{"id":216626,"date":"2024-07-31T15:07:12","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T19:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=216626"},"modified":"2025-09-08T15:09:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T19:09:44","slug":"2024-malka-penn-award-recognizes-i-kick-and-i-fly-and-jovita-wore-pants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2024\/07\/2024-malka-penn-award-recognizes-i-kick-and-i-fly-and-jovita-wore-pants\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Malka Penn Award Recognizes I Kick and I Fly and Jovita Wore Pants"},"content":{"rendered":"

A novel and a picture book have been selected as the two recipients of the 2024 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children\u2019s Literature, presented by UConn\u2019s Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s winning novel is I Kick and I Fly<\/em><\/a>, by Ruchira Gupta<\/a> and published by Scholastic Press.<\/p>\n

Inspired by Gupta\u2019s 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 \u2013 sold into an unimaginable fate by her father to help feed their family and repay his loans \u2013 is an unforgettable story about overcoming adversity.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s winning picture book is Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter<\/em><\/a>, written by Aida Salazar<\/a>, illustrated by Molly Mendoza<\/a>, and published by Scholastic Press.<\/p>\n

In this stunning and lively book, Salazar presents the remarkable true story of a little-known maverick Mexican heroine \u2013 her great aunt, Jovita Valdovinos \u2013 who disguised herself as a man and commanded a battalion of revolutionaries in a fight for religious freedom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am honored to receive the Malka Penn Award for I Kick and I Fly<\/em>,\u201d says Gupta. \u201cThis recognition highlights the resilience of girls like Heera and the harsh realities of sex trafficking. Based on true stories of girls I have helped, it tells how a young girl transformed her life through Kung Fu and escaped being sold. I wanted to inspire young people by showing that someone fought back and won. It is a story of hope, courage, and community. My thanks to the Malka Penn Award committee and Scholastic Press for believing in this story and carrying forward my mission. Change is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven all the violations of human rights we are witnessing in the world and all those, much braver than me, whose work stands for justice, I am so honored and humbled to have been selected,\u201d Salazar says. \u201cI was unaware of the [Malka Penn] award and I am thrilled something of this importance exists. Thank you for doing this work for the children\u2019s literature community. We desperately need to shine a spotlight on narratives that hope to make the world a better place. Our broken world needs that shift and healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Malka Penn Award<\/a> is given annually to the authors of outstanding children\u2019s books addressing human rights issues or themes, such as discrimination, equity, poverty, justice, war, peace, slavery, or freedom.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 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,\u201d says James Waller, director of Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs and the inaugural Christopher J. Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice. \u201cWe 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\u2019s and youth literature addressing pressing human rights issues for young audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Named in honor of author Michele Palmer \u2013 who writes under the pseudonym Malka Penn \u2013 the award recognizes works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, or biography written for children from preschool to high school. Special consideration is given to stories about individuals who have been affected by social injustices and who, by confronting those injustices, have made a difference in their lives or the lives of others.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thrilled these two outstanding children\u2019s books are the winners of the 2024 Malka Penn Award,\u201d Palmer says. \u201cAlong with several of the winning honor books, they inspire young women and girls to empower themselves and overcome human rights abuses.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to I Kick and I Fly <\/em>and Jovita Wore Pants<\/em>, the Malka Penn Award Committee has recognized the following selections as its 2024 Honor Books:<\/p>\n