Sita Brahmachari on why it’s more important than ever to write stories for children that explore our differences and common humanity – and her richly diverse book list for all ages

Books to breed tolerance: what children can read after the terrorist attacks in Paris

In the week of the tragic terrorist attacks that took place in Paris my youngest daughter (aged 10) came back from school with homework to research and write about a human rights concern in relation to children anywhere in the world. She already had a clear idea of what she wanted to research.

I had the radio on and she listened to the news of the terrorist attacks that had taken place on the offices of the cartoonists Charlie Hebdo and the Kosher supermarket.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sita Brahmachari I often sit down to write without fully appreciating what is for me to have a voice and to have that voice heard. Photograph: Martin Levenson

I attempted to explain to her that these terrorist attacks were against the freedom for people to believe in what they believe in and to express what they think through their cartoons and words.

“Why would the terrorists do that?” She asked; wide eyed and horrified by the idea. “You can’t kill someone for drawing a cartoon. You can’t stop someone saying what they think.”

I could not have expressed it more clearly myself and her words echo article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights summarised here for the very young in We Are All born Free a picture book by Amnesty International.

“We all have the right to make up our own minds, to think what we like, to say what we think and to share our ideas with other people.”

But the sad truth is that all over the world, every day this and many other universal human rights are being threatened.

“That’s just wrong,” I heard my daughter mutter under her breath as she went on to do her homework.



The motivation for writing my last book Red Leaves came from finding it increasingly difficult to make sense of some of the great divides that exist in the world today… refugee experience, religious difference, intolerance and conflict, homelessness, the war in Syria… I thought if I find all this so difficult to understand how do children and young people view our increasingly fractured world?

So I turned to fiction because since my own childhood I have found sanctuary in stories, away from the news and the noise of the world, so many things can be understood, felt and discovered.

After a week of emotional turmoil it felt strangely comforting that my daughter was so keen to write about human rights abuses. As she carried on researching there were gasps followed by explanations of “I don’t believe this!” “How can adults do this to children?” “Why can’t people be fair with one another?” Her questions led me to think about how this sense of outrage is common to many great characters in stories for children and young people. I too love writing characters who find their voice and then are not afraid to use it.

Yet over these days I had sat at my desk listening to the news and felt unable to continue with my writing routine. I had not written a single word but my daughter’s passion set me off again and made me think that it’s more important than ever to write stories that explore our differences and our common humanity - stories that feature young characters who may or may not be part of a religion or culture that is like us or unlike us… or those who are “notsurewho,” “notsurewhat” and “notsurewhy” about anything, but search to answer the big questions about human rights, minds and hearts.

I often sit down to write without fully appreciating what is for me to have a voice and to have that voice heard. As I witnessed my daughter exercising her right to express her opinion I decided to begin to compile a list of contemporary authors whose books have helped me and my family understand and empathise with some of the most complicated situations we face in the world today.

For younger readers

For Every Child – UNICEF (with a foreward by Archbishop Desmond Tutu)

Girl with a White Dog by Anne Booth

Malala Yousafzai: Warrior With Words by Karen Leggett Abouraya

The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman

We are all Born Free – An Amnesty International picture book of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Dare To Be Different – A Celebration of Freedom in association with Amnesty International: collection of Stories and poems

For older readers

The Arrival – Shaun Tan

Lines in the Sand: UNICEF New Writing about War and Peace by Mary Hoffman and Rhiannon Lassiter.

Once by Morris Gleitzman

Free? Stories about Human Rights – Amnesty International anthology of short stories

Freedom. Short stories celebrating Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Amnesty International anthology

Hidden by Mariam Halahmy

Photograph: PR

From Somalia with Love by Naima B Roberts

Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick

Sold by Patricia McCormick

Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan



Secrets of the Henna Girl by Sufiyah Ahmed

A little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird

The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird

Quicksilver by Samira Osman

Shadow by Michael Morpurgo

A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master

Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera



I was just beginning to think that I would love to have more recommendations to add to my list when my daughter sighed deeply

“Mum! What else can I read about children forced to work in clothes making factories?|” She asked. “A story… not news. I want to write it as if I’m her.”

I was so happy to have a choice of stories to suggest to her. If you have recommendations of books that have opened up your world, helped you understand human rights and see things differently please share your thoughts… If we spread the word about the passion these stories inspire in us no voice can be silenced and together we might have the power to transform and expand all of our worlds.



Which books have helped you see the world differently? Let us know by emailing childrens.books@theguardian.com or on Twitter @GdnChildrensBks. Also see our fabulous list The 50 best culturally diverse books.



Post script from Sita, 15 January

For me this set out as a wish to share a few books on my family bookshelf that had helped my children explore human rights. When we invited people to help me expand the list I had no idea that the response would be so heart-warming. This is still in no way a comprehensive list, but it is one that may help young readers navigate through some complex human rights concerns. I’m sure there are books to add but for the time being I think we have created a hopeful list to celebrate freedom of speech and narratives of unity:

Come On Everybody by Adrian Mitchell (Collected poems)

Michael Rosen’s The Best Children’s Poetry From Agard to Zephaniah

All Sorts to Make a World by John Agard

The Child’s Elephant by Rachel Campbell–Johnston

I Have the Right to Be a Child by Alan Serres (Translated by Sarah Ardizzione)

Kami and the Yaks by Andrea Stenn Stryer

The Humans by Matt Haig

The Dragon Fly Pool by Eva Ibbotson

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson

Phoenix by SF Said

Varjak Paw by SF Said

Sawbones by Catherine Johnson

Torn by David Massey

Where I Belong by Gillian Cross

Wolf by Gillian Cross

After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross

Shine by Candy Gourlay

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay

Iqbal by Francesco D’Adamo

Street Child by Berlie Doherty

Far From Home by Berlie Doherty

Looking At The Stars by Jo Cotterill

Abela – The Girl Who Saw Lions by Berlie Doherty

Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman

Girl Underground by Morris Gleitzman

Old Dog, New Tricks by Bali Rai

The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda

Deadly Letter by Mary Hoffman

The Island by Armin Greder

Under The Skin by Cathy MacPhail

Klaus Vogel and the Bad Lads by David Almond

Nadine Dreams of Home by Bernard Ashley

Three Wishes Palestinan and Israeli Children Speak by Deborah Ellis

One of Us by Jeannie Waudby

A Stone in My Hand by Cathryn Clynton

Undone by Cat Clarke

Blackberry Blue and other Fairy Stories by Jamila Gavin

The Wheel of Surya by Jamila Gavin

If You Were Me by Samira Osman (To be published in April 2015)

Bird by Crystal Chan

The Heaven Shop Deborah Ellis

Children of War Deborah Ellis

The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo

Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari

Jasmine Skies by Sita Brahmachari

Red Leaves by Sita Brahmachari

Breadwinner Deborah Ellis

Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams

In The Sea There are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda

The Middle of Nowhere by Geraldine McCaughrean

She Wore Red Trainers by Naima B Roberts

Tasting the Sky by Ibtisam Barakat

My Basmati Mat Mitzvah by Paula J Freedman

Kindertransport by Diane Samuels

Thank you to everyone that has shared.

