Free the Children

Free the Children, Craig Kielburger and Kevin Major, HarperCollins, 1998

This is the true story of an average 12-year-old from suburban Toronto (Kielburger), who, one day, reads a newspaper story about a boy from Pakistan who was murdered for escaping from, and speaking out against, child labor.

That day, Craig asked his schoolmates for help researching child labor. Finding that children were not exactly a priority among the major human rights organizations, they founded Free the Children. They started small, speaking to students at other schools and holding tag sales to raise money. National and international exposure soon followed.

At some point, it was necessary to witness child labor in South Asia, up close and personal. With a human rights worker named Alam as his guide, Craig spent seven weeks traveling from Pakistan to Thailand. He met a little girl separating used syringes with her bare hands. He met a boy working at a brick maker who didn't know the meaning of the word school. He saw the Bangkok sex trade in children.

For adults who think that young people are too immature to amke a difference in the world around them, or for young people who want to make a difference in the world around them, read this book. It is excellent.