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babyleo's review against another edition
4.0
This review was published on Lost in a Good Book
ust the Way We Are is a wonderful book that demonstrates that every family is different and many different types of family exists. There’s diversity between the families and between the cultures and generations presented which was great to see. There’s representation for same sex parents, single parent families, divorced households, fostered and adopted families, and grandparents living in the same house kind of families.
Robertson backs this up with wonderfully diverse illustrations filled with colour. They are cartoonish but not over the top or comical, and help celebrate this cultural diversity ever further with her creations and helps celebrate what makes each family special.
The narration alternates between each child of the five separate families, telling readers about the activities they do with their family and a simple but clear explanation about the type of family they are a part of. The message repeated throughout is that each family is perfect just the way they are and each one is celebrated with happy moments and positive attitudes. The formatting is clear, each child is given a different coloured font for their story, and over a few pages tells the reader why their family is perfect just the way it is.
Shirvington has created a great story that helps celebrate the uniqueness of families, not only in their make up, but in the activities each family does together as well. I really loved this story because it is perfect to show that different families exist outside the reader’s own and each family is unique in their own special way.
ust the Way We Are is a wonderful book that demonstrates that every family is different and many different types of family exists. There’s diversity between the families and between the cultures and generations presented which was great to see. There’s representation for same sex parents, single parent families, divorced households, fostered and adopted families, and grandparents living in the same house kind of families.
Robertson backs this up with wonderfully diverse illustrations filled with colour. They are cartoonish but not over the top or comical, and help celebrate this cultural diversity ever further with her creations and helps celebrate what makes each family special.
The narration alternates between each child of the five separate families, telling readers about the activities they do with their family and a simple but clear explanation about the type of family they are a part of. The message repeated throughout is that each family is perfect just the way they are and each one is celebrated with happy moments and positive attitudes. The formatting is clear, each child is given a different coloured font for their story, and over a few pages tells the reader why their family is perfect just the way it is.
Shirvington has created a great story that helps celebrate the uniqueness of families, not only in their make up, but in the activities each family does together as well. I really loved this story because it is perfect to show that different families exist outside the reader’s own and each family is unique in their own special way.
jessiquie's review against another edition
5.0
"Just The Way We Are" is a beautiful children’s picture book that reinforces the notion to children of all ages and backgrounds that they are ‘normal’ no matter what their family situation may be like. It encompasses multi-generations, gendered and cultured families of all ages and backgrounds to illustrate that diversity is a good thing and not something to be feared or shamed by.
When you look at families in society now, you never know what you might encounter. For there are families of every shape, size and colour, ever where you look. And yet, if you look at a current cross section of books available to young children, its more likely that you will find stories centred around an Anglo-Saxon child who fits neatly into the ‘nuclear family’ mould. While I’m aware there are stories that exist outside this mould, the majority that be found easily and locally can pretty much fit into the above category. Until now.
With Shirvington breaking away from her well known YA books and lending her hand at picture books, she has filled a gap in the market by focussing on diversity within families and the home, whilst also encouraging it. A point I think children need to hear more often.
"Just The Way We Are" is a diverse picture book that focuses on five different children who come from different social and cultural backgrounds as they explain why their family is just as special as yours despite it looking different on the outside.
We have Anna who lives with her parents and her Grandpa, Chiara who has two dad’s and a pet, Henry whose parents are separated and he has two homes, Izzy who has guardians and is fostered by a big loving family with kids from similar situations, and Jack who lives with just his Mum.
Each child and their family is given four pages to introduce themselves and explain their family and something unique about them that showcases both how special, but also ‘normal’ they are; all the while driving home the message that their family is “perfect just the way [they] are.”
Each child has also been allocated a different coloured font through which to tell their story, which further emphasises their differences in a bright and colourful way, and signals the separation of the various family stories.
