Publishers Weekly Review
The team behind 2014's Grandfather Gandhi returns with a second real-life story drawn from Arun Gandhi's time at the Sevagram ashram with his grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi. After Arun tosses away a pencil nub in defiance of the ashram's vow not to waste, it leads to an in-depth exploration of the connections between waste and violence. The story culminates with the "Be the change" phrase widely attributed to Gandhi, though actually coined by Arun to represent his grandfather's ideals. As in the previous books, Turk's mixed-media images create a vibrant, dazzlingly imagined backdrop for the weighty philosophical discussions at play. Ages 4-8. Authors' agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator's agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. |
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-6-Following Grandfather Gandhi, this title finds young Arun at his grandfather's ashram, or "service village." Slightly older now, the boy is working to adhere to the 11 vows of ashram living. Not wasting is the most difficult for him, and he has trouble understanding how this vow relates to nonviolence. Three incidents combine to help Arun learn the lesson. He accompanies his grandfather (Bapuji) on a trip and listens as he tells a crowd, "When nonviolence is accepted as the law of life, it must pervade the whole being and not be applied to isolated acts." On the way home, Arun tosses away a pencil stub. When Bapuji finds out, he sends Arun back in the dark to retrieve it, saying, "It is not the pencil, but you, that is important," meaning that Arun's grandfather loves him enough to hold him accountable. The third way that Grandfather teaches Arun is by helping him make a "tree of violence," a chart on the wall that shows how seemingly small actions or thoughts can lead to larger events. The illustrations, especially the visualization of Arun's tree, help children understand the weighty concepts. As he adds to it each day, it grows beyond the physical walls, dwarfing Bapuji and Arun and demonstrating that each decision takes a person on a particular path. The dramatic collage illustrations include dimensional elements to create the illusion of texture. The full-bleed spreads immerse readers and take them on the journey with Arun. Constantly shifting perspective moves from small to large and close to far, reiterating the theme of a small action having larger consequences. Another repeated motif is the use of frames within larger images to demonstrate connectedness. VERDICT This handsome book asks a lot of young readers but carries important messages delivered in a personal and relatable manner.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
In this follow-up to Grandfather Gandhi (2014), Arun Gandhi once again revisits his childhood in an Indian ashram, recounting one particular memory of his grandfather, the Mahatma. Ashram life, Arun says, revolved around a pledge of nonviolence, including a vow not to waste. Frustrated with this, a young Arun throws aside the pencil nub he's been using. Instead of giving him a new pencil, his grandfather sends him out to find the old one. Slowly, Gandhi begins to teach his grandson about passive violence and the effects small actions can have on the world. Some of the nuances of the message may be lost on younger readers as initially they are on young Arun but the illustrations are a joy. Turk's gloriously colorful multimedia collages capture the spirit of the story while providing endlessly fascinating details, and repeating shapes reflect Arun's growing understanding of the interconnection of actions, ultimately driving home one of Gandhi's most enduring lessons: to change the world, first change yourself.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2016 Booklist |
Horn Book Review
The creators of Grandfather Gandhi (rev. 3/14) here share another episode featuring the groundbreaking civil rights figure. Young Arun Gandhi and his family live "simply and nonviolently" at his grandfather's service village. Arun's Bapujithe leader of India's nonviolent Independence movement, Mohandas Gandhicalls their work "Experiments in Truth." But in a fit of rebellion one day, Arun, restless and "tired of [his] vow not to waste," tosses a pencil nub away. Bapuji encourages Arun to take responsibility ("A vow is a promise to yourself before it is one to others") by going to find the discarded pencil, then the two create a "tree of violence" to illustrate how one seemingly small and thoughtless action can lead to discord. As Arun comes to understand the ways in which he can "be the change you wish to see in the world," the story grows slightly more didactic, and less elegant in the telling. But Turk's artwork is stunning in composition and color throughout. Using a bold palette of primarily oranges, salmons, purplish-maroons, and sandy grays, Turk provides visual clarity to some pretty heady concepts. For instance, as Arun realizes the error of his ways, Turk presents the boy looking over his shoulder; within the eggplant-hued darkness of Arun's long shadow Turk shows a chaotic handful of conflicting characters in intentionally messy orange-threaded outlines. As a vehicle for showing the human side of the seminal figure that is Gandhi, this is a valuable title for young readers. A note from the authors and "Be the Change Pledge" are appended. sam bloom (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |