People Who Said No: Courage Against Oppression

(Paperback)

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Description

When saying no is the right thing to do. Sometimes its okay to ignore the rules or break the law. In fact, its essential! This thought-provoking book features people who did just that: Sophie and Hans Scholl, siblings who distributed antigovernment pamphlets in Nazi Germany; and Andrei Sakharov, who helped develop the nuclear bomb in Cold War Russia, but then spoke out against its use. Some, like Rosa Parks, were not originally in positions of political power but came out of the ranks of regular citizens to stand up for human rights. Others, like Oscar Romero, archbishop of El Salvador, used their power to change the status quo. Also included are Helen Suzman, a South African member of parliament who fought apartheid; Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest for protesting the dictatorship in Burma; and the people of Egypt, who recently brought down the repressive government of Hosni Mubarak. These inspirational profiles of people who followed their moral compass make for riveting stories as well as excellent starting points for discussions about ethics and morality.

Reviews

Especially relevant to the intended audience, with highly engaging and up-to-date exemplars of the right ways to say no.--Erin Anderson"Booklist" (01/01/2013)
An excellent resource book and information text supporting research projects, literature study groups studying global social justice themes, and global issues.--Sharon P. Armstrong"Resource Links" (12/01/2012)
By blending storytelling with non-fiction elements, Scandiffio helps readers to relate to these figures as real people, giving life to what may otherwise seem like a distant historical event.--Amanda Cannon"Canadian Children's Book News" (04/01/2013)
Given Scandiffio's writing style, sometimes the book reads like good historical fiction.--Caroline Hanson"School Library Journal" (09/01/2012)
Themes described here are universal but especially relevant to the intended audience, with highly engaging and up-to-date exemplars of the right ways to say no.--Erin Anderson"Booklist" (11/15/2012)

Author Bio

Laura Scandiffio has written many non-fiction books for young readers, including "Escapes!" in the True Stories from the Edge series. She lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.