linesi, like the other older girls in their community, walks to the river to get water five times a day, to give their mother more time for farming. Victor knows this is the way it has always been. But he has begun learning about equality at school, and his teacher has asked the class to consider whether boys and girls are treated equally. Though he never thought about it before, Victor realizes they're not. And it's not fair to his sister. So Victor comes up with a plan to help.
Based on a true story of a Malawian boy, award-winning author Susan Hughes's inspiring book celebrates how one person can make a big difference in the lives of others. It's a perfect starting point for children to explore themes of gender inequality and unequal access to education, as well as the lack of clean water in some parts of the world.
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Despite being twins, eight-year-olds Victor and Linesi experience life differently in their small village in Malawi. While Victor attends school, his sister must drop out to collect water every day for their family's needs: "Five walks to the river and five walks home." When an engaging new teacher, Mr. Tambala, describes gender equality and asks the class to consider their own lives, Victor decides to alternate water-collecting responsibilities and lessons with Linesi. Hughes uses straightforward prose to explain the gendered cultural norms, while debut creator Miles digitally sketches dynamic Black characters with a range of skin tones, employing a desertlike color palette for landscapes. Inset scenes and speech bubbles bolster the narrative flow of this activism-encouraging picture book, inspired by a photo essay by journalist Tyler Riewer. Back matter includes an author's note, resources, and a Chichewa-English glossary with pronunciations. Ages 7-10. (June)
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