Others: A Guest Post by Kobi Yamada

Who are the other people? They might not be so different after all. Celebrate compassion in this heartwarming story about connection and the power of kindness. Read on for an exclusive essay from Kobi Yamada on writing Others. 

 

I don’t know about you, but I feel that we too often hear about our differences and the fractions in our society, especially lately. This concern of mine was the main inspiration for our new picture book, Others. It was written as a single conversation. This was an intentional choice. I feel conversations are one of the best tools we have for fostering understanding and connection. 

Others begins rather silly and outlandish and builds to a place that’s more thoughtful and sincere. The illustrations in this book are just as important to the story as the text. Charles Santoso, the illustrator, did a spectacular job of bringing this book to life. We used the gutter of the book as a central part of the story. Charles brilliantly “planted” a huge hedge right in the middle of the book to provide a physical and psychological barrier to the characters.

There are two kids on one side of the hedge talking about the people on the other side of the hedge. Because of its strategic position, the kids can’t see what is happening on the other side, but the reader can. In particular, I appreciate how Charles illustrated the imagined scenes in relation to the kids’ comments. With the kids forming opinions and making assumptions, without really knowing who is on the other side of the hedge, it is a great opportunity to build understanding and perspective. Too often, people form attitudes about others without really getting to know them.

We hope that this book will help build more awareness that sometimes the distance between people begins with an assumption. But when we are curious and open to learning more about others, we can pause to wonder and discover, creating empathy and connection.

“Othering” sometimes begins in small ways when something feels unfamiliar, like an idea, a person or a place. We can form quick opinions about something as simple as a new food we haven’t tried before. Another example is a sports fan wearing a different jersey and cheering for the other team. Little moments like these can shape, or even distort, how we feel about each other.

I believe that picture books hold a special place in our hearts. They can be bridges between generations and can create magical moments of shared love and togetherness. More than any other book I’ve written, it is my hope that Others will spark deeper connection and conversations. I think right now, the world needs more empathy and understanding. We need people who are willing to respect and learn about others, and I believe curiosity is at the heart of a creating a kinder, friendlier world.