BOOK OF THE MONTH — DECEMBER 2016 (UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS MONTH)
DECEMBER IS UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS MONTH
According to the United Nations, we — as human beings — have certain fundamental and essential human rights. The United Nations composed and set down the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The list of 30 rights includes the right to freedom, security of person, nationality, and the right to assemble. Read the list for yourself. I guarantee you take several of these for granted.
Every Human Has Rights: What You Need to Know About Your Human Rights was written by National Geographic. Called “A Photographic Declaration for Kids”, this book presents the 30 rights in a way that children can understand and appreciate. Each of the rights is accompanied by poetry by young children and accompanying photographs from around the world. A poignant and emotional read, this book will move kids as well as adults.
As with most books in this series, it is recommended that this be presented as a read aloud. Younger children can read the rights and older children or adults can read the poetry. As you read through the book, take a few minutes to comment on the content. Pictures of enslaved children may spark a discussion as to how you can help people overseas. (Remember, it’s the season of giving.) Take the next step after reading this book and make a family pact to help your community and those who still struggle for these universal human rights.
TIP: IF YOUR CHILD STRUGGLES WITH READING THE WORDS IN THIS BOOK, SPLIT UP THE READING. ALTERNATE PARAGRAPHS, PAGES, OR CHAPTERS. HELP YOUR CHILD BREAK DOWN AND PRONOUNCE DIFFICULT WORDS. OR, READ THE BOOK ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD. WHEN YOU READ ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD, YOU ARE TEACHING FLUENCY, RATE, AND INFLECTION.

