LoveReading4Kids Says
June 2021 Debut of the Month | Longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2022
From the 2019 Macmillan prize-winner this is a powerful, dramatic and inspirational story about the difference even a child can make if they take action and get their voice heard. The delightfully curious Rosa needs a book but her library is closed for redevelopment but Rosa dn her sister decide to protest and not give up , gradually bringing everyone onboard. The vibrant richly coloured pages create a filmic sense of an inclusive community and very real people. It makes a powerful statement about the place that libraries have in a community and the vital necessity that all children can have access to the books that they need. Unfortunately, it is a book with a very current and timely message. Libraries have suffered greatly in the pandemic and the future looks bleak as more budget cutting looms. This book empowers young children to demand their rights and to recognise that they matter too. It should prompt some very interesting discussions and debate and naturally should be stocked in every library.
Joy Court
Find This Book In
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We Want Our Books Synopsis
Rosa wants a book. But when she gets to the library, she finds it is closed. What could be the end of the story is just the beginning, as Rosa and her sister Maria try everything they can think of to bring their community together and fight to get back their precious library. A picture book that features big subjects in a child-friendly way, with beautiful artwork, making this the perfect discussion starter for curious children. From debut author and illustrator, Jake Alexander, winner of the Creative Conscience Gold Medal.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781529049022 |
| Publication date: |
10th June 2021 |
| Author: |
Jake Alexander |
| Publisher: |
Two Hoots an imprint of Pan Macmillan |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
32 pages |
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About Jake Alexander
Jake Alexander is an illustrator from the South of England. In 2019 he won both the Macmillan Prize and the Creative Conscience Gold Medal with an early version of We Want Our Books. He often makes work based on popular culture and current events, having created a Star Wars-themed zine and portraits of public figures such as Taika Waititi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
More About Jake Alexander
A message from the author;
Dear Reader,
Growing up my local library was incredibly important to me: it was where I developed my love of reading and was somewhere I felt really safe. But since 2010, over 800 libraries have closed in the UK. Cuts to public spending are risking more and more underprivileged children and adults being unable to discover a love for reading, which especially affects communities of colour.
My debut book, We Want Our Books is my love letter to libraries and a response to the systemic racism that denies children of colour equal access to books. It is a story about a little girl called Rosa and her fight to save her local community’s library. I really believe in the power of grassroots activism and protest to enact positive change, which is why it is such a core theme in this book. I wanted to show through Rosa’s empathy and the strength of her community how they overcome barriers and are able to change the world by working together.
Libraries are vital parts of the communities they serve, and we must do everything we can to protect them.
Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy reading about Rosa's fight.
Jake Alexander
Find out more about the Klaus Flugge Prize 2022 here
