How can you rate a children's book that absolutely breaks your heart? We have heard of families being separated at borders, but somewhere the picture we have in our heads is still incomplete. We assume that there is some humanity left in the way those handlers would treat children. This book shatters all such illusions.

"Hear My Voice" is an important picture book, more so for adults. Though it is aimed at provoking a healthy discussion with little readers, the issues it raises will definitely provoke at least some reaction in the hardest of hearts. This book is not recommended for very young children as the subject matter is too emotionally intensive.

I loved the book for its approach. The narratives are straight from the voice of the children affected by border policies. The pain of their testimony is brought to life by the brilliant illustrations of Mexican/American artists. The dual English-Spanish narrative helps in bringing more readers into the loop.

All the proceeds of this book are going to human rights organizations that work with children on the border. If nothing else appeals to you, this itself should be a good enough reason to purchase this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. And a bigger thank you to Project Amplify and Workman Publishing Group for this attempt to improve the circumstances of those children.

I got this on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

This is a REALLY important picture book, and I am so glad I’ve read it. Although I knew most of this beforehand, I still felt my heart ache for all of these children stuck at detention centres in the US, and how inhumane the conditions are! I really think it’s important to raise awareness with books like these, and I love how it’s in both English and Spanish in the same book, and the selection of artists mentioned!

Would recommend this to ANYONE!

This was a powerful and insightful view into what it is like for children who are coming over the boarder as immigrants. The different perspectives and experiences tell the story but at the same time probably don't scratch the surface for what life is like. It gives the reader a lot to think about.

This book is both beautiful and heartbreakingly sad. The illustrations are from several different artists and are all incredible. The text comes directly from the children featured in the book, from interviews about their experiences. These children have experienced (and still are experiencing) huge levels of trauma, both from the countries they've escaped and the situations they find themselves in now, separated from family and kept in cells with other equally traumatised children.

This is a book that needs to be in every school and read by as many people as possible. These children have had everything taken away. Many of us can't help reunite them with family, provide them with decent meals, toiletries, love or care, but we can buy this book and help them to be heard. This book is a start to giving them their voices back.

5 "heartbreaking, important, poignant" stars !!!

Of all the books I read this year....this is the most important....a children's book you say...yes a children's book full of pain, love and beauty.

This is a collaboration by children's advocates that visited a detention centre in Clint Texas and worked and spoke with the children there that ranged from age 4 to 17 from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and other southern countries. They have already faced many hardships and are now trying to reunite with family throughout the United States. They can be held for weeks in overcrowded unsanitary conditions with little access to food and medical care. They try and care for each other but they are frightened and often traumatized and really require parental care and love.

Why does this go on in a civilized country ? O that's right for the same reasons many of our Canadian Indigenous don't have access to clean drinking water ? Or our trans children are murdered ? Or our elderly die like flies in nursing homes due to Covid ?

This is a book with beautiful artwork by Latino artists with quotes from the children around their experiences, their hopes, their hardships and their dreams. This is a book that will make you ball your eyes out if you have any decency.

The book educates children and also gives very helpful information to elicit social change and how they and their families can help. The book is done twice...once in English and once in Spanish.

A portion of the purchase price of each book goes to Project Amplify which provides legal support to children in migration.

Thank you to Netgalley, the children, artists and advocates as well as Workman Publishing Group for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is to be released in April 2021.