We are a dedicated group of 50 middle school students from Groton and Dunstable, Massachusetts who are committed to making the biggest book in the world whose subject is about peace!

A Project of the Bookmakers and Dreamers After-School Club
Groton-Dunstable Regional Middle School
Groton, Massachusetts

In the fall of 2003, a group of fifth grade students joined an after-school enrichment club that was formed by teacher Betsy Sawyer with the intention of making the biggest book in the world in order to make it into the Guiness World Book of Records. First, the group came up with a name for their ambitious club, The Bookmakers and Dreamers. Those 25 students researched a number of ideas for a subject for the big book over a period of a few months. They began to realize how important it was that the big book truly deserved a big topic.

A long time fan of the father of Reggae music,  Jimmy Cliff, teacher Betsy Sawyer, attended a Boston-area Cliff concert and was inspired by the singer’s question that he asked the audience: “What have you done for peace lately?” She recounted her experience to the Bookmakers and Dreamers Club during their next meeting and the students unanimously agreed that the topic for their book would be “peace.”

They began to understand the topic by researching Nobel Laureates and different organizations around the world that had the word “peace” in their title. The students sent letters to family members, town residents and people from around the world asking them about their beliefs and opinions about peace.

The initial project has taken on considerable scope and the students are continually learning new life lessons they may never have imagined possible. The project has grown to massive proportions and has attracted response from over 700 people from around the world. Among those responding include former President and Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. From the area of arts and entertainment, they have heard from poet and author Maya Angelou and Oprah—yes, that Oprah! Her production company is interested in tracking the students’ progress.

They have also received correspondence from their Massachusetts U.S. Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, as well as their former U.S. Congressman Martin Meehan and people from all walks of life—local residents, veterans from World War II and all U.S. wars and conflicts and peace-keeping missions since, as well as from family members and local residents of Groton and Dunstable.

President Jimmy Carter wrote and encouraged the young peacemakers to start their project by charting all the world’s ongoing conflicts on a large map and told them to join other peace initiatives and to stay involved. The former President has also promised to visit with students during a future trip to Boston and has offered to display their finished book in his Presidential Library in Georgia. “You can and will make a difference,” wrote Carter.

Many of the letters have contained very inspiring messages. Disabled Viet Nam Veteran, activist and singer/songwriter John Olivere included the words to his song “Home Again:”

    You could put my mind at ease.

    Tell me that you’d fight for peace.”