With it being a holiday weekend and one usually spent with family while enjoying the last days of summer, reviewing a children’s picture book seemed like the perfect book review post for today. Different Like Me is written by Xochitl Dixon and illustrated by Bonnie Lui.
The title of Different Like Me fits the message of this book. As children, it’s easy to feel different, whether due to the color of our skin, the activities we enjoy, or the disability with which we struggle. On the other hand, children have an innocent way about them that welcomes everyone into their circle. So it is with this book. A group of children who seem very different from one another work together to bring a fish balloon from one page to the next.
When my toddler first saw Different Like Me, he immediately opened the cover and pointed to the pictures. The illustrations are vivid and bright, drawing in young readers. They also show the differences in the children. For example, there is a child with glasses, children with varying skin color, and a child with a service dog. Fun note about the service dog: the author’s service dog, Callie, is the inspiration behind the drawing!
I also love how the book talks about the emotions children face. Happy and sad and grumpy and scared. Big, important emotions that children feel, but need adults to help them label. Especially when facing feeling different than others around them. In the end, the children in the book learn that differences are good because God made each child to be unique and special.
If you have a young child, I would encourage you to pick up a copy of Different Like Me. It’s a message I love and one I hope my young children will take to heart. A book like this is a wonderful way to begin instilling an appreciation for the differences we see in each other and combating the prejudices that still plague our world today.
I purchased a copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.