"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." -Archbishop Desmond Tutu Every morning Desmond the mouse wakes with the sunrise and spends the day playing in the beautiful meadow where he lives. And every night he goes to sleep under the starry sky. That is, until one night when he wakes up and finds an elephant asleep on his tail! Desmond asks for help from every kind of animal passing by, but no one wants to disturb the sleeping giant. How will Desmond get free? With Matt Meyer's thoughtful story and lush watercolour illustrations by artist Khim Fam, DESMOND GETS FREE introduces young readers to timely and nuanced concepts of justice and liberation in a kid-friendly and accessible way. Ages 4-8.

• Online campaign featuring social media images with blurbs and reviews of the book as well as designed graphics of selected excerpts and illustrations.
• Early reviewer promotion through advance copies to encourage reader reviews and generate buzz.
• National review outreach to trade and print publications (PW, Kirkus, Booklist, Library Journal, Foreword, New York Times) and online (NPR, Spirituality & Practice, Book Riot)
• Advertising in print publications (Sojourners, Christian Century, Publisher's Weekly) and online (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Sojo mail)
• Promotion on the publisher's website (skinnerhouse.org), Twitter feed (@skinnerhouse), Instagram page (@skinnerhouse), Facebook page (/skinnerhouse), Tumblr page (@skinnerhousebooks), Pinterest (@skinnerhousebks) and publisher's e-newsletter.
• Events author Matt Meyer travels the country making music and speaking about the intersections of music, community, and social justice. These events feature readings of Desmond Gets Free.

About the Author
Matt Meyer has a degree in hand drumming from Berklee College of Music and has studied in Cuba, Ghana, and Central America. He travels the country making music and speaking about the intersections of music, community, and social justice. Khim Fam is a self-taught illustrator who caught the painting bug as a child watching his uncle paint vibrant canvases in the studio.

Reviews

"I love this book! Khim Fam's illustrations bring Desmond Tutu's enduring quote to life, while Matt Meyer cleverly navigates the metaphor to teach young readers about the power of community action." -Innosanto Nagara, author and illustrator of A is for Activist, Counting on Community, and M is for Movement

"Beautiful watercolor illustrations enhance this timely parable about the dangers of indifference and the rewards of solidarity."-Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, author of God's Paintbrush, The Story of AND: The Little Word That Changed the World, and Who is My Neighbor? with Amy-Jill Levine

"While Desmond Gets Free is busy introducing children ages four to eight to the importance of being an ally, it meaningfully pricks the conscience of adults who share the book with young readers. Our hats are off to Meyer and Fam for seeing the potential in Archbishop Tutu's quote and reminding us all to foster compassionate understanding that leads to action." -Spirituality & Practice

Book Information
ISBN 9781558968660
Author Matt Meyer
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Skinner House Books
Publisher Skinner House Books