Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2020)

Marching for the rights of all-children, Black people, women, Indigenous people, DREAMers, the LGBTQ+ community, disabled individuals, and many others-is explored in this history.From the children who walked with Mother Jones from Pennsylvania to New York in 1903 to speak for better youth labor laws to the worldwide Youth Climate Strike in March 2019, all kinds of marches-many linked to children and youth-are described in lively language and illustrated with bright cartoons that emphasize diversity among participants and illustrate the banners and posters carried. Each two-page spread contains a short history of each march and the actions taken, set in dense type, along with one or two quotes from organizers. Some, like the Longest Walk, a 1978 march from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., undertaken by Indigenous people to bring attention to 11 Congressional bills that threatened sovereignty, were weeks or months long. Widely known events like the recent Women's March in January 2017 and actions known only to a few historians, like the 1943 march of Bulgarian Jews against the Holocaust, receive equal treatment. Connections among marches and themes repeated due to unchanging social and political conditions are pointed out and are one of the book's strengths. The visually appealing last spread shows a timeline of each event placed on a long winding road. There is neither a table of contents nor an index, but the information presented is accessible and should really be read straight through for greatest impact. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27.3% of actual size.)This inspiring book will encourage activism. (sources, further reading) (Nonfiction. 11-13)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Marching for the rights of all-children, Black people, women, Indigenous people, DREAMers, the LGBTQ+ community, disabled individuals, and many others-is explored in this history.From the children who walked with Mother Jones from Pennsylvania to New York in 1903 to speak for better youth labor laws to the worldwide Youth Climate Strike in March 2019, all kinds of marches-many linked to children and youth-are described in lively language and illustrated with bright cartoons that emphasize diversity among participants and illustrate the banners and posters carried. Each two-page spread contains a short history of each march and the actions taken, set in dense type, along with one or two quotes from organizers. Some, like the Longest Walk, a 1978 march from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., undertaken by Indigenous people to bring attention to 11 Congressional bills that threatened sovereignty, were weeks or months long. Widely known events like the recent Women's March in January 2017 and actions known only to a few historians, like the 1943 march of Bulgarian Jews against the Holocaust, receive equal treatment. Connections among marches and themes repeated due to unchanging social and political conditions are pointed out and are one of the book's strengths. The visually appealing last spread shows a timeline of each event placed on a long winding road. There is neither a table of contents nor an index, but the information presented is accessible and should really be read straight through for greatest impact. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27.3% of actual size.)This inspiring book will encourage activism. (sources, further reading) (Nonfiction. 11-13)

School Library Journal (Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)

Gr 4-7 Henderson introduces elementary school students to the time-honored practice of peacefully marching to advocate for a cause. Setting the stage is a clear introduction to the ways marching can be an effective action that brings attention to an issue. The main text covers important marches throughout recent history, devoting a two-page spread to each, beginning with the March of the Mill Children in 1903 and concluding with Justice for George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The author highlights influential protest movements around the globe, including well-known demonstrations such as the 1963 Children's March as well as marches not typically covered in the classroom like the Bulgarian Jews March of 1943. The appealingly simple, cartoonish illustrations give the impression of a book for younger readers, but the dense text in small print addresses an ambitious scope of information and assumes some knowledge of world history, making this volume more suitable for upper elementary or middle school students. Despite this imbalance, this title provides a compelling look at marching as a vehicle for change, and effectively conveys the idea that marching for a cause is an activity shared by people throughout history and across cultures. VERDICT A solid source for school reports and a good introduction to a peaceful path to spur political progress. A recommended purchase for large school and public library collections.Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Lib., CA