Hidden Stories of Heroism for a Peaceful Planet

Linda has brought together a wonderful collection of heroes and heroines who chose the road less travelled and have argued for a world free of weapons, a world free of violence and a world of justice, peace and sustainable development. It’s a must-read for all those interested in building a more peaceful world.

Professor Kevin Clements, Director, Toda Peace Institute, New Zealand author, academic and life-long peace activist

Take an hour to feel proud (and horrified) by these fine and often suppressed stories of our peacemakers in Aotearoa and elsewhere. I wish I’d had this resource as a young woman. 

Dr. Marilyn Waring, Patron of The Peace Foundation – Te Rōpū Rongomau o Aotearoa, New Zealand feminist, author, academic and former politician.

Hidden Stories of Heroism for a Peaceful Planet by L P Hansen

“This succinct and well-written book is a celebration of the courageous people who have put their lives on the line to promote peace and social justice. It’s a timely work, a good reminder that when ordinary citizens stand up for their values, real change can result. All the people in this book are role models for future generations, and it’s cheering to learn of the many New Zealanders (and others) who have worked so hard to protect us all. It’s vital our young people read this, so they can be inspired into action. I particularly liked the final chapter, putting all these stories into today’s context, with clear practical guidelines for those who wish to promote non-violence and peacemaking. Highly recommended. Please share it widely!”

Mandy Hager, Author. LIANZA Book Award for Young Adult fiction three times, the New Zealand Post Book Award for Young Adult fiction, an Honour award in the Aim Children’s Book Awards, Word Weavers Excellence Award (2002), Golden Wings Award (2003) and five Storylines Notable Book Awards.

Hidden Stories of Heroism for a Peaceful Planet by L P Hansen

Hidden Stories of Heroism for a Peaceful Planet is a 112 page chapter book (for an older readership of  around 12+ I’d say) about peacemaking and opposition to war. The book starts with 14 vignettes of lesser known people (and peoples), from the Moriori, Parihaka and other Aotearoa activists to Samoa, Poland, Kenya and beyond, who, often to their extreme physical and mental detriment, decided that the nonviolent fight for peace was the better option.

It took me by surprise how much I enjoyed Hidden Stories of Heroism for a Peaceful Planet. I’ll be honest when I say this one was the one I thought I’d find the hardest to review. I was worried, at first glance, that this would be an overly sentimental read but it isn’t flowery or simpering in the slightest. I ended up spending an evening, completely absorbed, learning all about conscientious objectors, peaceful protesters, selfless actions and ‘those who chose social justice over cruelty and violence’.

LP Hansen, who has penned many novels for young folks, writes concise and easily digestible chapters and does a truly excellent job of giving you enough information to feel like you can form an opinion. She also bookends each chapter with a list of resources for further solo research and provides great teaching material with timelines and extra facts about the various stories. This does make it look a little text booky and all the graphics are in black and white. It’s a shame the insides weren’t jazzed up a little because at its core, it’s full of admiration for extraordinary people who did incredible things.

It saddens me that this type of book feels very necessary for our rangatahi to safely navigate, with well-informed opinions, the world as it is today. There is so much pressure on the youngest generations, so much unasked for responsibility. These days most science books for children, like New Zealand Weather, include pages on climate disasters, extreme weather phenomena and mass extinctions. And here, in Hidden Stories…, the back is dedicated to ‘filling the kete of today’s peacemakers’, with lists of organisations to support, glossaries of war terms and advice on critical thinking. I don’t want to end this review on a bum note, like some doomsday megaphone, so I’ll finish with saying I’m so glad these books are here and available for our tamariki. They’re bolstering and supporting, highlighting and celebrating, informing and feeding all those precious young minds.