2024 Malka Penn Award Recognizes I Kick and I Fly by Ruchira Gupta!
A massive congratulations goes out to Transatlantic author, Ruchira Gupta, who was selected as one of two recipients of the 2024 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature, presented by UConn’s Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs.
Inspired by Gupta’s experience making an Emmy-winning documentary that exposed the sex trafficking of young women and children from villages in Nepal to the brothels of Mumbai, this story of 14-year old Heera – sold into an unimaginable fate by her father to help feed their family and repay his loans – is an unforgettable story about overcoming adversity.
The Malka Penn Award is given annually to the authors of outstanding children’s books addressing human rights issues or themes, such as discrimination, equity, poverty, justice, war, peace, slavery, or freedom.
“In a world where human wrongs seem to outnumber human rights on far too many fronts, the importance of literature that promotes and protects human rights is more important than ever,” says James Waller, director of Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs and the inaugural Christopher J. Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice. “We are honored to recognize the authors and illustrator of two outstanding books for the 2024 Malka Penn Award. This award aims to draw attention to, and affirm, the remarkable children’s and youth literature addressing pressing human rights issues for young audiences.”
Ruchira is represented by Laura Cameron and Samantha Haywood.
Congratulations, Ruchira!