cover image Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story

Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story

Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus, illus. by Evan Turk. Atheneum, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-1-4814-4265-7

The team behind 2014’s Grandfather Gandhi returns with a second real-life story drawn from Arun Gandhi’s time at the Sevagram ashram with his grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi. After Arun tosses away a pencil nub in defiance of the ashram’s vow not to waste, it leads to an in-depth exploration of the connections between waste and violence. The story culminates with the “Be the change” phrase widely attributed to Gandhi, though actually coined by Arun to represent his grandfather’s ideals. As in the previous books, Turk’s mixed-media images create a vibrant, dazzlingly imagined backdrop for the weighty philosophical discussions at play. Ages 4–8. [em]Authors’ agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.) [/em]