Declaration of the rights of girls Declaration of the rights of boys

Gr 1--3--In riotous pages of deadpan statements, such as "Article 3: The right to be good at math and not so great at English" that are swimming with children right out of Quentin Blake's imagination, Brami offers her version of a bill of rights, and makes plain that being small carries with it inalienable liberties. "Article 1" is the right to be "untidy, scruffy, covered in scratches," and that will likely be accomplished by the pages of bouncing, slurping, splashing girls. The following page details riotous girls, also in full-color cartoon-style ink drawings, as one spread flows into the next. Every article has companion illustrations, focusing on girls or, with a flip of the book, on boys. There is not much text; Brami uses onomatopoeia throughout to highlight the actions of the children. Each page is brimming with colorful and engaging illustrations, full of so much detail that rereadings are inevitable. Read-alikes include Andrea Beaty's One Girl and Kathyrn Erskine's All of Us. VERDICT An energetic addition to all collections, but it's not all fun and games; this could spark serious conversations about rights we take for granted and lead to a conversation on civics. Or, just enjoy the humor, the diversity, and the inclusion of so many different kinds of children in the pursuit of happiness.--Meaghan Nichols