Free? Stories Celebrating Human Rights

Walker Books, UK: 2009; 212pp

ISBN: 9781406318302

NB: extension concepts

Genres: allegory, short stories

Issues: freedom, human rights

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the release of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Walker has gathered together fourteen well-regarded writers from various countries and asked them to contribute a short story that illustrates an article (or two) of this document - an essential international law that changed the world.

David Almond's 'Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads' explores the complex range of perceptions and opinions about the nature of freedom. Rita Williams-Garcia looks at something many of us take for granted - freedom to travel within our own borders, and what happens when that freedom is violated. Margaret Mahy writes about freedom to congregate in a way that children can relate to, as well as including a whimsical slant on freedom of speech that is more literal than philosophical.

These are but three of a collection of finely crafted, thought-provoking and memorable stories that encourage readers to consider the many ways in which we take our own human rights for granted. We often forget that for millions in our world, those human rights are an unreachable dream, something they struggle to achieve for their country, their people, their neighbours, their families, themselves, on a daily basis. As Jacqueline Wilson says in the foreward, ‘Life isn't fair - but we can do our best to right the wrongs.' Highly recommended.