A good history of the peace symbol, it shares an important message with clear illustrations to engage its reader.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The illustrations perfectly capture the creativity that Gerry had when he decided to use a simple symbol to mean a powerful message.
Most children of today do not understand what it was like ten years ago, and so to show a relatable book which documented an important part of the LGBTQ plus history from the 1960s both Michael Long and Carlos Velez should be proud by their accomplishment.
I read this book to my class and this book wowed them. Also they were able to relate their learnt knowledge of Buddhism including the ideas of peace and knowledge and relate it to this book meaning if Key stage 1 was your target audience you scored.
The rhyming pattern throughout the book would also appeal to younger audiences much like Dr Seuss books attract them. The warm colours of the paintings also would soothe them compared to most LGBTQ plus books which use the rainbow flag as a visual focal point, and yet many young children may be set off my such bright mixed colours.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved the idea behind the book but I just wanted more. I felt that even just a few more sentences would have worked better for me and also helped the children get a better grasp of the meaning behind the book and the peace symbol.

What an amazing idea for a children's book ....one symbol, which has become instantly recognisable the whole world over. This story presents a simplistic view of the design process and key movements which have adopted the symbol, perfect for children 6+. The illustrations are beautiful, inclusive and detailed with a luminous patchwork-quilt like quality about them. My class loved spotting the 'hidden' easter eggs within each double-paged spread, and it was a great starter for in-depth discussion on many human rights issues, including BLM and native rights. I particularly liked the timeline of peaceful protests at the end of the book, going right back to 1958 and the march for nuclear disarmament. So many potential uses, beautifully done!

I really loved this little info book about the history and use of the peace symbol. The bulk of the book is a lovely little children's book with great, vibrant colours and pictures about how the peace symbol has been used for activist movements. Each page lauds diversity, representation and acceptance. Such a lovely overall message! At the end of the book, there's a history section about the peace symbol with a more in-depth overview that I really enjoyed reading. Definitely recommend!

There are so many symbols in the world but have we ever given a thought to how they came into being? This book explains the origin of one of the most ubiquitous symbol of our times: the peace symbol.

Three Lines in a Circle begins with Gerald Holtom poring over his drawing board, and finally coming up with the simple design to be used in a protest march against nuclear weapons. The book then goes on to show how he faced rejection, how the symbol won over opponents, and how it is used today.

What I loved about the book was its concept (I mean, really!?!? An entire book dedicated to a symbol! How original is that!!!), the illustrations (vivid and mind-blowing) and the message (especially -> don’t give up in the face of rejection.)

What I felt could have been better was the backstory. There are two whole pages dedicated to the origin of the peace symbol and Holtom’s background, but these are at the end of the book, in quite a small-sized font, and in not-so-simple vocabulary. In other words, the target readers of the book won’t understand most of that content, though it is fabulous. The story begins directly with Gerald creating the symbol. It doesn’t include who he was, why he was creating the symbol, how he arrived at the design… All this content is only in the end note. So the start is quite abrupt. Having a simplified version of the background as part of the story itself would have worked much better.

At the same time, the concept is innovative. And it will get you thinking about how such a simple design has ended up as one of the most enduring symbols of our times. I’m not sure how the book will work as a purchase for individual readers, but I would definitely recommend it wholeheartedly to children’s libraries and schools.

Thank you, NetGalley and Flyaway Books, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the illustrations and the history of the peace sign very much! I especially like the timeline at the end of the book for peaceful protests since 1958.

Speechless!!!

Such an important storybook.

And it feels like everyone in the team did their utter best in bringing out this mind-blowing storybook!

The storyline, the art, the colours, the characters, the symbols, the messages!

I am so impressed!

Let's stand united for PEACE!

Thank you, amazing artist, the author and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

This is the book we needed. And will be needed.

An enjoyable and informative story of the history of the peace symbol, and how it continues to be used to this day. What is impressive about this book is how it takes a symbol that is associated with a specific time in history (think 1970s and hippies), and shows how it is still used in the modern day. This book would serve well as a starter text on a unit about social justice. The framework of "Person A has an idea", "Person B says it won't work", "Person A proves them wrong", was perhaps not as well utilized as it could have been (Person B in this case has no real connection to Person A, and Person A is not held back by this interaction at all), but honestly that feels more like a nitpick of an overall nice and relevant children's book.

I absolutely loved this!!!!
It's very rare that a children's book is so full of detail that as an adult you would learn something new. This book is exceptional! I have now learnt how/why the Peace symbol was created, and then how it grew traction all over the world!! I never knew it was created by a guy in London either. I just assumed it was created in America!

As well as it being super detailed, the illustrations are fab!! SO many different styles and colour palettes to reflect the different time periods. The pictures of the 1960's/70's i loved!!! I would love to have a print like this for the walls in my home.

This book should be read and appreciated just like the peace symbol itself. Love this book and everything it stands for!!

Three Lines in a Circle by Michael G. Long and illustratedby Carlos Velez tells the story of the peace symbol, from its inception in 1958 to its enduring place in the world today. The pictures virtually leap off the page with their vibrancy and colour, and the text is written in such a way that it will be absorbed and enjoyed by even the youngest of children. A detailed timeline at the end of the book shows just how prominent and recognizable the simple symbol, three lines in a circle, remains in the world today, and how it has informed peaceful protest, from the Vietnam War, to Black Lives Matter. This is a wonderful and accessible lesson in history that will be an asset to any library. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flyaway Books for an ARC.

"It doesn't mean a thing, and it will never catch on. Wow, was he ever wrong!"

Three Lines in a Circle tells the history of the peace sign - a history, I was fully unaware of - in child friendly terms. The book ties previous justice movements to current justice movements in order to modernize the need for peace. The photos in the book are visually stimulating and the story line is interesting. This story would be great to read with upper elementary students during ELA or history lessons.

Great nonfiction book that you should put your hands on! It got me curious on the story behind the famous peace sign. Kids of all ages will definitely learn a lot from this book. Isn’t it great to know the story behind a sign? It’s amazing how a single design can be used in different context. Great book to learn about the basics of graphic design and how our creativity can be used as a voice to advocate for something! It’s also amazing how symbols and design transcends culture. Three Lines and a Circle is definitely universal! #peaceout