Our Children’s Book Giveaway this year was hosted by our West Side Beacon program with the help of volunteers from the Kulu Foundation and Target. Along with a chance to grab some free books, children also got to sit down and listen to Dianna Wilson Sirkvsky, our 2024 Goddard Riverside/CBC Youth Book Prize for Social Justice winner, read from her book, Just One Pebble. One Boy’s Quest to End Hunger.
Sirkovsky’s illustrated book is based on the true story of a boy, Braeden Mannering, who at age 9 had an incredible adventure that led him to his mission. Breaden, having won his state’s “Healthy Lunch Contest,” had a chance to meet then-First Lady, Michelle Obama, along with the other finalists from other states. During the event Mrs. Obama challenged the students to go home and make a positive impact in their community.
Not long after that, Breaden saw an unhoused man sitting on a rainy afternoon. Thinking of her words, he went home and brought back a packet of food and an umbrella for the stranger. It was with that small gesture that Breaden Mannering realized what he could do for his community.
Sirkovsky finished describing her book by saying, “The real takeaway that I would love for kids with this book is that you don’t have to be a grown-up to make a difference. Anybody can do something kind. Something that can make somebody feel better. There’s a lot of little things that kids can do. You’re never too young.”
