Description
Every time our society takes steps forward, segregation becomes illegal, child labor is exposed, and companies that poison our air are called to account. Behind those steps are people who identified problems, worked together, and created change. Lifelong environmental activists, Jane Drake and Ann Love present the nine steps to social change and much more. From fascinating accounts about the founding of organizations such as Amnesty International, Pollution Probe, and Greenpeace to the nuts and bolts of how to run an effective meeting or write a petition, to words of inspiration, Yes You Can! Your Guide to Changing the World is great reading and encouragement for every person who wants to make the world a better place.
About the authors
Jane Drake, with her co-author and sister Ann Love, has co-authored many award-winning non fiction books for kids including The Kids Book of the Night Sky, The Kids Book of the Far North, The Kids Cottage Book, and most recently, Alien Invaders: Species that Threaten Our World. Their works usually have an environmental flavor. Jane lives in Toronto.
Ann Love, with her co-author and sister Jane Drake, has co-authored many award-winning non fiction books for kids including The Kids Book of the Night Sky, The Kids Book of the Far North, The Kids Cottage Book, and most recently, Alien Invaders: Species that Threaten Our World. Their works always have an environmental flavor. Ann lives in the Toronto area.
Librarian Reviews
Yes You Can! Your Guide to Becoming an Activist
The fourth book, Yes You Can! Your Guide to Becoming an Activist, is aimed at action. The writing team of sisters Jane Drake and Ann Love will be known to many readers for their popular non-fiction books, such as The Kids Book of the Night Sky. With their new title, they reach out for a different readership through Tundra Books. Although marketed for ages 11 and up, this book seems better suited for high school-aged readers. The visual treatment is quite sombre with no text-lightening pictures or graphic design elements: this book means business. Readers must be able to decipher the terms used in explanations: “Amnesty International is transparent to its members — democratic, self-governing, and open.” Before learning how to write an effective brief, one must first know what a brief is.When this book is read cover-to-cover by strong, teen readers, Yes You Can! might be an incredibly motivating experience. Each of the 10 sections features an introduction, exemplary stories, strategies, skills and a “Milestones and Set Backs” timeline. There is an index at the back, but the book could also have had a specific “Find Out More” section for basic information in each area.
The chapters tackle different skills and topics. In “Getting Heard,” the Strategies section tells how the Labrador Creative Arts Festival used theatre and various creative arts to give voice to messages from Innu and other youth. This section’s Skills tie-in, “Squeaky Clean,” urges activists to keep “meticulous financial records,” “receipts,” and gives other tips to readers for good book-keeping. The Skills sections are, in the opinion of this reviewer, the golden nuggets, as they inform readers about subjects, such as volunteer burn-out, that few think about before embarking on philanthropic projects!
Source: The Canadian Children's Bookcentre. Fall 2010. Volume 33 No. 4.
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Other titles by
Kids Winter Handbook, The
Rewilding
Giving Nature a Second Chance
Pandemic Survival
It's Why You're Alive
Alien Invaders
Species That Threaten Our World
Talking Tails
The Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets
Get Outside
The Kids Guide to Fun in the Great Outdoors
Kids Book of the Far North, The
Sweet!
The Delicious Story of Candy
Snow Amazing
Cool Facts and Warm Tales