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Children's Nonfiction Girls & Women

Walking for Water

How One Boy Stood Up for Gender Equality

by (author) Susan Hughes

illustrated by Nicole Miles

Publisher
Kids Can Press
Initial publish date
Jun 2021
Category
Girls & Women, Africa, Siblings
Recommended Age
7 to 10
Recommended Grade
2 to 5
Recommended Reading age
7 to 10
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781525302497
    Publish Date
    Jun 2021
    List Price
    $18.99

Classroom Resources

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Description

In this inspiring story of individual activism, a boy recognizes gender inequality when his sister must stop attending school --- and decides to do something about it.

Victor is very close to his twin sister, Linesi. But now that they have turned eight years old, she no longer goes to school with him. Instead, Linesi, like the other older girls in their community, walks to the river to get water five times a day, to give their mother more time for farming. Victor knows this is the way it has always been. But he has begun learning about equality at school, and his teacher has asked the class to consider whether boys and girls are treated equally. Though he never thought about it before, Victor realizes they're not. And it's not fair to his sister. So Victor comes up with a plan to help.

Based on a true story of a Malawian boy, award-winning author Susan Hughes's inspiring book celebrates how one person can make a big difference in the lives of others. It's a perfect starting point for children to explore themes of gender inequality and unequal access to education, as well as the lack of clean water in some parts of the world. Nicole Miles's appealing artwork in this graphic novel / picture book hybrid format adds emotional context to the story. Also included are information about education and water availability in Malawi, resources and a glossary of Chichewa words. Part of the CitizenKid collection and featuring a growth mindset, this important book has links to social studies lessons on global communities and cultures, as well as to character education lessons on initiative, fairness and adaptability.

About the authors

 

Susan Hughes
a étudié la littérature anglaise à l'Université de Toronto. Depuis, elle
écrit et publie des livres pour enfants, à la fois des fictions et des
documentaires. Elle habite avec sa famille à Toronto.

 

Susan Hughes studied English literature at the University of Toronto. She writes both fiction and non-fiction children's books. She lives with her family in Toronto.

Susan Hughes' profile page

Nicole Miles is a cartoonist, graphic designer and illustrator. Her work has appeared on greeting cards and in digital and print media, and her comic Barbara was nominated for an Eisner Award. Originally from the Bahamas, Nicole lives in England.

Nicole Miles' profile page

Editorial Reviews

... activism-encouraging ...

Publishers Weekly

... it definitely deserves a place in every Canadian library and classroom.

CM Magazine

... an excellent example of allyship ...

Sherbrooke Record

A lovely story with many uses.

Kirkus Reviews

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