10/01/2014
Gr 2–5—This poignant picture book biography describes Muhammad Yunus, the man who developed microcredit, or the economic movement that gives small loans to the impoverished and that is breaking the cycle of rural poverty around the world. Born into a middle-class family in what is now Bangladesh in 1940, Yunus studied economics in America as a Fulbright scholar, where he saw Vietnam War protests and was "impressed by the students' belief that they could make a difference." Returning to Bangladesh after its brutal war for independence, Yunus was overwhelmed by resulting poverty, drought, and exploitation by moneylenders. He met a struggling craftswoman. Though she only needed 22 cents, she was denied a loan because her illiteracy and poverty made her a "banking untouchable." In response, he founded Grameen (Village) Bank to make small loans to the poor, and the concept of microcredit was born. Honored in 2006 with a Nobel Peace Prize, Yunus accepted and in his speech celebrated "the hundreds of millions of women all around the world who struggle every day to make a living and bring hope for a better life for their children." Yoo's text is straightforward and detailed, and her story of a true hero of the modern world will resonate with students, while the accompanying illustrations enhance the narrative through line and color in soft chalk pastels. Back matter includes a bibliography of sources, an afterword with information about poverty in America, and an update on Yunus's life since his retirement in 2011. This hopeful and inspiring tale sheds light on an important but little-known subject who made a huge difference.—Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL
2014-06-29
Microbanks aren't new, although they are gaining prominence. Here is the story of the first—or at least the formal first—and the one that gained the most notoriety.Muhammad Yunus grows up in the far-eastern part of India before Partition, in what is now Bangladesh. Although his father makes a decent living, Muhammad is exposed to poverty every day, from beggars at his door to the poor encampments he sees during his Boy Scout excursions. He graduates university, and each day as he walks to work, he passes a woman making stools from bamboo; she is obviously in dire financial straits. He stops to speak with her, to learn her circumstances. Yoo tells the story clearly and unflinchingly, though compassionately, explaining to readers the dreadful trap of the debt cycle. That is lesson No. 1 in this book: The debt cycle is a global plague. Yunus realizes that a simple monetary gift will not help the women out of poverty, but a tiny loan that brings her and other village women into entrepreneurship can. This is lesson No. 2 and what earns Yunus the Noble Peace Prize. Akib's artwork is drawn in hot shades of pastel that are at once unforgiving and exhilarating.A heart-gladdening testament to pulling your own suspenders tight, with a little help from your friends. (Picture book/biography. 6-11)
"A heart-gladdening testament to pulling your own suspenders tight, with a little help from your friends." — Kirkus Reviews
"[T]his eye-opening picture book provides an affecting look at how simple ideas can change the world." — Booklist
"This hopeful and inspiring tale sheds light on an important but little-known subject who made a huge difference." — School Library Journal
"In detailed and inviting prose, Yoo shares the story of activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus, beginning with his childhood in the city of Chittagong (then part of India). Yoo describes Yunus's growing awareness of the injustice of global poverty and of the power of peaceful protest to incite change. Scenes include Yunus's presence on the steps of Capitol Hill, where he rallied for peace between Bangladesh and Pakistan, and his return to a ravaged Bangladesh following the war, where his compassion and economic knowledge lead to the development of Grameen Bank. Akib's grainy, jewel-toned chalk pastels contrast a sense of scarcity and deprivation with one of warmth and humanity. Yoo makes the significance of Yunus's contributions understandable, relevant, and immediate." — Publishers Weekly
Put this one on your "must read" list! — Sally's Bookshelf
This inspiring biography of Bengali "Banker to the Poor" Muhammad Yunnus begins with precepts he learned in his childhood. Yunnus's path to becoming an economist known for small, low-interest loans to the impoverished (micro-credit) and to receiving the Nobel Peace Prize is backdropped by striking chalk-pastel illustrations in vibrant colors. — The Horn Book
Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education Junior Library Guild Selection, Junior Library Guild Best Multicultural Books, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Books Notable Books for a Global Society, International Reading Association (IRA) Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Skipping Stones Honor Award, Skipping Stones Magazine Social Justice Literature Award, ILA South Asia Book Award Winner, South Asia National Outreach Consortium (SANOC)
Delaware Diamonds Reading List, Diamond State Reading Association Eureka! Award, California Reading Association
