Recently, my husband and I were on a trip to beautiful Victoria, B.C., when I discovered
Walking through the doors of Munro's my heart started to pitter patter. Indeed, magnificence. My eyes widened as I looked around....grand ceilings, spectacular pillars, eye catching artwork on the walls, and then there are the rows of delicious books. As I made my way around this heavenly bookstore, I began to panic....um, just where are the children's books!?! And then....in the corner....an entrance.....
The magnificence of the rest of the store began to fade as I walked into an adorable nook full of children's books. The nook is a small darling room filled with all sorts of good reads for the littles to the teens. Looking around one expects to see a woman in a chair doing a read-a-loud. Annnnd....and they had a small self-help section. So apparently, Canadian children face the same issues! Shades of People (great book for the littles on diversity) was my find. The best part was when I pulled it off the shelf I said to myself, 'I've been looking for a book like this!' Love when a book finds me!
Next time I'm in Victoria, I plan on making another stop to Munro's so I can get some more nook time. Check out this cute little cupboard below that was in the room. I love the little sign. Of course, I had to sit in the chair and open it up.
I'm so grateful for little finds like these. Made me feel like a child again. Enjoy my review.
Shades of People
by Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly
Interest Level: Ages 3-7
About This Book: This book is filled with wonderful photographs of happy, smiling, inquisitive, trusting, and adorable children—all with varying skin tones, hair colors and textures, and facial features. "Have you noticed that people come in many different shades?" is the opening sentence, accompanied by framed head shots of youngsters. It is followed on the next page by, "Not colors, exactly, but shades." The text is minimal, with approximately 3 to 10 words per page. The last page features a large photograph of eight little hands of varying shades. The message is clear and to the point: "Our skin is just our covering, like wrapping paper. And, you can't tell what someone is like from the color of their skin." A good introduction to racial and ethnic diversity.—
Why It's On My Bookshelf: Honoring and teaching diversity to students is so important. Books that celebrate differences are a useful way to reach out to kids. If you are not reading books like these...start! Teaching students about diversity helps reduce conflict and bullying. I'm a huge believer in this. Shades of People is going to help me break down those walls, hopefully before they even go up. The author chose to use the word 'shades' instead of 'colors.' That was new language for younger students regarding their thoughts about skin color. They were able to apply those words in a really caring way towards themselves and others. Um, love it! The actual photographs of kids was also a hit, because it feels relateable. You are going to want this one for your shelf.
A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
Love the new header!
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