Just Like Me, But Different
THE MOTIVATION…
I have a six-year-old daughter. I want her to grow up feeling comfortable within her own skin and comfortable in the world. This is a child who cannot help being a part of the world. Born of a Filipina mother and a father of mixed origin—and adopted by a single white woman, who is raising her as a Jew—my daughter is learning to speak French and Spanish and has more stamps on her passport than most adults.
Still, she sometimes heaves a wistful sigh and wishes aloud that her skin were not quite so brown. Her luscious, latté skin, that millions of people toast or slather themselves to emulate, is something of a regret to her. I say all the right self-esteem-building things to her, and then I show her pictures of kids from around the world, who have skin of every conceivable shade of gold, umber, sienna and blue-black. I tell her that where they live, most of the people are dark. In fact, I explain, most people in the world are not white. But to her, even though we have traveled often to Fiji and Hawaii, and we live in a community that is half-populated with Mexicans, she feels excluded from a club vaguely defined by lighter skin.
While I prefer that sentiment to one of superiority or entitlement based on heritage or hue, I am committed to helping her overcome any notion of being chromatically challenged. So, it is my daughter —and other people’s sons and daughters—and my need for them to connect with the many colors and cultures of the world, that motivate me to create the book series, Just Like Me, But Different.
OVERVIEW
Just Like Me, But Different invites children to embark on literary voyages around the world. With engaging language, rich images and down-to-earth details, each book in this series features a different location and young hosts, who introduce readers to their daily routines, the clothes they wear, the foods they eat, the games they play, the holidays they celebrate, the natural environment that surrounds them, and the habits and habitats of the local animals.Most kids grow up at the center of a narrow universe that includes home, family, friends, neighborhood and school. Learning about other countries becomes just another homework assignment—rarely connected to the notion that real people live there, who lead lives not so very different from their own.
All too often, these children grow into adults, who discover distant places only when war or disaster forces them onto the front page and the evening news.Just Like Me, But Different puts a fresh spin on global awareness by showing kids the diversity of the planet and the uniqueness of its inhabitants—from the tundra of Siberia and mountains of Tibet, to the tropical islands of Micronesia and the rainforests of the Amazon. The overall goal of the books is to make the world smaller and more accessible for children by expanding their awareness of it. By bringing a broad spectrum of cultures and perspectives and species into focus, Just Like Me, But Different celebrates differences, draws attention to the things all kids have in common, and teaches understanding, respect and tolerance.
Just Like Me, But Different presents an ideal, self-paced opportunity for kids to discover other ways of living on the planet, build on their interests and strengths, and ultimately emerge as more compassionate, informed citizens of the world.
Download a pdf mockup of a sample book.
For more information, contact Gail Evenari.MVP Home | Wayfinders | Mauloa | Wayfinders Study Guide | The Heroism Project | Just Like Me
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