Children's Books: Celebrating What Makes Us Different

We have all experienced the desire to blend in. Below are three of his picture books that celebrate those differences.

Surprise 

By Zadie Smith & Nick Laird

Illustrated by Magenta Fox

Tundra Books

Buy from: Amazon | Indigo

It's Kit's birthday today and she opens a surprise gift before she leaves for school. A box containing a sleeping guinea pig in a judo uniform. Surprise wakes up surrounded by Kit's other pets. Paul the bird, Dora the cat, and Bob the pug. They judge her to be an oddball, which prompts her to seek out "how to make herself look like others."

The results are sometimes worrying, but they We put our guinea pig into the hands of Emily Brookstein.The two have a wonderful few hours before Emily brings Emily home. There Kit calls her Maud and introduces her to her other pets.

Although the cover of the book states that Zadie Smith and Nick Laird "usually write for adults," Maud could write for any young child. He's someone you can relate to — especially the charming, round, cuddly lines of Magenta Fox's illustrations. From 3 years old until she is 7 years old.

Howard Mean Gecko

Wendy Meddour

Illustrated by Carmen Saldaña

Peachtree Publishing

Purchased from: Amazon | Indigo

Howard the Gecko describes himself as "the only camouflage in the rainforest" at the beginning of the book. While boasting that he is a "created creature", he revels in his differences.

Something at a nearby branch yells 'ouch' and the reader will disagree. As Howard approaches. The stick insect is shaped and colored like a branch, just as he doesn't notice a frog that matches the color of the log he's sitting on, or many other creatures disguised to look like his surroundings. He is unaware of the stick insect.

When the stick insect tells Howard that he is by no means exceptional, in fact average, our gecko "licks his eyeballs and begins to cry. I got it." He rejoices with Howard watching the sunset turn orange until he finally finds another gecko, Dolores.

Colorful storytelling perfect for ages 4 to 8.

Family tree

By Sean Dixon

Illustrated by Lily Snowden Fine

Book of the Tundra

Purchased from: Amazon | Indigo

Young Ada's drawing of a tree that must be converted from school to family tree I came home with However, with Ada being recruited, this presents challenges.

Now that Rosie has completed the project, her parents take her upstairs to ask advice from her Kim and her daughter Rosie. She is a "moshi mo baby", that is, an in-vitro fertilization baby.

As the story progresses, Ada and her parents receive suggestions from various friends of unusual origins, resulting in a fold-out family tree that represents the entire overarching world. did.

Lovely illustrations for ages 5-9.