Desmond Gets Free
Age range 3 to 6
A parable for children about allyship, solidarity, and liberation, inspired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, 'If an elephant has its foot on the tail of mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.' With a thoughtful story and lush watercolour illustrations inspired by Tutu’s parable, Desmond Gets Free explores timely and nuanced concepts of justice and liberation in a kid-friendly way. When Desmond the mouse’s tail is trapped under a sleeping elephant, he asks for help from every kind of animal passing by, but no one wants to disturb the sleeping giant. How will Desmond get free?
Matt Meyer has a degree in hand drumming from Berklee College of Music and has studied abroad in Cuba, Ghana, and Central America. He’s worked on campaigns to preserve old growth forests, support farmworkers rights, and stop the construction of fossil fuel pipelines, and is always looking for ways to dismantle systems of oppression and support communities grounded in justice. 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. He loves taking long walks in the woods and is inspired by the colors and shapes of our natural landscape. Khim hopes to create magical worlds through painting that allow us to better connect ourselves with the world around us.
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