Meet a Real Global Leader: BRAVE VOLODYMYR: The Story of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Fight for Ukraine

 

QUILL TREE BOOKS, 2025

Here's a quick look at a biographical picture book that you really should not miss, BRAVE VOLODYMYR: The Story of Volodymyr Zelinsky and the Fight for Ukraine, written by Linda Elovitz Marshall and illustrated by Grasya Oliyko. This beautifully produced visually appealing and informative book has compelling text that allows readers of any age to live alongside Volodymyr and his country-folk from the time of his childhood, living within restrictions of SOVIET UNION suppression through years of liberation and the current state of war. 

The opening spread sets the stage for this chronological but emotionally compelling account with an expanse of blue sky and golden sunflowers (below) forming the background of young Volodymyr's youth. Both text and spread effectively reveal the landscape as the inspiration for the horizontal expanse of blue and yellow color that is the Ukranian flag. I will never see that flag again without recognizing the iconic countryside that inspired it. The brief text on that page includes the facts that Ukrainians are rightly proud of their flag but were denied the right to fly it while under the thumb of the Soviet Union.

Quill Tree Books interior: Brave Volodymyr

In early pages we learn that lies were issued and enforced by that Russian state suppression. When a famine that starved millions of Ukrainians was denied by the government, no one could speak out to disagree or report the facts. Volodymyr and others all knew they were lies, and Volodymyr hated lies. 

At age thirteen, Volodymyr witnessed the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

As a child in a Jewish family in Ukraine, he was aware of existing antisemitism, despite Jews being an integral part of Ukraine for more than a thousand years. He attended college, mastering not only Ukrainian and Russian languages but English as well. He became a performer in comedy, acting, and more. 

Across the years, his independent government shifted to dishonesty and Influence by Russia,  including relying on lies to manipulate the public and maintain control. Across several ensuing years, Volodymyr noted his country's corruption and took part in protests and efforts to replace the leadership with more honest government. He created and starred in a television series in which an honest high school teacher is elected president of the country.  His goal was to offer humor and heart as communication tools to help his people find and protect the truth.

Soon after, when a free election was held, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY was elected president of Ukraine! When Russia invaded portions of Ukraine, the people fought back. A few years later, another Russian invasion and full armed assault threatened Ukraine, but they managed to fight back with support from many other countries, and by insisting on THE TRUTH. At the writing of this book, the war continues, despite Zelensky's and Ukraine's effort to find a peaceful solution. 

The author's heritage is early generations of Ukrainians, and the back note indicates her heart remains deeply rooted there. A timeline with brief notes allows readers to place a current lifetime into events that will always be a part of world history- The fall of the Soviet Union, the protests and revolution in Ukraine, and the invasion and ensuing war with Russia. What is most effectively threaded throughout is Zelensky's determination to adhere to the truth, and the Ukrainian people's pride of country and independence.

I hope you will take a look at this one, closely. Unconfirmed reports indicate that some larger retail outlets are reluctant to stock this book or provide promotion due to our own government's stance relative to Russia and Ukraine. I bought a copy and requested that my library carry it. I am posting this review because I admire the book as a quality picture book, but also to do my small part to support the truth. Will you join me? Tell people about it. Buy or donate a copy. Display it at your school or library. The truth matters, and silence is a slippery slope to dictatorship.

KID VOICES: Amplify, Support, Celebrate, RIGHT NOW!

Few would argue that kids have voices, opinions, personal interests, and attitudes. This is true physically (walk past any playground or swimming pool for proof) and figuratively (recall times when their voices are NOT in agreement with yours!). In the case of this upcoming (September 7, 2022) picture book, the voices speaking up refer to specific contemporary individual youths as well as addressing any young person who encounters the text. In fact, in the closing pages the author charges/challenges adults in the lives of those young folks to actively support their efforts and encourage their drive to improve the world, not settling for our "hopes" for their future but helping to improve it now.

