FICTION

Like You, Like Me

by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (text) & illus. by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano. Jan. 2024. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780316330084.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 3–Two girls, one living in the mountains of Northern New Mexico, the other living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, connect via a library pen pal program. Differences are highlighted, but commonalities are easily found when people from different places and cultures engage their curiosity and listen closely. In one exchange, Tulsi shares that she has two homes in New Mexico, one made of mud and also “a tiny house on wheels for adventures,” and then Vanessa shares that she has two homes also: “One with my mom and one with my dad.” Illustrations made with painted papers and sticks capture the very specific and contrasting settings, but in the end, the girls find that they can see one another clearly and recognize the power of friendship.
VERDICT Offering readers a chance to share what makes their homes and lives unique, this story also encourages young people to focus on the similarities that connect us in one human family. Highly recommended for all collections.
Reviewed by John Scott , Feb 01, 2024

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