"Just The Way We Are" features bright and bold illustrations of each family and something they like to do together, while also utilising a lot of white spaced throughout this book so that the text can drive home their message more effectively.
As a whole I really loved this picture book and the message it brings to young children who are unaware of the world, and often family dynamics, outside of their own immediate family. It’s a happy, encouraging, friendly look at society that both showcases and praises the unique qualities and diversities of all different types of families.
Review originally posted on my blog, The Never Ending Bookshelf on July 29, 2015 and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-EG
When you look at families in society now, you never know what you might encounter. For there are families of every shape, size and colour, ever where you look. And yet, if you look at a current cross section of books available to young children, its more likely that you will find stories centred around an Anglo-Saxon child who fits neatly into the ‘nuclear family’ mould. While I’m aware there are stories that exist outside this mould, the majority that be found easily and locally can pretty much fit into the above category. Until now.
With Shirvington breaking away from her well known YA books and lending her hand at picture books, she has filled a gap in the market by focussing on diversity within families and the home, whilst also encouraging it. A point I think children need to hear more often.
"Just The Way We Are" is a diverse picture book that focuses on five different children who come from different social and cultural backgrounds as they explain why their family is just as special as yours despite it looking different on the outside.
We have Anna who lives with her parents and her Grandpa, Chiara who has two dad’s and a pet, Henry whose parents are separated and he has two homes, Izzy who has guardians and is fostered by a big loving family with kids from similar situations, and Jack who lives with just his Mum.
Each child and their family is given four pages to introduce themselves and explain their family and something unique about them that showcases both how special, but also ‘normal’ they are; all the while driving home the message that their family is “perfect just the way [they] are.”
Each child has also been allocated a different coloured font through which to tell their story, which further emphasises their differences in a bright and colourful way, and signals the separation of the various family stories.
"Just The Way We Are" features bright and bold illustrations of each family and something they like to do together, while also utilising a lot of white spaced throughout this book so that the text can drive home their message more effectively.
As a whole I really loved this picture book and the message it brings to young children who are unaware of the world, and often family dynamics, outside of their own immediate family. It’s a happy, encouraging, friendly look at society that both showcases and praises the unique qualities and diversities of all different types of families.
Review originally posted on my blog, The Never Ending Bookshelf on July 29, 2015 and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-EG
stefhyena's review against another edition
3.0
An excellent and much needed idea. Possibly a trifle wordy and too many attempts to elicit "feels". It's about social inclusion and the validity of many different shapes of family and I must admit that some 2-3 year old children I worked with became very passionate reading this book, referring to it in their play and that it has transformative potential (whether they will keep that information remains to be seen).
As usual lesbians are invisible (not present) because gay guys are a lot more popular an fashionable for "normal" people to write and think about I suppose. Nevertheless that is a small flaw in a book that broadens horizons and potentially starts deeper conversations. As a bonus the average fundy would probably like to see it banned!
As usual lesbians are invisible (not present) because gay guys are a lot more popular an fashionable for "normal" people to write and think about I suppose. Nevertheless that is a small flaw in a book that broadens horizons and potentially starts deeper conversations. As a bonus the average fundy would probably like to see it banned!
chrisistrangerthanu's review against another edition
5.0
My two year old toddler is obsessed with this book at the moment, and echoes the phrase "just the way we are" almost every page in her little toddler mumble. I love the book as I believe it's really important to expose children of all ages to the idea that not all families are similar, but even if different to your own, they are valid. I believe reading inclusive books like this one will help my daughter with empathy and an understanding of diversity that is accessible for her age.
I do find some of this book a little wordy, but my daughter loves it. She likes pointing at the beautifully illustrated characters and pretending they are our own family and friends that she has met, which tells me she is really engaging with the visuals and the concept of families.
I do find some of this book a little wordy, but my daughter loves it. She likes pointing at the beautifully illustrated characters and pretending they are our own family and friends that she has met, which tells me she is really engaging with the visuals and the concept of families.
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