Whoever You Are

I deeply love this book. This book highlights how no matter who you are, you are accepted in your community. People are different; therefore, they should respect others and their differences. It creates a comfortable place for all kids. we all may be unlike but we all smile, laugh, eat, and breath same. "Whoever You Are" gives a look at people's lives from all over the world. my favorite quote is "we look unlike outside, but we are all the same inside."

“Little one, / whoever you are, / wherever you are, / there are little ones / just like you / all over the world.” So begins the Australian author Mem Fox’s joyful picture book Whoever You Are, a celebration of the world’s diverse cultures, both our similarities and differences. Leslie Straub’s innovative, colorful, folk art–style oil paintings of children from all corners of the globe are bordered with photographs of hand-carved, bejeweled frames—and they all reflect Fox’s message that no matter where we come from, within our hearts “Joys are the same, / and love is the same. / Pain is the same, / and blood is the same.” A gem!

This book briefly explores different cultures around the world. It first points out the many things that are different between people and cultures but then goes to show that despite the many differences, all people are the same and we are all equal. While teaching children about different cultures around the world, this book can come in handy. This is a good book to teach children about diversity and that different parts of the world include different ways of living. It does a great job of representing different lifestyles but making sure students know that no matter how we live, we are all the same, through what we feel, what is inside of us, and who we are.

“All over the world”—Book Review of Whoever You Are
Review by Sarah Mist
This book is more social commentary/poetry on the connection of humanity through similarities beyond race and culture, rather than a story, which I was not expecting. The multicultural illustrations and references are beautiful. While the message is beautiful and corresponding illustrations lovely, the lack of storyline could be better for a younger audience. My seven-year-old son has done a lot of traveling so he could relate to all the cultural “same same but different” images. We had fun finding the global flying guy on each page.

"Whoever You Are" gives a look at people's lives from all over the world. It is great for showing kids and teaching them that on the outside we may look different, but on the inside we are all the same.

This book demonstrates the truth of diversity. It shares of all the differences we may see like appearance, language, food, clothes, but that on the inside we're more alike than we think. This brings up a good sense of community within a classroom full of students who come from different backgrounds. This can bring up a challenge for students to pair up with someone of a different background than them and find similarities among each other to see that they are actually not that different from each other.

This multicultural book for younger readers simply states to the audience that everyone is different and that it is ok to be different. "Smiles are the same, and hearts are just the same" shows children that although we are all different and come from different places, we still all have commonalities. The author illustrates to young children how we are all different through the pictures of people of different races, houses of different kinds, and schools of different types. The text conveys that as you grow up, you will be different no matter what and that is okay.