I have the right is the perfect companion text to any KS1 lesson around the ‘Rights of the Child’. It simply states an affirmation on each two page spread and illustrates this with a bright, bold and powerful image which is ideal to share and discuss with a class.

Although the images appear to be quite simple in style and contain as many adults in parts as children, Reza Dalvand’s illustrations captivate and draw your attention directly towards the child or children in each image; challenging you to see things from their perspective. A perfect example of this is ‘I have the right to be protected from violence’. There are adults fighting and shouting in three corners of the page but in the bottom right hand corner is a father with a child and both are looking attentively at one another as if the dad is shielding the baby from what is happening around them. You can almost feel the love and protection flowing between them.

The book does not shy away from some of the more challenging parts of the UN Convention; for example, there are two pages which are predominantly orange and have black smoke rising from (what we can assume to be) recently bombed buildings with a line of children raising white flags to illustrate ‘I have the right not to be forced to fight wars’. It is also equally filled with such joy and care, ending with the most important of all the affirmations; I have the right to be loved.

This book is suitable to have as a part of a KS1 or KS2 PSHE library and could certainly be used as a stimulus for discussion in EYFS as well.