This week I will post three reviews on a series of books by DK Publishing that were published in association with Unicef. There are actually 4 books in the series, but the fourth will be reviewed in my latest BookSense article for MumSense magazine which will be published April 1st.
The first of the three I will review is A Life Like Mine, which takes a look at the lives of children around the world.
The introductory section of the book is titled Survival and covers exactly that. We learn about the basics of water and children are asked to imagine what they would do if they couldn’t just turn on a faucet in the morning. We explore further how some children miss school because they have to travel to obtain water for their families and how some villages have improved health since they have a well. Food is unsurprisingly a sad read, still age appropriate but the topics of malnutrition and children not having enough to eat are written about. Shelter, which takes a look into the living conditions of other children, is also covered and the section ends with the topic of health.
Development is the next short part, which covers education and play.
Protection is a sobering section, covering how every child deserves to be loved, that no child should be exploited by work or war, or held back by a disability. It doesn’t go too in depth thankfully, because the topic is a very serious one, but there is enough information for this to serve as a solid introduction for children to the topics presented.
The last section, Participation, covers how every child has a right to an identity and freedom of expression, religion and beliefs.
This was an excellent book for the recommended ages and best of all a portion of each sale goes to UNICEF.
Reading level:
8 – 12 years
Page Count: 128 pages
Publisher: DK Publishing
Publisher’s synopsis:
After ten years of study and consultation, UNICEF, the premier organization devoted to the care and welfare of the world’s children, published the results of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Using these tenets as a base, A Life Like Mine profiles children from all over the globe leading their lives in different and fascinating ways. The challenges of nations both developed and developing are revealed in the stories and photographs in this special volume. DK and UNICEF have combined their inspirational forces to provide remarkable insight into children’s lives.
Awards and Notable lists:
Notable Social Studies Trade Books 2003 (NCSS/CBC joint committee)
2003 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
Finalist for the children non-fiction 2003 NAPRA Nautilus award
A 2003 Parents’ Choice Approved Award Winner
For more information on this book and others, you can visit DK Books at http://www.dk.com, and click the flag to choose your country.