Janet  Wilson,
One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists 
Orca Book Publishers, 2008.

Rating: A*

One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists introduces the young reader to children who have made a difference in their own community, or on an international scale. Featured activists include Zlata Filipovic, who told of the horrors of the war in Bosnia; Craig Kielburger, the Canadian who founded the international organization Free the Children; and Kimmie Weeks, a young man from Liberia who has worked to champion children’s rights. Each activist featured in the book has a four page spread devoted to them and their work; a brief biographical sketch; interesting facts; excerpts from speeches they have made, or words they have had published, and pictures from some of the projects they have inspired.

The stories of these remarkable young people are interspersed with international stories and folklore concerning peace, as well as anti-war poetry. It is important for students in Canada—and elsewhere––to be introduced to these young people who have made such a difference in the world. Wilson has chosen a good mix of activists to focus on; her choices include activists from all over the globe, as well as a mix of males and females. However, the photographs used to illustrate each person are dated; for example, one would never know from reading this book that Craig Kielburger continues to be a successful activist, and is now in his mid-twenties. Each profile only concentrates on the activist when they first became active; it would be far more interesting and useful to the reader to see the development of their ideas and philosophy over time.

Also, there is no comprehensive bibliography or collection of links at the back of the book. Many students who pick up this book to begin researching a particular activist will need to search other sources to find more information about what the featured youth is doing today. Further, there are no maps included in the book to help the young reader see where a particular activist has had the most impact. This volume is not an essential purchase for the school library; there are other, more comprehensive volumes available.

Thematic Links: World Peace; The Power of One

Claire Hazzard
Vol.14, number 2
December 2008

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.