Whoever You Are

Rating:
Summary: Teaching We Are All One Family
Review: " Little one, whoever you are, wherever you are, there are little ones just like you all over the world." This very simple opening starts a paean to the universality of the human experience. As humans we experience sadness and joy, tears and laughter, and it is these common experiences that unite all people for "their words may be very different from yours. But inside, their hearts are just like yours."

Staub's illustrations seem to underscore this message. Diverse people, lands, and languages are presented in a folk art style with surrealistic touches. Our guide through these pages is a man in a "cloud" suit who carries four children of different races as they view people all over the world. But what unifies the poem, beside the guide, is that each of the pictures is placed in a hand-carved frame with encased gems. It feels like we are looking at pictures of someone's family. That the human race is a family is also underscored with these framed pictures. This would be an excellent book for teaching tolerance and understanding of others.

Rating:
Summary: Teaching We Are All One Family
Review: " Little one, whoever you are, wherever you are, there are little ones just like you all over the world." This very simple opening starts a paean to the universality of the human experience. As humans we experience sadness and joy, tears and laughter, and it is these common experiences that unite all people for "their words may be very different from yours. But inside, their hearts are just like yours."

Staub's illustrations seem to underscore this message. Diverse people, lands, and languages are presented in a folk art style with surrealistic touches. Our guide through these pages is a man in a "cloud" suit who carries four children of different races as they view people all over the world. But what unifies the poem, beside the guide, is that each of the pictures is placed in a hand-carved frame with encased gems. It feels like we are looking at pictures of someone's family. That the human race is a family is also underscored with these framed pictures. This would be an excellent book for teaching tolerance and understanding of others.

Rating:
Summary: This is who we are...
Review: As the home educator of children from toddler to pre-school, representing a wide range of cultures, this wonderful inclusive book is soothing and almost prayerful. I discovered it on a list of books recommended by Heifer.org, a non-profit organization bringing respectful solutions to many nations affected by poverty. The drawings by Leslie Staub, gently framed with "jewelled" borders, are universal. The text, by Mem Fox, reaches deep inside of us. Indeed, every child, every adult, has hearts that are "just the same" regardless of all the differences that separate us. It is hard to imagine anyone who can think war is the answer to anything, after reading this book. I heartily recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Just Right...
Review: for teaching children that the way we are is not the only way to be. Great but not heavy-handed book for preschoolers about differences and similarities, whoever you are, wherever you are...

Rating:
Summary: Just Right...
Review: for teaching children that the way we are is not the only way to be. Great but not heavy-handed book for preschoolers about differences and similarities, whoever you are, wherever you are...

Rating:
Summary: All the world's children have the same wants and needs
Review: I am a Lutheran church librarian and I am glad I bought this very satisfactory book for our church library. Its text stresses that children are the same the world over. They have the same feelings and needs, and have the same hopes and dreams. The illustrations are a nice change from the usual. Each page is surrounded by a gold picture frame in which faux jewels are embedded. The illustrations appear to be tempera or opaque watercolor, drawn in Persian style. The colors are very saturated. The book's cover gives you an idea of what they look like. The message of this book is one of diversity--that even though children live in different parts of the world and may have different nationalities, races, ethnicities, languages or faiths, they still have the same hopes, dreams and daily needs. This is a very important message for children to hear in today's world where there is so much suspicion of those we "perceive" to be different. The more children realize that kids are the same everywhere, the more tolerant they will be. Children pick up prejudice by the time they are three years of age, say researchers, so you have to nip it in the bud very early, and this book does that in a wonderful way.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for every child
Review: I loved this book and plan to give it to everybody I know when they have a new baby. It is, as the other reviews say, a book about how all children in the world, regardless of where they live and their culture, are fundamentally the same -- they smile the same, cry the same, laugh the same, hurt the same. And it is a book that anyone can give their child regardless of their race, gender, nationality, etc., because it is so beautifully inclusive of many cultures. And I like it that the angelic figure who guides us through the book is a beautifully illustrated African man in a suit and hat. I think it's a wonderful book to welcome a child into the world. Definitely a keeper that the child will pass on to his or her children. I just bought 3 more copies today for two new babies and one to keep on hand for the next one who comes along! My other favorite new baby book is On The Day You Were Born, also wonderful for children of any race, gender, nationality, etc. because of it's inclusive language and artwork.

Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL Book!
Review: This book is a big hit with my PRE-K class! I was pleasantly surprised at how responsive and attentive they were while I was reading this. They have memorized most of the book. They all loved it! An excellent resource for teaching about diversity and various cultures! I'd definitely recommend reading this book to/with ages four through maybe second grade.

Rating:
Summary: Exactly the message children need
Review: This book is a true blessing in the middle of our divisive world. Fox's words and the amazing illustrations are helping my two year old understand that children everywhere have boo-boo's, love their Mommies and do many of the same things she does. It is now her favorite book, probably because of the gorgeous (I cannot stress that enough) colors in the illustrations. I am buying this for every child I know for Christmas.

Rating:
Summary: Exactly the message children need
Review: This book is a true blessing in the middle of our divisive world. Fox's words and the amazing illustrations are helping my two year old understand that children everywhere have boo-boo's, love their Mommies and do many of the same things she does. It is now her favorite book, probably because of the gorgeous (I cannot stress that enough) colors in the illustrations. I am buying this for every child I know for Christmas.