Center for Children's Literature Blog

Children’s Book Committee – April 2020 Pick

Hector: A Boy, a Protest, and the Photograph that Changed Apartheid
Author & Illustrator: Adrienne Wright
Photographer: Sam Nzima

Hector Pieterson’s story describes how a peaceful protest against inequality in the schools contributed to the end of South Africa’s apartheid system. Pastel and collage illustrations. Biographical back matter. (10-13)

Our Young Reviewer Says:

I liked the book. I like how the author went into Hector’s background and showed what kind of person Hector was and didn’t just dive into the march. I like how the author showed other perspectives and introduced secondary characters. It gave different views of the story.

I wish the author would have gone into what happened after the protest and what happened with his family.

The illustrations show how uncomfortable it was learning Afrikaans. How Hector was a normal kid. The illustrations and comic book format let the author teach and explain about life in South Africa. I recommend this book.

–Liam, 12 years old, Bronx, NY.

Young people who are interested in reviewing are invited to do so as we welcome the individual perspective of our age appropriate readers. If you are interested in being a reviewer, contact bookcom@bankstreet.edu.

See our Monthly Picks Archive 2012–2018, and our Monthly Picks 2019–present.