Dare to be Different

The thirteen stories and poems in this book have been specially selected, and the majority of them commissioned, to provoke reflection on issues of human rights and freedom. The scope is wide, from a retelling of the story of Pandora's Box to a brief but acutely insightful account of the mental struggles of a child in a swimming pool wondering whether or not he should get out of the water to rescue a rather plain looking butterfly that has got itself trapped. Reminders of real life human rights abuses accompany more metaphorical treatments of underlying ethical issues; in the former category, Jamila Gavin's account of bonded debt slavery in India is particularly effective, and in the latter, Geraldine McCaughrean's allegory of a persecuted fugitive being enabled to cross a gulf through the small but cumulative labours of an entire community. Each author is paired with a specific illustrator, and the startlingly variegated results add to the visual appeal of a beautifully designed book. This is recommended reading for all key stages, and the fact that part of the royalties will go to Amnesty International (whose work is described in a very clear introduction) might act as an additional incentive to acquire it.