The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. Compiled after the horrors of World War II, its purpose was to state and protect the rights of all people. This beautiful commemorative edition celebrates each declaration with an illustration by an internationally renowned artist or illustrator, including Jackie Morris, Satoshi Kitamura, Catherine Anholt and Laurence Anholt, Marie-Louise Gay, Jessica Souhami, Peter Sis, Mick Manning and Brita Granström, Hong Song-Dam, and many others. A testament to freedom and the human spirit, it is a thoughtful gift for children and adults alike. With a foreword by John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Doctor Who’s David Tennant, We Are All Born Free is published in association with Amnesty International, and all royalties will be donated to the organization.
- ISBN: 9781845076504
- Author: international, Amnesty
- Published: 2008 , Frances Lincoln Childrens Books
- Themes: freedom, human rights, Politics And Government, Values and virtues
- Descriptors: International, Picture Book, Primary (ages 6-9)
- No. of pages: 64
Kathleen
We are All Born Free contains thirty articles that make up the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International created this simplified version to share in a children’s book format, where internationally renowned artists created unique illustrations on each of the specific articles. These rights focus on the work of Amnesty International that work to protect human rights all over the world. Originally, these rights that were proclaimed after the horrors of World War where governments all over the world promised to support and proclaim these going forward in the world history. It is appropriate that illustrators from around the world have come together to create a more global perspective to tell the story of each of the articles.
Kristy
The illustrations are the most powerful aspect of this book. With each image, the illustrator’s point of view on a particular article of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is portrayed. Thus the volume contains differing perspectives and points of view that each page portrays. Peter Sis, a well-known international Children’s literature author/illustrator creates the entrée into this document through the jacket cover by showing parachuting children that depicts a diversity of different cultures and backgrounds. The simplicity of the free falling children invites the reader to open the book, and turn the pages. If you don’t see the title of the book knowing that is it’s The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in pictures, it could almost have a feel of fantasy story as in the works of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, with the images of free falling children.
Kathleen
We have chosen four of the articles to share our perspectives and takes on each of them.
Kristy
We will begin with Article 13 that states, “We all have the right to go where we want in our own country and to travel abroad as we wish.” This pencil illustration in shades grey stands out from most of the other illustrations throughout the book; there is a certain amount of levity and hopefulness in all the other illustrations that use vibrant colors whereas this illustration is monotone. When you turn the page to Alan Lee’s image of Article 13, it brings to mind a very real historical context of what occurred during World War II and in the immediate aftermath necessitating the writing of The Declaration of Human Rights. The barbed wire on top of the wall is reminiscent of the Berlin Wall that divided East and West Germany. The drawing makes you stop and think about the freedom we have, in terms of freedom of movement. In a lot of ways it is similar to his drawings in other of his illustrations such as The Lord of Rings Sketchbook and Faeries. There is a heaviness to it; but also it is thoughtful, smart, and hopeful with the origami crane in flight.
Kathleen
Freedom of travel abroad – always during the weeks proceeding and following the Olympics the world gets to see a country at its best. This particular article makes me wonder about those countries in so much turmoil and how can these human rights support oppressed area. Do we really have freedom of travel with the world issues happening? How has travel changed over the past 10-15 years and how safe do we feel? In contrast the illustrations of the next Article that follow 13 are quite vibrant. My take on this illustration and article makes me realize the importance of knowing people’s stories or backgrounds. Article 14, illustrated by Hong Sung Dam from South Korea, depicts a bright and vibrant style of illustration. This article states, “If we are frightened of being badly treated in our own country, we all have the right to run away to another country to be safe.” I wonder if the artist chose this particular article as a result of being an Amnesty International “prisoner of conscience” who was imprisoned and tortured for his paintings? The illustration depicts a person breaking free from ankle chains and flying to freedom from behind a barbed wire prison wall, on the wings of white bird toward a serene setting of butterflies, flowers, and white glitter floating all around. The direction that the illustration led my eye was toward the upper left section that was the serene part. The angle the bird flies middle of the page to the upper left. The movement takes the illustration has took me a while to them see from where the character was coming, the prison. It is a very small part of the whole page, and muted in tone and dull in color. It took me a bit of time with this page to see and understand what this artist is saying through his illustration. I saw this artist’s life experience through his images.
