Amnesty Endorsed and Recommended Picture Books
Amnesty endorses and recommends picture books about human rights. The suggested Amnesty books ask the reader to think about how their actions can help the world be a better place.
Amnesty Books about Human Rights
Did you know Amnesty endorses and recommends children’s books?
Amnesty believes stories develop positive values, empathy, and an understanding of human rights. Through their research, they found exposure to literature increased compassion, social understanding while counteracting prejudice and abuse.
Issues promoted by Amnesty are complex and often abstract for young children. Picture books personalise people caught up in challenging situations, making the reader aware of issues outside their community.
Amnesty both endorse and recommend picture books. This selection encourages the reader to:
- make a difference
take a stand to defend their rights and those of others - take responsibility for their actions
- value their community
- take pride in their individuality
- think about the vulnerability of other people
- think about what freedom and safety means to different people
- explore the concept of justice
- explore a sense of belonging and inclusivity
- know their right to self-expression
- be aware of the threat to homes and habitats due to climate change
- change our world through compassion and acts of kindness.
You can find some Amnesty educational resources after the book list.
“It is through literature, not simply literacy, that we learn to understand and empathise... Through literature, we can find our place in the world, feel we belong and discover our sense of responsibility. Amnesty understands this very well.”
Amnesty Book for Children
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What Next?
Amnesty have educational resources introducing human rights for you to use in the classroom. They come in English and Welsh for 3-year-olds to secondary school.
Amnesty has created a Story Explorer resource. Print out then fold the origami to promote discussion and critical thinking with your students on human rights.
Here are a couple of links to give you more insight into Amnesty's views about children's books about human rights.
A short history of human rights and children’s books
Children’s picture books and human rights
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