| ________________
CM . . . . Volume XXIII Number 37 . . . . June 2, 2017
excerpt:
Up! How Families Around the World Carry Their Little Ones is an utterly charming and beautifully illustrated book that celebrates diversity in all forms while simultaneously exploring cultures around the world.
Undoubtedly, one of the most striking features is the variety of families, cultures, and life situations that Up! highlights. It is a book that obviously strives to be as inclusive as possible. Included are families of many racial backgrounds, with different physical capabilities, living in all parts of the world. All of this is accompanied by text and pictures that are a joy to read and behold.
And a note to publishers - one small feature that is appreciated is the placement of the copyright information at the back of the book. Any parent is familiar with children who are raring to get into the story and are not that interested in a page full of small writing.
Highly Recommended. Mê-Linh Lê, a librarian at the University of Manitoba, is the mother of three young children. Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Next Review |
Table of Contents for This Issue
- June 2, 2017. |
Beginning with a brief description of which countries will be featured, each two-page spread that follows showcases a different family member and how they carry around their baby. Whether it is an auntie in India using a sling, a grandmother in the Far North with a parka, or an uncle with twins in baskets on a shoulder pole in China, each page has much to unpack and uncover with a young reader.
The language used in the book is both fun to read and to get young children to repeat back – in particular the 'upsy daisy' that repeats throughout. Because the structure of the text is similar on each page, readers have a sense of familiarity in terms of what will come next.
The illustrations are beautifully done using cut-paper collage art. Markets in India, snow-capped mountains in the far north, and the rice paddies of China are all beautifully rendered with gorgeous colours and attention to detail.
Up! will be a welcome addition to any bookshelf.