Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story

The team behind 2014's Grandfather Gandhi returns with a second real-life story drawn from Arun Gandhi's time at the Sevagram ashram with his grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi. After Arun tosses away a pencil nub in defiance of the ashram's vow not to waste, it leads to an in-depth exploration of the connections between waste and violence. The story culminates with the "Be the change" phrase widely attributed to Gandhi, though actually coined by Arun to represent his grandfather's ideals. As in the previous books, Turk's mixed-media images create a vibrant, dazzlingly imagined backdrop for the weighty philosophical discussions at play. Ages 4-8. Authors' agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator's agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.)

Gr 2-6--Following Grandfather Gandhi, this title finds young Arun at his grandfather's ashram, or "service village." Slightly older now, the boy is working to adhere to the 11 vows of ashram living. Not wasting is the most difficult for him, and he has trouble understanding how this vow relates to nonviolence. Three incidents combine to help Arun learn the lesson. He accompanies his grandfather (Bapuji) on a trip and listens as he tells a crowd, "When nonviolence is accepted as the law of life, it must pervade the whole being and not be applied to isolated acts." On the way home, Arun tosses away a pencil stub. When Bapuji finds out, he sends Arun back in the dark to retrieve it, saying, "It is not the pencil, but you, that is important," meaning that Arun's grandfather loves him enough to hold him accountable. The third way that Grandfather teaches Arun is by helping him make a "tree of violence," a chart on the wall that shows how seemingly small actions or thoughts can lead to larger events. The illustrations, especially the visualization of Arun's tree, help children understand the weighty concepts. As he adds to it each day, it grows beyond the physical walls, dwarfing Bapuji and Arun and demonstrating that each decision takes a person on a particular path. The dramatic collage illustrations include dimensional elements to create the illusion of texture. The full-bleed spreads immerse readers and take them on the journey with Arun. Constantly shifting perspective moves from small to large and close to far, reiterating the theme of a small action having larger consequences. Another repeated motif is the use of frames within larger images to demonstrate connectedness. VERDICT This handsome book asks a lot of young readers but carries important messages delivered in a personal and relatable manner.--Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA