Bob Marley (1) (1945–1981)

"Asimple modification of famous lyrics to spread an anti-bullying message that is as necessary today as on the day the song that inspired it was released.

In her third picture book offering that uses one of her father’s songs as inspiration, Cedella Marley (Every Little Thing, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, 2012, etc.) touches on the topics of bullying and ostracism and on the courage it takes to combat them. She delivers a statement about social justice and bravery in an appropriately simple style that children can grasp. The result is a message of empowerment and unity: that standing up for yourself inspires others to do the same and may help to bring people together rather than continue a practice of exclusion and belittling. It is very much in keeping with the import of Bob Marley’s words in the song of the same name. Vibrant illustrations from Cabuay show a diverse cast of children, which will certainly help with accessibility to children from all walks of life. He depicts children getting up and standing up at the bus stop and on the bus, on city streets, and in parks. The final joyous double-page spread finds a joyous, multiracial crowd joining a neighborhood festival above which flies a flag depicting the late musician and the legend “One Love.”

Moral: It’s never too early to learn to stand up for yourself or others in the face of injustice. (afterword) (Picture book. 3-8)" www.kirkusreviews.com… (mere)

Get up, Stand up doesn't shy away from the fact that people and this world can be cruel. It motivates young children that their voice is important in standing up against those that bring people down. Whether standing up for yourself or others, Bob and Cedella Marley encourage children to know that when something is wrong there is something they can do about it- stand up for what they believe in. Compassion, truth, being a leader. All virtues that hard to teach- are made to seem like the cool thing to do in this bright and inclusive picture book. Where's the middle school version?… (mere)

The idea behind this book is touching, and the message one that should be repeated time and again.

Bob Marley's daughter, Cedella Marley, wanted to keep the message behind his song Get Up, Stand Up alive, especially for children. This book takes the song and adapts it in a way children ages 4 to 8 are sure to understand and use in their own lives. The message is clear—don't just sit and watch injustice happen, but rather stand up for what is right. In this case, scenes from the school day and moments of various types of bullying are presented. The children in the book react by standing up and not staying quiet.

The illustrations are bright and bold, and the characters display tons of energy and attitude. The bullying scenes are depicted in an easy to understand way, while the reaction for the others includes standing up together. The diversity of characters makes it clear that this wonderful message is for everyone. There's a sense of unity in every scene.

The text reflects the song and is easy enough for this age group to understand. While it's not a read-aloud for every circumstance, it definitely works well in bringing across a point and can be used to open up a discussion on the topic. I personally would have liked to have a link where the kids could hear the song or, perhaps, some/all of the song written in the back with the tune so kids could sing along.… (mere)