I Am the World

June 1, 2013
Once again, Smith offers appealing portraits of children in an effort to express the value of diversity (My People, by Langston Hughes, 2009, etc.). Unfortunately the photographs are of varying quality, the brief text is often banal and repetitive, and some design choices obscure the artwork. Each picture, whether on a single page or double-page spread is captioned with a sentence that begins "I am...." In some cases, the words that follow are evocative and the images compelling: "I am the thread in kente cloth" accompanies a photo of a young, black woman gazing unsmiling into the camera. In others, the words chosen seem odd or inconsequential. Two of the weakest descriptions, "I am the snap in biscotti" and "I am the tradition in pierogi," fail to effectively convey anything about the cultures they are meant to represent, and the playful, obviously posed photos wind up looking peculiar. On most pages, crisp, clear, white letters stand out against the black background with some words, usually one per page, printed in color to add visual interest. On a few pages, however, words printed across the faces of the children are distracting and difficult to read. Finally, while the appended glossary does offer basic definitions of the words and phrases used, it fails to effectively explain their pronunciation. Well-intentioned and superficially attractive, this celebration of children and culture ultimately fails to educate or entertain. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-7)

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June 1, 2013

K-Gr 3-In this slim volume, photography and verse come together to present a youthful showcase of diversity, beauty, strength, and joy. Lush and ethereal color imagery brings deep meaning to the simple, rhythmic lines. Each page explores what makes us who we are, from heritage ("I am the blood of emperors") to food ("I am the snap in biscotti") to clothing ("I am the pleat of the Highland kilts") to music ("I am the clickety-clack-clack of castanets in flamenco") and language, tying everything together to make a unique world. The book ends with a glossary defining cultural terms presented throughout the book. A powerful jumping-off point for children beginning to study their own culture and those of the youngsters around them.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

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