Barefoot Books Children of the World

by Tessa Strickland, Kate DePalma, David Dean (Illustrator)

Overview

★ "A lyrical exploration of humankind that strikes a lovely balance between celebrating individuality while recognizing the rewards of community" — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Every life is a story.
It's easier to understand someone when you know their story.

From enjoying special days to trying on silly hats, children around the world celebrate the same big ideas and everyday moments. This ground-breaking picture book encourages meaningful conversations about diversity and inclusion, and connects kids to others across the globe.

• 15 pages of endmatter dive deeper into the illustrations and themes in the book to spark discussion
• Depicts kids of a wide range of shapes, sizes, races, abilities and lifestyles from countries and cultures all over the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782852964
Publisher:	Barefoot Books
Publication date:	10/01/2016
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 11.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kate DePalma was born and raised outside Nashville, TN, USA. As Senior Editor at Barefoot Books, she has helped develop dozens of picture books, as well as authoring her own, including those published under her pseudonym, Sunny Scribens. She holds an M.A. in Classics from the University of Texas and is also a published poet and scholar. Kate lives with her husband and daughter in Pennsylvania, USA.

Tessa Strickland was brought up in rural north England, the second of five children. She spent her childhood amid hens, horses and haystacks, and could often be found immersed in books or exploring the local woods and fields on her pony. A succession of interesting guests from around the world passed through her parents' house, kindling a lasting interest in other cultures. Tessa co-founded Barefoot Books with Nancy Traversy in the early 1990s, and has gone on to create many highly acclaimed children's books, including the numerous books she has written under her pseudonym, Stella Blackstone. She is also mother to three adult children, a yoga practitioner and a licensed psychotherapist. Tessa now lives and works in Somerset, southwest England.

David Dean is a full-time illustrator who is enjoying his mission of traveling the world from the comfort of his own studio. Known for his exotic and colorful work, David works in a room surrounded by books from many different cultures, from which he finds inspiration. In his spare time, David enjoys walking the countryside near his house in Cheshire, England, taking photographs of the things he sees.

Editorial Reviews

2016-07-26
A book to engage children in thinking about their peers the world over.The simple text declares children’s needs and wants (homes, families, play, work, food, water) and then asks readers to think about their own lives in comparison to those depicted. Religion and beliefs are mentioned in universal ways: “Some people worship. Some people pray. Some meditate. Some like quiet time to think. Some people prefer to take life as it comes.” The glowing acrylic double-page spreads employ different layouts to add visual interest. Many small vignettes—in circles, rectangles, triangles, even drops of water—depict children from different cultures doing similar activities. Occasionally there is a large painting, such as the one about languages and communication set in a railway station, with speech bubbles indicating many languages. The translations are included in several pages of backmatter that provide further information about each spread, vital to taking this book beyond its initial first look at global diversity. Though the book omits mention of the wars (there are parents shown in uniform) and refugee situations that children face in some places, this volume should be dipped into again and again, as children are able to absorb more details. Readers may find themselves consulting a separate map, as the one included lacks sufficient detail. Definitely add this to the mix to create interested world citizens. (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Review

"[Children of the World] takes its readers on a visual trek across the globe, where they discover that — despite our different clothes and homes and languages — we are more alike than different" — Caryl Stern, President & CEO, U.S. Fund for UNICEF

"Definitely add this to the mix to create interested world citizens" — Kirkus Reviews

★ "A lyrical exploration of humankind that strikes a lovely balance between celebrating individuality while recognizing the rewards of community" — Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A wonderful resource for igniting a spirit of wonder, appreciation, and belonging in children representing a beautiful variety of geographic places, cultures, and experiences" – Daydreamers Press

"[A] truly groundbreaking work of narrative nonfiction...No elementary school or community library should be without a copy" – Midwest Book Review

"A book to dip into time and time again; a treasure trove of discussion topics, but also an aesthetic delight" – BookTrust

"Strickland and DePalma 'invite all young readers to explore the world and discover their place within it,' and I believe this book is an excellent starting point for that" – The School Librarian

"An ambitious book that succeeds in capturing all manner of diversity of the human species" – Booklist Review

From the Publisher