“I saw a child fall down. Under a shower of bullets, I rushed forward and went for the picture. It had been a peaceful march, the children were told to disperse, they started singing 'Nkosi Sikelele.' The police were ordered to shoot.”
—Sam Nzima, photojournalist

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​Click here for the Classroom Guide for teachers.

Useful links:
The photograph that inspired my book was taken by South African photojournalist Sam Nzima, and is included in TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential Images of All Time. Find the photograph in this link, scroll down to read more about the event, and see the video. 
http://100photos.time.com

HECTOR is a 2020 ALA Notable Children's book! Thank you ALSC and the committee.
Each year a committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) identifies the best of the best in children's books. According to the Notables Criteria, "notable" is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children's books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways.
www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb

2020 Winner — Children's Africana Book Award, Best Book for Young Children
africaaccessreview.org/childrens-africana-book-awards/?utm_source=CABA+2020+Winners&utm_campaign=CABA+Winners+2020&utm_medium=email

A Kirkus Reviews BEST OF 2019 in the Middle Grade Biography category
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-middle-grade-biographies-memoirs-of-2019/​

Bank Street College — The Best Children's Books of the Year (see page 35)
educate.bankstreet.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=ccl

HECTOR is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection Book
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Chosen by the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature to be on their Best Books of 2019 list.
https://www.csmcl.org/best-books-2019