We Are Alike, We Are Different

Children's Literature - Carrie Hane Hung

Children have the chance to explore briefly some of the physical commonalities and differences of people and cultures. This informational text touches on topics like appearances such as different clothing (specifically headwear), skin tones, and hair. Other chapters introduce the different foods that people enjoy and the ways that people move. The final chapter looks at languages and specifically how to say hello in different languages; a pronunciation guide would have been beneficial to include. There are color photographs throughout the book. Some people may question the left-handed use of the chopsticks in the chapter of food and fun. Readers may need an introduction to the format of informational text. There are bold print words in the text; these words label the picture on the page. Readers will find the words in the glossary with a pronunciation guide. A simple index, a couple additional resources, and a short piece about the author are located in the back of the book. Teachers will need to find additional resources to look deeper into people and cultures for planning a unit of study; this text is introductory and covers minimal information. This book is a part of the "Scholastic New Nonfiction Readers—We the Kids" series. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung