Latvian / Latvia
Draugi un kaimiņi
(Friends and neighbours)
Reinsone, Sanita
(text)
Runde, Aleksandra
(illus.)
Rīga: Jānis Roze, [2024]. – 42 p.
ISBN 978-9984-23-996-5
Courage | Perseverance | Neighbourhood | Protection of nature | Social activism
Reading age: 8+
White Ravens issue: 2025
The best place in the world? For the children in »Draugi un kaimiņi« it is definitely their »Jungle« – a hideaway on the edge of a nearby meadow. They come here to play, chat, and just enjoy spending time with each other. When the local authorities decide to build a factory at this very site, the children spring into action. They organise a petition against the project and, in this way, come into contact with other residents on the street. Along the way, they experience some surprises and encounter quite a few odd moments to gather the necessary signatures, all of which are beautifully captured in Aleksandra Runde’s illustrations. In the end, they succeed in preventing the building project, and the »Jungle« is allowed to stay. Sanita Reinsone has written a wonderful children’s book that embodies the spirit of an autonomous childhood and features an exciting plot. It tells the story of what (even young) people can achieve with courage and perseverance, and by working together. [KW]