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Child Justice: Reflections in Poetry and Paint

by Searingtown School Fifth Grade Students; Edited by Karen Kliegman and Beth Vendryes Williams

24 pages; Saddle stitched; illustrated; catalogue #05-1171; ISBN 1-4120-6270-5; US$13.50, C$15.00, EUR11.00, £7.50

Through art making and poetry, children explore and reflect on issues surrounding the rights of the child.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

About 246 million children are engaged in some of the most dangerous forms of child labor. Over 110 million are illiterate and have never seen the walls of a classroom. An estimated 300,000 are caught in armed conflict situations around the world. About 1.2 million children are trafficked internationally and treated as slaves. These statistics and the gross violation against these children shock our human conscience. Yet these realities persist and countless children will never experience the simple joy of living. When children learn about human rights violation against other children, they are often shocked and angry. “Why aren’t these children in school?” “Why do adults turn children into slaves?” “Why don’t governments protect them?” These are their angry questions to the world. Then, something remarkable happens. Most of these children, when exposed to these human rights violations, do not want to remain quiet. In fact, many of them take serious action and, in the process, become agents of social change. Students at Searingtown School, with guidance from dedicated educators, decided to take action. After learning about other children’s lives, they decided to put their thoughts into poetry and painting. The end result is this beautiful book, written and illustrated by fifth grade students at Searingtown School, which will be used to support work on behalf of children in other parts of the world.

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About the Author

Authors are fifth grade students. This book was conceived and edited by: Karen Kliegman is the library media specialist at Searingtown School; beth vendryes williams is the art teacher at Searingtown School.

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Excerpts

Somewhere a child is hurt, Digging and working in the dirt, Children with almost no hope, working for no wages, They feel like they are locked like animals in small cages But if we work together, We may be able to stop this tyranny forever! Children shouldn’t work hard or be sold, They should be given good clothes and be treated like gold! And for the good cause, I will not ever pause, To give all the children what they need And be saved and be freed!! Let every child be able to learn and play, Have safe and perfect days, every day! Let them be free, Let them be free, And have dreams for the future to be!

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Catalogue Information

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