Reviews

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox

mariahroze's review

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4.0

This is a really cute, simple book about loving yourself and everyone around you :) It was a great lesson for my students. Definitely a lower-level book with a great message!

jaimiestarshine's review

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hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.0

canuckmum's review

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5.0

One of my favourite picture books, but that wasn't shared by the two year old I cared for. Lovely message, beautifully illustrated.

rgibson6's review

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2.0

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emiged's review

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5.0

One of the most important messages we can teach our children is simply and stunningly portrayed in this short picture book.

"Little one,
whoever you are,
wherever you are,
there are little ones
just like you
all over the world."

There may be many differences between people,
"but inside,
their hearts are
just like yours."

Bright, almost geometric, illustrations dazzle the eye and with a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic cast, emphasize the message that despite our differences, the similarities between us are stronger.

"Joys are the same,
and love is the same.
Pain is the same,
and blood is the same.
Smiles are the same,
and hearts are just the same--
wherever they are,
wherever you are,
wherever we are,
all over the world."

Amen.

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tooamy's review

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One World Many Stories outreach, about how children around the world may be different but share many similarities, including emotions.

ambientmagic's review

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3.0

I'm reading this for a class in a couple months, so these are notes to myself more than a review:

Words:
A solid central message that's good for young kids to hear. Touches on a few differences in cultures (environment, houses, schools, ethnicities) and on the ways people are the same (emotions, laughter, familial ties) to remind kids that superficial differences don't make people of other cultures fundamentally different in a way youngsters can understand.

Illustrations:
Solid diversity in outfits, skin tones, and environments. All the characters have a major case of sameface syndrome, but I think that's a stylistic choice more than anything. Colors are bright and eye-catching for kids, and I like how the "narrator" is a person of color (specifically Latino?). The way he flies around in the background of the other pages is cute as well. It would have been nice to see other types of diversity as well (body types, disabilities) but we can't have everything.

vasiljul000's review

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4.0

This book established the commonality of the human race in the simplest of terms. This book would be especially beneficial to younger children, ages 2-6, to teach the concepts of diversity without going over their heads. The colorful illustrations are attention-grabbing and colorful, and overall provides the positive message that we all bleed the same, we are all humans at the end of the day.

jeninmotion's review

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3.0

The art is lovely, and I like the message but somehow this book didn't quite come together for me or really catch my kiddo's fancy.

howlinglibraries's review

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2.0

Assigned reading for MLIS 7421: Multicultural Youth Literature.

The idea behind this is great - teaching children to love and accept one another regardless of differences - but be aware that this is an incredibly simplistic children's books. I would definitely gear this towards toddlers, not children nearing chapter book ages. On a side note, the artwork of the children's faces is slightly terrifying and I am not joking at all when I say that I believe it would frighten some of the more sensitive little ones.