June 2021 Debut of the Month | Longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2022
From the 2019 Macmillan prize-winner this is a powerful, dramatic and inspirational story about the difference even a child can make if they take action and get their voice heard. The delightfully curious Rosa needs a book but her library is closed for redevelopment but Rosa dn her sister decide to protest and not give up , gradually bringing everyone onboard. The vibrant richly coloured pages create a filmic sense of an inclusive community and very real people. It makes a powerful statement about the place that libraries have in a community and the vital necessity that all children can have access to the books that they need. Unfortunately, it is a book with a very current and timely message. Libraries have suffered greatly in the pandemic and the future looks bleak as more budget cutting looms. This book empowers young children to demand their rights and to recognise that they matter too. It should prompt some very interesting discussions and debate and naturally should be stocked in every library.
Rosa wants a book. But when she gets to the library, she finds it is closed. What could be the end of the story is just the beginning, as Rosa and her sister Maria try everything they can think of to bring their community together and fight to get back their precious library. A picture book that features big subjects in a child-friendly way, with beautiful artwork, making this the perfect discussion starter for curious children. From debut author and illustrator, Jake Alexander, winner of the Creative Conscience Gold Medal.
Jake Alexander is an illustrator from the South of England. In 2019 he won both the Macmillan Prize and the Creative Conscience Gold Medal with an early version of We Want Our Books. He often makes work based on popular culture and current events, having created a Star Wars-themed zine and portraits of public figures such as Taika Waititi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
