It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference: How They Do It - How You Can, Too! [Paperback]

Phillip M Hoose (Author), Pete Seeger (Foreword)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

This invaluable companion to the award-winning We Were There, Too! gives young readers the tools to bring about change. After the tragic and transforming events of the past year, young people are seeking out ways to become constructively engaged in their world. This book couldn't be more timely.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Containing more than a dozen accounts of children who have worked for everything from racial equality to world peace, this book demonstrates how youth have fought for what's right, then offers ideas about how to get involved. In a starred review, PW called it "absorbing and energizing." Ages 10-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Deserves shelf space in every classroom and library." --Starred, Publishers Weekly

"Two books in one: first, fourteen fascinating accounts of children working for human rights, the needy, the environment, or world peace . . . Second, a handbook for young activists, with practical suggestions for planning, organizing, publicizing, and raising funds for social action projects." --Kirkus Reviews

"An invaluable book . . . Reads with intensity and should convince young readers that they can make a difference in the attitudes and policies of their world." --Boxed, Booklist

"A clear-headed, good-hearted guide to help young people empower themselves." --Gloria Steinem

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (September 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374336229
• ISBN-13: 978-0374336226
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #908,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mr. Hoose is an award-winning author of books, essays, stories, songs, and articles. Although he first wrote for adults, he turned his attention to children and young adults in part to keep up with his own daughters.

His children's book, "Hey, Little Ant" (Tricycle Press, 1998), inspired by his daughter Ruby and co-authored by his daughter Hannah, received a Jane Addams Children's Book Award.

His "It's Our World, Too! Stories of Young People Who Are Making a Difference" (Little, Brown, 1993) won a Christopher Award for "artistic excellence in books affirming the highest values of the human spirit."

His most recent book, "The Race to Save the Lord God Bird" (Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004) received the Boston Globe Horn Book Award and was named a Top Ten American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults among many additional honors. "We Were There, Too!: Young People in U.S. History" (Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2001) was a finalist for the National Book Award. In addition, it was dubbed a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and an International Reading Association Teacher's Choice.

PHILLIP HOOSE was born in South Bend, Indiana, and grew up in the towns of South Bend, Angola, and Speedway, Indiana. He was educated at Indiana University and the Yale School of Forestry. He lives in Portland, Maine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for anyone with a social conscience, September 22, 2002

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference: How They Do It - How You Can, Too! (Paperback)

"It's Our World Too!" takes its title from an incident where a child was told that they could not sign a petition against the spread of nuclear weapons because he was too young. So he started his own petition for children because it is their world too. This book contains the inspiring and motivating true stories of children who are making a difference in their neighborhoods and the world. Each story is well told with pictures of the young people involved. The stories are organized into sections on Taking a Stand, Reaching Out to Others, Healing the Earth, and Creating a Safer Future. In a society where only the bad young people make the news, it is refreshing to have a book that shows there are those that are making a positive difference.

The second portion of the book is an instructional guide and handbook for anyone who wants to follow the path of the young people in the book. It is full of detailed suggestions on how to organize, plan, and carry out programs for social change.

A must read book for teenagers and adults these people and those like them are our hope for a bright future.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenally inspiring! Simply Superb!, September 28, 2003

By 

Daniel Chiras (Author of The Solar House, Superbia!, and EcoKids, Evergreen, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference: How They Do It - How You Can, Too! (Paperback)

I read this book in a single sitting. It was so well written and full of moving tales of children who have struggled against sometimes insurmountable odds to make the world a better place that I couldn't tear myself away from it.

If you're looking for inspiring examples of children who have made a huge difference in our communities, indeed the world, this book is a must read. In fact, it should be required reading for every child, every parent, every teacher, every scout leader, and every minister in the country! It's that inspiring.

It also contains a wealth of good information on how children can become effective leaders!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and Practical, November 15, 2002

By 

Dawn (Westerville, oh United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's Our World, Too!: Young People Who Are Making a Difference: How They Do It - How You Can, Too! (Paperback)

This book is a great resource for young activists. It opens up with inspiring stories of children who made a difference in their communities and the world and closes with a detailed instructional guide that tells you how to become an activist yourself. Although this book is written for kids ages 9-12, everyone can get something out of it. The second part of the book, a handbook for young activists, can be very useful to adults and teens as well as the intended audience. There are detailed suggestions on how to organize, plan and get the word out about your cause. This is a great book for girl scout leaders and classroom teachers who deal with young girls with big ideas. I highly recommend it for all kids and their mentors!