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.