CLARION BOOKS, 2022

RIGHT NOW! Real Kids Speaking Up For Change is written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Bea Jackson. The cover is wrapped with images of the named examples whose brief profiles demonstrate the power of a committed young voice with following actions, but every single page reveals who the YOU of direct address text might be: diverse in age, ethnicity, ability, issue, and pursuit. 

The common denominators for the various images are their smiles, their determined expressions, and their unity in support of each other. More than sixteen individual examples are shared, with each example providing a brief background story, a direct quotation (cited in back matter), and a continuity of the general text which frames the individual as a potential "you", including the circumstances that led to the individual activism on behalf of a wider community. Those commitments ranged from medical discoveries to making life-needs available to the hungry and unhoused, to global causes like immigration, rights of girls and women, treatment of those with disabilities/differences, and basic kindness.

Backmatter includes a brief author note (with that challenge to adults), tagged ways-to-speak-up for eleven of the issues spotlighted within the profiles, a simple glossary, and bibliography with quotation sources. Paul has a polished talent for presenting nonfiction content in accessible, appealing ways that "speak" naturally to young readers without patronizing or oversimplifying. That is enhanced by the gifted art of illustrator Jackson. The colorful, recognizable images of these diverse, specific examples are couched in identifiable situations and settings, with a comfortable realism but a slight/inspiring glow to their demeanors. These, and the general characters throughout, could be found in any school anywhere, and they are. It matters that we (adults) recognize that in them, and help young people recognize in themselves the voices and interests that can change the world. A book like this is a ticket to begin that journey.

Carolrhoda Books
August, 2022

 

Two other new picture books encourage similar attitudes in young people. Both are charming and reinforce the call to action of RIGHT NOW, although they feel best suited to underscore or reinforce that text. BE A BRIDGE is written by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, with illustrations by Nabila Adani. It is written in rhymed lines with a direct address to younger readers, occasionally tending a bit didactic, but with wonderfully charming and colorful illustrations of diverse kids. Framed in a school setting, each reappears in various scenes, sometimes choosing positive actions and sometimes benefitting from the advice to calm down or deal with life in kind ways. 

BEAMING BOOKS
2022

Finally, SARAH RISING deserves a close look and sharing. In this case the tentative young voice is that of Sarah, who loves nature and her little "pets", a living collection that we later learn are lovingly cared for. observed,  and then released back into nature. Sarah, too, is lovingly cared for and will one day be released into her own future, but for now she is learning first hand from her dad that every voice should be raised to speak out for those being treated unjustly. The situation of a protest has a somber, worrisome tone, but Sarah's impulse to save an injured monarch butterfly outweighs her fear of the "BIG" people surrounding her. Her kindness separates her from her father, but results in care and kindness from other BIG people who lift her up to locate her dad inn the crowd. The sense of Sarah rising to a need, rising above her fear, naming her emotions, and being raised to see herself as able and with agency are all worth considering and discussing openly. Author Ty Chapman achieves an authentic young girl's first person voice and perspective, while illustrator DeAnn Wiley achieves an appealing balance of dark-skinned characters within joyful, safe, and happy scenes/relationships as well portraying widely diverse individuals involved in the protests and police groups, in which the overall tone and perspectives convey the shifting moods within the story arc. The recovered monarch being freed at the end offers a just-right dose of introductory lessons on symbolism. 

Overall, this threesome deserves a place on the list of "back to school" picture books across many age levels.

TOGETHER WE MARCH: A Look Back At the Power of Peaceful Protest

 For short periods of time, young people have grown up without "marches" being in the news. This picture book is a valuable reminder that marching for a cause has always been a part of our American and global history and heritage. As the introduction says, when people combine the efforts of their feet, voices, signs, and mutual support, they become a force to be reckoned with. In the most basic sense, this is evident in sporting events, in which the cause is victory for your favored team.

On a more substantial note, though, are the many marches that seek/sought to serve the public good. Even when the specifics focus on a target need or identity group or rights, protesting and achieving progress toward equality and justice for those causes improves the broader society in which we all live.

Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2021

TOGETHER WE MARCH: 25 Protest Movements That Marched Into History, is written by Leah Henderson and illustrated by Tyler Feder. It is yet another praiseworthy nominee  for a CYBILS AWARDS for nonfiction. I suspect that one of the challenges of compiling these twenty-five accounts involved deciding among hundreds that occurred (and MATTERED) throughout history. The author introduction ends with a note that the final cut includes "overlooked stories, revered moments, and courageous people" whose work to change the world provides lessons for all of us across time. Some will be familiar, even to young readers, and others will be   new introductions.

I respect that criteria and believe it has benefited the book and the young readers. Once those choices were made, a chronological approach was used, and that meant the first movement of this collection is the   leadership of MOTHER JONES, marching in defense of childhood and in protest of child labor.

That is a sure fire way to hook kids into reading and becoming inspired by these brief profiles. This march through time (pardon that pun) allows for some causes to recur, particularly related to race, peace, and rights. Each is a two page spread with colorful spot illustrations that anchor events in the general awareness of historic eras through clothing and other cultural details, with effective small spots to support comprehension (maps, flags, icons, etc.). The causes and their leaders are diverse, including various ethnicities, skin colors, global identities, abilities/disabilities, lgbtqia/gender identities. 

Many contemporary readers may be surprised to see concerns in current events reflected across continents and a century of marching: peace, voting, the environment/climate, immigration, labor, social justice, and more. The final entry accounts marches for social justice following the George Floyd murder, with a satisfying concluding note from the author. This is followed by a colorfully illustrated timeline, anchoring each of the twenty-five movements across the last century-plus. It's a helpful way to note patterns and similarities in causes, as well as diversity among those who choose to organize and march. The next page turn provides a selected bibliography that is also formatted with more kid-appeal than most- identifying each movement and citing the source of quotations. 

This is a powerful and very accessible approach to bringing background and meaning to the current political and other public protests, marked with visible indicators of the overall theme, reinforced through illustrated protest sign slogans. 

First and foremost is "TOGETHER WE MARCH", underscoring the power in unity and community. Also, and importantly, this theme rings true throughout each profile and as a summation of the book:

"NONE OF US IS FREE UNTIL ALL OF US ARE FREE"

 

A Place to Land: MLK, Jr.'s DREAM Challenges Us

Happy Birthday Celebration Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. There will never be "too many" books about this remarkable man whose national and global leadership and sacrifice should never be forgotten. 

Neal Porter Books, 2019

A PLACE TO LAND: Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Speech That Inspired a Nation is
among the remarkable nominated for Cybils nonfiction awards for 2019. There were several about this iconic man. This one stands out, a product of impressive collaboration by author Barry Wittenstein, illustrator Jerry Pinkney, and publisher Neal Porter Books.
Watch for this title to garner multiple awards and honors in the coming weeks, particularly at ALA Midwinter Conference in Philadelphia January 24-26.

I write my own notes about the outstanding books I choose to share here, but in this case I'll quote directly what Indiebound.org says, which is exactly what I want you to know:

"Much has been written about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington. But there's little on his legendary speech and how he came to write it. Find out more in this gripping book with illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Jerry Pinkney.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin. No, he said. The hardest part is knowing where to end. "It's terrible to be circling up there without a place to land."Finding this place to land was what Martin Luther King, Jr. struggled with, alongside advisors and fellow speech writers, in the Willard Hotel the night before the March on Washington, where he gave his historic "I Have a Dream" speech. But those famous words were never intended to be heard on that day, not even written down for that day, not even once." 

When I began this blog eight years ago, one of my earliest posts shared thoughts about why MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. is such a personal hero of mine. If you have the time and haven't read that early post before, I invite you to do so. In it I include a variety of titles that can (and should, IMO) be read and shared across many ages. As I continue in my ninth year of considering and celebrating wonderful picture books, the list of recommended titles related to MLK,Jr. has grown. In the next few days I'll share some very recent titles and add them to my page of suggested books to consider. 
For now, on this celebration day, let's retain the focus on this remarkable story. It is a story of dedication, mindfulness, intention, collaboration, and grace. 

