The Amnesty International Book Club is pleased to announce that Jael Richardson, founder of Canada’s Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD),?has selected Prairie Ostrich as our November 2016 novel. Her selection of Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi, is an opportunity to not only examine what it is to feel like an outsider in one’s community, but also bears witness to the dangers of passively allowing injustice.
Prairie Ostrich tells the story of eight-year-old Egg Murakami as she lives a day-to-day existence on an ostrich farm in Alberta. Since her brother’s death, Egg’s mother has curled up inside a bottle and her father has exiled himself to the barn. And yet Egg, despite her family’s loss, continues to discover the world – the good and the bad. She wishes Anne Frank was her best friend, idolizes her older sister, runs from bullies, and wonders what it takes to be a hero.
This month, Amnesty International expands upon Prairie Ostrich’s?themes of action vs inaction. What exactly does it mean to take action, and what makes a person an advocate??In the guide, we’ll share Amnesty’s approach to advocacy, and share stories of how individuals have stood up for their values in their own unique ways.
