This empowering story of individual activism follows Victor, an 8-year-old boy in Malawi who recognizes gender inequality when his twin sister must stop attending school—and decides to do something about it. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

"Victor is a pretty typical eight-year-old: he races to get his chores done, finds math challenging and likes to play with his friends. One day, the new school teacher introduces Vic and the other students to the idea of equality between boys and girls. Vic has never really thought about it before, but he soon begins to notice the disparities around him. Like all the older girls and women in their Malawi village, his twin sister, Linesi, now walks the long walk to the river to collect water for the family. Now she can't go to school anymore. It's just the way things have always been. But does it have to be? And is there a way for Vic to change it? When Vic has an idea about how to help, he discovers that even small changes can have an impact"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

In this inspiring story of individual activism, a boy recognizes gender inequality when his sister must stop attending school — and decides to do something about it.

Victor is very close to his twin sister, Linesi. But now that they have turned eight years old, she no longer goes to school with him. Instead, Linesi, like the other older girls in their community, walks to the river to get water five times a day, to give their mother more time for farming. Victor knows this is the way it has always been. But he has begun learning about equality at school, and his teacher has asked the class to consider whether boys and girls are treated equally. Though he never thought about it before, Victor realizes they’re not. And it’s not fair to his sister. So Victor comes up with a plan to help.

Based on a true story of a Malawian boy, award-winning author Susan Hughes’s inspiring book celebrates how one person can make a big difference in the lives of others. It’s a perfect starting point for children to explore themes of gender inequality and unequal access to education, as well as the lack of clean water in some parts of the world. Nicole Miles’s appealing artwork in this graphic novel / picture book hybrid format adds emotional context to the story. Also included are information about education and water availability in Malawi, resources and a glossary of Chichewa words. Part of the CitizenKid collection and featuring a growth mindset, this important book has links to social studies lessons on global communities and cultures, as well as to character education lessons on initiative, fairness and adaptability.

A young boy finds a way to help his sister go to school.Victor and his twin sister, Linesi, are close. Only, now that they are eight years old, she is no longer able to go to school with him. Linesi, like the other older girls in their community, must walk to the river to get water five times a day to help their mother farm. But Victor is learning about equality in school. He's beginning to realize how boys and girls are not treated equally. And that's not fair to his sister. So Victor comes up with a plan to help.Can one boy make a difference in an unequal world? It turns out, he can! - (Grand Central Pub)

Kirkus Reviews

This true story shows how a boy in Malawi changed his family's habits to improve gender equality. Victor and Linesi are 8-year-old twins. Every morning, they say goodbye to Mama and race to the kachere tree, where they part ways. Victor, a boy, goes to school, but now Linesi, a girl, goes to the riverbed with a bucket to fetch water for the family, like the other women and older girls. At school, Victor enjoys English lessons from his funny teacher, and one day, Mr. Tambala talks about gender equality. The homework is to notice whether boys and girls are treated equally. After school, Victor notices that the girls do chores while the boys go to school, play games, and do homework. He decides to try to teach Linesi at night, but it doesn't work. He talks to his family, and they agree to make a change: Victor and Linesi start taking turns going to school and fetching water. Soon, their friends make a similar change, and perhaps more changes will come to their village. This inspiring story is a thoughtful representation of a community on the brink of change. Victor shows how an individual's actions can ripple out to change a culture and others' lives. The joyful illustrations make clever use of full scenes and boxed vignettes to show activities, dreams, and choices within a visually monochromatic setting. The characters' smiling faces defy stereotypes and offer hope. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A lovely story with many uses. (author's note, resources, glossary) (Informational picture book. 4-10) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Despite being twins, eight-year-olds Victor and Linesi experience life differently in their small village in Malawi. While Victor attends school, his sister must drop out to collect water every day for their family's needs: "Five walks to the river and five walks home." When an engaging new teacher, Mr. Tambala, describes gender equality and asks the class to consider their own lives, Victor decides to alternate water-collecting responsibilities and lessons with Linesi. Hughes uses straightforward prose to explain the gendered cultural norms, while debut creator Miles digitally sketches dynamic Black characters with a range of skin tones, employing a desertlike color palette for landscapes. Inset scenes and speech bubbles bolster the narrative flow of this activism-encouraging picture book, inspired by a photo essay by journalist Tyler Riewer. Back matter includes an author's note, resources, and a Chichewa-English glossary with pronunciations. Ages 7–10. (June)