Photographs of girls from around the world are paired with a letter to Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban for daring to publicly pursue an education. Written by Rosemary McCarney, who works with the Canadian branch of the international non-profit, Plan, the letter here is from the perspective of the girls in the photos, explaining how they identify with Malala's struggle, setting out the challenges they face, and their determination to overcome those challenges. The letter concludes with the declaration that every day is Malala Day, and that girls will achieve great things. Quotations from Malala's speech to the United Nations on June 12th, 2013 are included at the rear, as is a list of ways that young children can help...

Originally published in Canada as Every Day Is Malala Day, and here in the United States as Dear Malala, We Stand with You - I really have no idea why the title needed to be changed - this is an engaging snapshot of the state of girls' education, worldwide. The text is very simple, ranging from a word or two to a sentence per page, but the themes explored - poverty, discrimination, violence - are quite mature. One of the things I appreciated was that there was a country label for each of the photographs included, so I was very puzzled that the only photograph to omit such a label was the one of the child bride. Leaving that one critique aside, I think this book could work very well as a companion to any one of a number of picture-book biographies of Malala - Raphaële Frier's Malala: Activist for Girls' Education, Lina Maslo's Free as a Bird: The Story of Malala, Malala's own Malala's Magic Pencil, etc. - as well as a title to read on Malala Day, or during any discussion of the importance of education for girls. ( )

I find the story of Malala super inspiring. And the fact that some girls do not have the privileges that I do makes my skin boil. It's a reminder that we shouldn't take our blessings for granted. There are some still fighting to stand up, make a difference, and bring change.

this book tells of how the teen activist Malala Yousafzai has inspired other children all over the world to stand up for their own rights. This book can be used in the classroom to invoke classroom discusses of education, poverty, female rights, or similar subjects. ( )

Dear Malala is a beautiful book. The photographs show young girls from around the world. Some are smiling at the camera; some are shown learning in school. The most evocative photos are those that depict the roadblocks to learning; for example, a shockingly young girl dressed as a bride, a girl surrounded by antagonistic boys, and the shadowy figures of one person winding up to punch an other are incredibly moving.

At the end of the book, the author lets Malala do the talking. An excerpt of her UN speech is printed without visuals. The speech is well-written and inspiring, but the first part of the book is so visually stunning that the transition to three pages of text seems like a missed opportunity.

With many books about an issue, the author educates the readers without proposing action. This book provides a list of organizations to support at the end of the book. ( )

An inspiring letter of tribute to Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager famous for her determined advocacy for girls' education, illustrated with photos of her and other young people from around the world. Proceeds benefit the I Am a Girl Fund, sponsored by Plan International, an international nonprofit devoted to children's rights and welfare. ( )