Kristy
I think it is interesting that both artists use a wall or barrier in order to illustrate their article. With Hong Sung Dam’s illustration the wall is something to move beyond.
Kathleen: It is worth noting here that there are two very important epilogues in this book. One, that contains each of the articles, and the other titled “Now Meet the Artists!” which contains a photo or drawing of the artist and a short paragraph on each stating where they are from and some other book titles of their work. Article 14 in particular is very important to read with the 2nd epilogue.
Kristy
As someone who works in social studies education, the list of the adapted articles of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is very important – it reminds the reader that the ideas being depicted throughout this picture book are not simply the hopes and thoughts of the artists but rather are representations of the rights we all have as human beings. That being said, I wish this list appeared as a prologue rather than an epilogue in order to ground the reader in this historical and political context.
Kathleen
The only other illustration that is similar in style to the illustrations in Article 13 with the pencil illustrations comes from the Brazilian artist for Article 10, Fernando Vilela. This article states, “If we are put on trial, this should be in public. The people who try us should not let anyone tell them what to do.” This illustration has so much to discuss. The colors used in this illustration are mostly umber in tone. The characters are all in black silhouettes, with splashes of red or orange, which brings your attention to certain images. Starting with the bottom right hand corner an orange sidewalk image brings your eyes to a group of men wearing stove-pipe hats where some are shouting, some seem to be sneering, and another pointing at a group of men that are situated in the upper left hand corner of this two-page spread. The group of 3 men might be portrayed as men on trial because one holds a document with the word “Lies” in a shade of orange, while the other two men have scowls on their faces and a bright red overlay between these two. The context has a feel of slavery during civil war period in the United States, and has a similar artist style of Jacob Lawrence’s illustration in John Brown: One man against Slavery*.
Kristy
I also had the feeling of a dynamic conflict – as you pointed out the two groups of men are interacting with one another although there is a set of tire tracks between them. The tire tracks run right through the center of these pages, which creates a clear divide but the divide is not impenetrable. Following the tire tracks from left to right, my eyes land on the scales of justice that sit somewhat stoically and balanced on the left-hand side. It reminds me that regardless of the court of public opinion thinks, courts of justice will be balanced and fair.
The last article we are analyzing is Article 3 “We all have the right to life, and to live in freedom and safety.” This illustration makes me happy. Again, the artist, Niki Daly, uses a barrier – in this case a fence – in his illustration. The fence to “Freedom Park”is open in order to allow free movement in and out. Although there are a couple characters outside the fence, they are able to see life’s possibilities. These possibilities include the opportunity to interact with many different people and do many different things. Daly presents a park filled with a diversity of children interacting with one another. Also, I like that Daly makes a nod to his home of South Africa with the South African flag flying near a statue of Nelson Mandela.
Kathleen
It’s interesting that the first couple of articles in the book have illustrations that, as you say, “make me happy.” These happy illustrations are easy to help facilitate a more serious context. I do find it interesting that we were both drawn to Article 10 and 13 that have the more realistic view of what may have occurred in history that brought about the need for these two particular Human Rights articles to be created. I can only conclude that after the reader is drawn into the context of the text at the beginning where the illustrations are vivid, the reader is able to critique both text and illustrations when a more somber style of illustration occurs. These two illustrations really exemplify the horrific affects from war or the ill treatment of others as to why The Universal Declaration of Human Rights were created over 60 years ago.
Kristy
As a social studies teacher educator, I wonder if having the list articles frontloaded as a prologue instead of an epilogue might be more powerful because it immediate could prepare the reader a that many countries around the world. As opposed to the hopes and dreams of an author that is not identified.
Use of this book in classrooms:
This book lends itself to a variety of learning experiences. Teachers can have students read an article of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and create an illustration interpreting the article. Then the student can compare their illustration to the one found in We Are All Born Free and discuss the ways in which they are similar and different. Thus exemplifying varied perspectives or points of view. Another idea is to do a pre-reading Tea Party of The Universal Declaration of Human Right. Give each student one article to read one-to-one with several students before reading We Are All Born Free aloud. Following the read aloud, ask students about examples of theses rights and responsibilities that they have as citizens of the local, national, and global communities.
* The Detroit Institute of Art currently now owns the Jacob Lawrence paintings from this book.