Fearless: The Story of ­Daphne Caruana Galizia, Defender of Free Speech

Gr 2-5–Reading books as a child taught Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia to always think for herself. As a young adult, she and her friends began to notice injustices around them and believed that peaceful protest could help solve some of the problems within their country, which led to her arrest. Galizia raised her own children to follow their curiosity and stand up against injustice as well. Though there were few women in journalism at the time, Galizia began writing for a national newspaper where she spoke out against the status quo. Powerful adversaries often tried to silence her voice, but Galizia kept writing. Muted watercolor-and-ink illustrations complement the sparse text in this picture book biography, with context about Galizia’s political viewpoints revealed not in the body of the text but in images of newspaper headlines decrying racism, sexism, censorship, and more. The political climate in Malta is not explored, potentially leaving readers to wonder about Galizia’s impact and the risks inherent in her activism. Back matter includes color photos, an author’s note, and further information on Galizia’s career and life, including her subsequent death by car bomb in 2017.