Rating: 
Summary: A travel log into another world - a must read for everyone.
Review: Free the Children is not only an interesting read but one of the most thought provoking books I have curled up with lately. I stayed up half the night to finish the book! The book exposes the harsh realities of millions of children around the world. Through Craig's travels and meetings with street and working children, the book examines the various causes of child poverty and the exploitation of children - from poverty itself, the policies of the IMF and the World Bank, to the greed of individuals and whole societies. The book was depressing at times (reading about eight year old girl separating used syringes) yet incredibly uplifting and inspirational at other times. If a kid like that can have such an effect on society, maybe anything is possible.
Rating:
Summary: More of a Reflection of Us than of the Wretched of the Earth
Review: How we live in many cases determines how others all around the world live. Those fortunate to be living in the industrialized, rich nations of the world directly benefit from the suffering and injustice inflicted upon the heads of many unfortunate people in the Third World.Craig Kielburger learned early on that the problems in the Third World are inter-connected. Child labor is often a symptom of the larger problem of poverty. Poverty in turn is directly linked to domestic governments that are not activist, not committed to providing basic infrastructure, and are thoroughly anti-democratic. However, it is not wholly a problem of politically corrupt or economically and morally bankrupt government. It is in too many cases a problem of rich country institutions, government and corporate, financial and social, tacitly abetting and passively condoning objectionable behavior. We can not conveniently lay the blame on the people of the Third World; nor can we easily point the finger at Third World governments. We too share plenty of the blame. When academics argue about solutions, it is always with what they have read or heard; not what they have directly experienced. Craig Kielburger has achieved something with this book that all the other books written by academics and filled with depressing numbers and statistics have consistently failed to do. He has put a face to the problems of child labor and poverty in the third world, and has gone even further to provide a voice to its weakest and most defenseless victims, the children. Craig Kielburger, much like Paul Harrison, author of Inside the Third World, has done much to restore the humanity that has fallen by the wayside in ehumanitarianf causes. This book has taught me many important lessons. Among them are to share your experiences, and provide moral support. It is not enough to just simply fork over cash in order to assuage your guilt. In the book, one of the Thai activists for labor rights said that change will not come overnight, because it is not simply a question of economics; it is a change in attitude as well. Money alone will not solve this and other problems confronting us all. The thing that will truly make the difference is whether or not we as Americans have the courage to confront the problems facing everyone and change the way we behave. Just as how we live determines how others live, our behavior in the world determines how others act, and interact, with one another.
Rating:
Summary: More of a Reflection of Us than of the Wretched of the Earth
Review: How we live in many cases determines how others all around the world live. Those fortunate to be living in the industrialized, rich nations of the world directly benefit from the suffering and injustice inflicted upon the heads of many unfortunate people in the Third World. Craig Kielburger learned early on that the problems in the Third World are inter-connected. Child labor is often a symptom of the larger problem of poverty. Poverty in turn is directly linked to domestic governments that are not activist, not committed to providing basic infrastructure, and are thoroughly anti-democratic. However, it is not wholly a problem of politically corrupt or economically and morally bankrupt government. It is in too many cases a problem of rich country institutions, government and corporate, financial and social, tacitly abetting and passively condoning objectionable behavior. We can not conveniently lay the blame on the people of the Third World; nor can we easily point the finger at Third World governments. We too share plenty of the blame. When academics argue about solutions, it is always with what they have read or heard; not what they have directly experienced. Craig Kielburger has achieved something with this book that all the other books written by academics and filled with depressing numbers and statistics have consistently failed to do. He has put a face to the problems of child labor and poverty in the third world, and has gone even further to provide a voice to its weakest and most defenseless victims, the children. Craig Kielburger, much like Paul Harrison, author of Inside the Third World, has done much to restore the humanity that has fallen by the wayside in ÂehumanitarianÂf causes. This book has taught me many important lessons. Among them are to share your experiences, and provide moral support. It is not enough to just simply fork over cash in order to assuage your guilt. In the book, one of the Thai activists for labor rights said that change will not come overnight, because it is not simply a question of economics; it is a change in attitude as well. Money alone will not solve this and other problems confronting us all. The thing that will truly make the difference is whether or not we as Americans have the courage to confront the problems facing everyone and change the way we behave. Just as how we live determines how others live, our behavior in the world determines how others act, and interact, with one another.
