Peace Warriors

Biography Profile Series #6

by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Meet six heroic social activists. The next book in our six-in-one, full-color bio series will focus on Peace Warriors. Featuring men and women who have worked passionately to pioneer peaceful solutions to violent conflicts throughout history. Our peace warriors will include Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Day, and Ellen Sirleaf Johnson. Find out about their childhoods, where they went to school, what their families were like, and their major accomplishments. Six inspiring tales of courage and conviction.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Cultural

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2013

About the author

Andrea Davis Pinkney is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book Duke Ellington, illustrated by Brian Pinkney; Let it Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and winner of the Carter G. Woodson Award; and Alvin Ailey, a Parenting Publication Gold medal winner.

Pinkney's newest books include Meet the Obamas and Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride, which has garnered three starred reviews and has been named one of the "Best Books of 2009" by School Library Journal. In 2010, Andrea's book entitled Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down, was published on the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro, North Carolina, sit-ins of 1960.

Her mother is a teacher and her father is a great storyteller, so growing up surrounded by books and stories is what inspired Andrea Davis Pinkney to choose a career as an author. The first official story she remembers writing was in second grade — it was about her family. Pinkney was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Connecticut. She went to Syracuse University, where she majored in journalism. After college, she followed her dream and worked as an editor for Essence magazine, but after watching her husband, Caldecott Award-winning artist Brian Pinkney, illustrate children's books, she decided to switch jobs and became involved in book publishing.

Andrea Davis Pinkney currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/andrea-d...

Reviews

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, Dalai Lama, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (first woman president on the African continent), and Dorothy Day (a non-violent journalist who worked for the poor and homeless—up for sainthood). It does a brief 20-25 biography of each person and how that person has worked towards peace. All six bios are amazing and of course admirable. All six people were basically fighting racism and prejudice in some form—India from Great Britain, blacks and whites in South Africa and in the US, Tibet from China. Ellen struggled as a woman running for president and because of her light skin in Liberia. Dorothy claimed that poverty can lead to violence and was also a suffragette, she fought for peace, unity, and equality. This book is meant to show that people from different eras and backgrounds and countries can all take on the world with peace and love as their weapons.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short biographies of peace proponents (mostly Nobel Prize Winners), including some very prominent figures like King and Gandhi, but also some that are less known, like Dorothy Day and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Good introduction, probably for about ten year old readers. Without getting too controversial does give an idea of some of the difficulties in working for peace.

[Aroen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the history of the warriors back then and how they made a difference in our world!!!

[Courtney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is very sad and inspiring. With everything going on in our lives and we say we have a hard time or had a bad day, is nothing compared to what these amazing people went through and saw the goodness. Everybody in this book went through a dark time amid still found the light. This book really inspired me to want to do more with my community and to help others.
I chose this book because I needed a book to read and a short book to read.
Yes I would, this book may not apply to you or you may not have any connections to the people in any way. But I found this book very encouraging and heartfelt, it's like these people came into the world at the exact right time, when everybody needed them.
My favorite part of this book is probably Dorothy Day and her story about how she protested with all the other women outside the Whitehouse and stuck up for what she believed in. And when Mahatma Gandhi went on a fast TWICE just to prove a point and almost ended up dying the second time.
If I could change anything in this book is that I would add more about how the died and abut their childhood for all of them. And maybe explain what some of the things were because I was so confused on some of the organizations and a lot of their names- how to pronounce their names exactly.
A important lesson I learned in this book is that you can never do to much. And that when you are having a bad day, look up to these people and think "Wow! These people have probably been threatened and beaten for what they believe in and you can't even do this!?!?" This book has given me a very different perspective of what some of the best people had to go through to become who they were. Sometimes the most damaged people are the wisest people and that through all the darkened and hatred in the world today, 1 person can change it all if we just cling to hope like they did for us.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy from Netgalley

It is nice to see a book focusing on people who are heroes based on something other than physical strength or celebrity. Readers quickly see that these are strong individuals who worked for change through influence. There were many commonalities with these six people as they made incredible change happen without violence.

These were some amazing heroes. I do wish that we saw a bit more of their foibles though. In a biography, I like to see that a person is definitely not perfect because then they seem more real. Also, when I can see their everyday issues, then their deeds seem more attainable for a common person. That said, it is still incredibly inspirational. It encourages that spirit of working for peace because readers will see how much one voice can do.

Though teachers are often looking for lengthier biographies for reports, I think this format, a collection of related biographies, would be a great mentortext for a similar project - one that could shake up the old and a little tired biography assignment of reading one 150+ page book about one person and writing a report. It might be nice to have students find people who have something distinct in common like this.

Pinkney's narrative is interesting and full of rich detail. I especially appreciated learning about Dorothy Day and Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, two women I was unfamiliar with before reading this book. I will be happy to add Peace Warriors to our collection.

The original review was posted at http://readingtl.blogspot.com/2013/09...

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea behind this Profiles series is that there are connections among many of the individuals typically associated with various movements for change. By telling the stories of several individuals instead of one, the authors help readers see how one man or woman can influence another and then he/she influences someone else. All of this can lead to worldwide change. While some of the names in this book will be familiar (Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr.), others (Dorothy Day, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) may not be so well-known although their lives and contributions are just as important as the more-famous figures. Each biography describes the childhood, family life, major accomplishments, and the ways in which their lives had impact on each other. Noble Peace Prize-winner Sirleaf, for instance, president of Liberia, was the first woman to be elected as president of an African country. Her concern about the rights of women and the impoverished helped her win the election. Pacificist Dorothy Day spent her entire life working for equality for everyone and was particularly concerned about the plight of the homeless and unemployed. The stories, accompanied by photographs, enable readers to glimpse what these six inspiring and dedicated men and women have contributed to the world. I like the idea of being warriors for peace, a cause worth fighting for, but through words and deeds.

[Mya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a pretty good book. I liked how it told about the people's past. Before I started reading the book I really wanted to learn more about Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The book had tons of information on her. I thought that was neat. My favorite part of the book was when they talked about Dorothy Day. She helped the poor, homeless people and protested that women should have equal rights. She even had a kitchen named after her. Homeless and poor people would go there to get the meals they needed.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful compilation of six of the most influential seekers of peace in recent times. The detail with which they are presented is striking--from their early life to the profound work they are known for accomplishing. It is written in a simple format but does have a fair number of challenging words. Pictures of these people are helpful, but I would not recommend it to a reluctant reader.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collective biography of heroes who were dedicated to peace. Can't wait to share this with 5th graders when they start their Images of Greatness projects.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well-written and informative. I think the kids could get a lot out of this! I have the Civil War Profiles, too, and just haven't gotten around to reading it. Now I will!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous collection of biographies of 6 leaders from across the globe and how they peacefully made a important global changes.

[Jonny Tanaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good. Would recommend. Has many peoples life. Teaches you that violence is not the answer. Peace is good.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

review column January, 2014 - moved to Bleeker Collection