After reading it, I also encourage you to seek out and read a book about a very significant behind-the-scenes contributor to this iconic event, the speech, and many other aspects of the Civil Rights era (and beyond). I wrote about TROUBLEMAKER FOR JUSTICE: BAYARD RUSTIN in a post on my website blog, here. Co-authors Jacqueline Houtman, Walter Naegle, and Michael G. Long have produced an authoritative story of the many ways in which Bayard Rustin should be celebrated today, too, and every day, for the ways in which determination, hard work, and collaboration can change the world.

Whether our interest is in the Women's March, the Fridays For Future, the MARCH FOR OUR LIVES, or BLACK LIVES MATTER, let's not fall into the trap of imagining ourselves as activists because we scroll through various sources, verify validity of content, and then speak up for others (and TRUTH) among our various contacts. 

Those steps matter. 
Reading these books and sharing them matters. 
But taking actual STEPS matters more.
That might involve SHOWING UP at a meeting, march, or protest for which others have done the hard work to organize and promote it. 
Or volunteering to help on the next project. 
Or making phone calls. 
Or lending design skills. 
Or writing skills. 
Or registering voters.
Or offering rides to those who need them. 
Or... getting inspired and finding ways to offer yourself to the betterment of our world. 
Others who have done so can inspire you.

Start today.

The Anniversary of Uplifting Leadership: Look Back and Learn

It was six and a half years ago that I featured a book with the title associated with this date, August 28, 1963. 

"I HAVE A DREAM..."

Those iconic words are irrevocably associated with a leader who inspired a nation to become "woke" about truths long ignored. Click on the start of Martin Luther King's quote above for a link that lets you hear a recording of his speech and provides other useful background sources. 

I'm old enough to remember the day of the march well. I wasn't there, but I was active in the movement locally and that day, that public response, that speech, shifted the air around us as a nation. I felt it.

Did it change every mind? 

No.

Did laws change overnight?

Of course not.

But laws did change, eventually, and that changed MY life. For those to whom all of this is ancient history, I invite you to read one of my earliest posts about why working for racial justice also served my own needs, goals, and future, HERE. I tend to limit my begging to serving kids or charitable needs, but if you have no clue about why a white, middle class teen girl in the sixties would have reasons to care about Civil Rights, I'm begging you to PLEASE read that post.

To learn more about the many years of struggle and suffering (and unsuccessful attempts) that preceded the amazing march fifty-six years ago, you should check out a book I reviewed on my own website, HERE.  It's a biography of Bayard Rustin, TROUBLEMAKER FOR JUSTICE. 

School resumes and teachers of every age are actively addressing "No bullying" rules, stressing the power of standing up rather than standing by. Kids today witness attacks and bullying displayed by their president on a daily basis. They sense that even our laws (and rules) can support bullying of a social sort. They are aware of protests about many worthy causes (and other causes far from worthy). They've lived every year of their lives and taken every breath in their lives in a  world of pollution and warming climate, protests echoing in their ears, with no evidence of positive change. They can't be blamed if they've become jaded, convinced that a protest is no more than an "activity" or flashmob, a social event that will make no changes. 

But they also live in a time in which they can take for granted integrated schools, workplaces, buses, and restaurants. They see candidates and elected officials (even a president!) of every ethnicity and gender. The many years in which that was not true are unknown or forgotten. 

They can't be blamed if this nation went straight from slavery to Civil Rights. They need to learn that story.

History.

Our story. 

THEIR story.

In this post I am not sharing a new title, but urging readers to check out past posts I've linked, check the pages tab on the right margin of this page for other MLK titles, and otherwise bring the past to life- for yourselves, for young people, and for all our sakes. Kids are always my beacon of hope for the future, but it is our responsibility to light a few lamps that clarify our past, providing evidence that even slow change is change worth pursuing.

Help the next generations DREAM, and work to make dreams come true.