Most People

June 15, 2017
"Most people are very good people." Leannah keeps repeating his message in a worthy yet didactic text that might be most valued in Sunday schools were it not for the surprisingly diverse and contemporary illustrations. Precise, occasionally irreverent ink-and-watercolor illustrations bring different neighborhood people into focus as they go about their days. A bearded, tattooed, white biker type politely allows an older woman with light brown skin, using a cane, to board the bus first and courteously says "After you ma'am." A little black girl hands another, who sits scowling, a flower to cheer her up. A white man with a blue mohawk waits patiently in line. A young white boy points out a lost dollar bill to a man with light brown skin waiting to buy honey. A street musician plays, a blind woman hugs her guide dog, and a grandfather and his grandson, both white, give a pie to a homeless white woman. Many of these characters are seen in their apartments that night, the Hell's Angel lookalike and the blind woman both reading in their separate apartments, the spiky-haired punk playing with his cats, and some families enjoying a meal together on the roof. Yes, the illustrations depict an almost perfect place, with diversity, inclusiveness, and basic goodness, but we can dream. Despite its textual platitudes, the visual stories here are well worth telling. (Picture book. 4-7)

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October 1, 2017

K-Gr 2-"Most people love to smile. Most people love to laugh," begins this well-intentioned work of bibliotherapy. In a bright, clean city, a large cast of recurring diverse characters go about their day, illustrating the book's message that "Most people want to make other people-even strangers-feel good. Most people are very good people." Of course, some people do bad things, like swear, lie, steal, bully, and destroy, but the book repeatedly reassures readers that they are in the minority. Doing something bad doesn't necessarily make someone a bad person; people make mistakes and can change. People can be sad or mad or have a bad day, but most would rather be happy. The friendly cartoon illustrations do a great job showing the connectedness of the community, emphasizing how each person can positively affect others, and dispelling stereotypes. Some parents may be chagrined to find that swearing is lumped into the "bad person" category. Additionally, the spread that discusses the total ratio of good to bad people is a little alarming, as it crowds all the bad people together "in a dark and gloomy room" and the shadowy figures are the opposite of reassuring. This book may be useful for kids struggling with general anxiety, but its simplistic message belies the lived experiences of many children. VERDICT Buy to spark classroom discussion or to fill a very specific gap in collections.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

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