Friday, October 6, 2017

A is for Activist

A is for Activist
by Innosanto Nagana

Lessons can be learned from all books, ranging from large volume books to 16 page children's books. The latter is the case in Innosanto Nagana’s A is for Activist.  Nagana’s book goes through the alphabet, educating young children (and adults, I’m sure) on aspects of civil engagement.  The illustrations that accompany the lessons for each letter are a plus.  I won’t go through all 26, but below is a sampling of some of the best:
            “C”: Co-op meaning cooperating cultures
            “D”: Democracy is more than voting
            "H": Healthy food
“M”: Megaphones making noise
“P”: Peace, power to the people
“Q”: Question
 “R”: Radical reds, (w/pictures of key advocates of peace: MLK, Nelson Mandela, Rosa                        Parks)
 “S”: Sun, fuels all life
“W”: Wondrous world, we cannot be whole unless we delight in diversity

Nagana chooses just the right words to help one think through the importance of voice, participation, and being active in all that is around us.  The book brings me to the letter “Q” for question: am I doing enough myself in these turbulent days we face? 

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