Rating: 
Summary: The lines of this book can cut through your heart and soul.
Review: I have never seen a young person can put his words together so well and so thorough. His words will convince the reader(s) with the proofs that he has witnessed personally. This book will touch your heart. You will cry and laugh along with it.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book, Inspiring, Craig is a very powerful person
Review: I loved "Free the Children", it's one of the best books i have read in a long, long time. Craig has a way of bringing what he saw and did to life, he makes you feel like you are there with him on his journey across Asia. I have got to see Craig in real life at a NCYC conference in St.Louis, Missouri. From the moment i heard him i had to get his book. This is an inspirational book, i think everybody should read this book to see how big of a problem child labor really is, and how FTC is helping children around the world. I definatly give this book 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book, Inspiring, Craig is a very powerful person
Review: I loved "Free the Children", it's one of the best books i have read in a long, long time. Craig has a way of bringing what he saw and did to life, he makes you feel like you are there with him on his journey across Asia. I have got to see Craig in real life at a NCYC conference in St.Louis, Missouri. From the moment i heard him i had to get his book. This is an inspirational book, i think everybody should read this book to see how big of a problem child labor really is, and how FTC is helping children around the world. I definatly give this book 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and insightful adventure for all ages
Review: I picked this book up on a whim and was pleasently surprised. Craig Kielburger's adventures around S/SE Asia are both entertaining and shocking. The horrible conditions that many children endure in that part of the world (India, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh) are well documented through the eyes of Craig, the 12 y/o Canadian who (with numerous school-age friends) started the Free the Children foundation. However, there are also moments of humor as Craig shares his tribulations with everything from the local foods to run-ins with border guards and street vendors. Free the Children is an inspiring story that any adult or adolescent would enjoy. One note to parents: while I think a child as young as perhaps 9 or 10 could enjoy this book, I would caution you that topics such as Thailand's underage sex-trade, as well as the extreme abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) suffered by many child labors, are discussed - but certainly not in any exploitative or inapproriate fashion.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and insightful adventure for all ages
Review: I picked this book up on a whim and was pleasently surprised. Craig Kielburger's adventures around S/SE Asia are both entertaining and shocking. The horrible conditions that many children endure in that part of the world (India, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh) are well documented through the eyes of Craig, the 12 y/o Canadian who (with numerous school-age friends) started the Free the Children foundation. However, there are also moments of humor as Craig shares his tribulations with everything from the local foods to run-ins with border guards and street vendors. Free the Children is an inspiring story that any adult or adolescent would enjoy. One note to parents: while I think a child as young as perhaps 9 or 10 could enjoy this book, I would caution you that topics such as Thailand's underage sex-trade, as well as the extreme abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) suffered by many child labors, are discussed - but certainly not in any exploitative or inapproriate fashion.
Rating:
Summary: Insperational! I can't wait to start an FTC chapter!
Review: I too saw Craig at NCYC in St. Louis last month. For those who don't know, NCYC is the National Catholic Youth Conference. There were close to 22,000 Teens and young adults at this conference when Craig spoke. We were all in the TWA dome, and you could have heard a pin drop it was so silent. He really grabbed our attention and moved us all to become advocates for the Children. I had to buy his book, and speak to him afterwards. I told him he was very inspirational, and a great role model for his peers, and he responded "the best compliment you can give me is to get active for the children, this is their cause". (Something along those lines at least.) This book gives us all great insight to the horrors that children of the world have to face. We have it so easy here in the USA it's about time someone opened our eyes! And it's amazing that a group of 12 year olds started an organization that has grown world wide in only 4 years. You can bet my church group is going to start helping. Read this book...you'll want to help too.
Rating:
Summary: A amazingly written book!
Review: Im only 14 and i attended youth day 2000 this year and i heard Craig Kielburger speak twice and both times i was so amazed! He really gets the audiences attention he is so amazing and only 16! Craig had mentioned his book about his orginization and i was so touched that i decided to go buy this book...it was very good, it made you think about your life and it had a major impact and i reccomend it for everyone! These children are suffering so much..sometimes we take it for granted! BUY THE BOOK!
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