Bein' With You This Way

by William Nikola

On a beautiful sunny day, an African American girl visits the park and rounds up a group of her friends for an afternoon of fun and playground games. As they play, this happy crew discovers that despite their physical differences — straight hair, curly hair; brown eyes, blue eyes; light skin, dark skin — they are all really the same.

Genres: Picture Books, Cultural, Childrens, Poetry

Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to help my children learn about their physical appearance. We discussed similarities & differences in hair textures, eye color, body structure & read some new words! It's fun to keep reading 📖 Bein' with You This Way by W. Nikola-Lisa
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[L-Crystal Wlodek · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is recommended for children 4-8 years of age and has won the Child’s Best Award from Child Magazine. It is a playground rap that demonstrates how all people are different, yet the same.

Overall, I did not like this book. It did introduce the idea that all people are different, yet the same by concluding the book with the phrase, "Light skin. Dark skin. Long legs. Short legs. Thick arms. Thin arms. Brown eyes. Blue eyes. Big nose. Little nose. Straight hair. Curly hair. Different-- Mm-mmm , but the same, Ah-ha! Now isn't it delightful, simply out-of-sightful, bein' with you this way!" However, I don’t think this message was strong and bit superficial because the book focused on only physical traits. I read this book in the form of a CD, and I did not like it at all. The reader was monotone, boring, and did not emphasize or inflect her voice at all when reading. For a book that is supposed to be a playground rap, the reader did not read with any sort of rhythm. Even though the illustrations were vibrant, interesting, and added to the book, the overall book left me very disappointed since the represented theme is very important.

[L12_LaurieLaning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this story put a big smile on my face! W. Nikola-Lisa as author and Michael Bryant as illustrator have created a joyful, rhythmic journey which celebrates our differences. I would recommend for pre-k-2 students as that is the age depicted in the story. Read aloud with hip-hop rhythmic rap beat, this story is sure to please all young readers. I can't wait until tomorrow to read this to my ELL students!
This text could be tied into a multicultural unit incorporating rhythm and rhyme. I would collaborate with the music teacher in our building to build additional background knowledge through song.Great website which focuses on African American culture and stories. http://www.leeandlow.com/p/bein_tg.mhtml Child's Best Award winner

[Alondra Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Illustrations were very beautiful. I appreciated seeing the diversity in the illustrations, and the interaction between the variety of different people within the illustrations. The message of the story was very nice of although we are all different, it is nice that we can all be together. However, I feel the words could have been better. I felt the words in comparison to the illustrations were a little weak. However, overall the message of appreciating diversity is very clear, and I think it is a beautiful book to show younger children and encourage them to love and appreciate everybody, no matter how different.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: This is a story about multiracial children playing with one another and accepting everyone for who they are, not what they look like. It explains that it doesn't make a difference the color of your skin, size or race, you should enjoy having fun with one another. Every child is beautiful just the way they are.



Review: This book is such a positive book to read to every child. I think starting the beginning of the year with your whole class would be beneficial and a life long lesson. I think all children will feel happy and positive after hearing this book.

[Brandi Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

The genre of Bein' with You This Way is poetry. It is about a little girl who visits the playground and invites her friends and others to sing along with her as she sings about and celebrates the differences of everyone's physical features. Some people have dark skin, some have light skin, some people have a big nose, and some have a small nose, some people have straight hair and some have curly, everyone is different but the same! This book is related to my topic in that is celebrates differences and encourages one to embrace them and that it is ok. This book is appropriate for young children and gives them many things to think about. The language of the story is written in the form of a song/rap and would be captivating and catchy for children, however, I don't like that it repeats that our differences are "perfectly, remarkably, strange." I feel that young children may miss the point behind the saying and think that our differences are strange instead of receiving the full message. The setting of the story coincides with the setting portrayed in the illustrations. The park and playground are locations where all kinds of people come and this is accurately and realistically depicted in the illustrations. The illustrations are very colorful and vibrant and they match the text. The individuals in the book are very diverse and represent different cultures. The author is a from a different racial background than the main character, but other aspects of his expertise (such as being a musician and teacher) are entwined throughout the book.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me of a visit to Central Park in New York City, five years ago. There was an abundance of people - all sizes and types of people. It was such a joy to be there and see everyone thoroughly immersed in the day's relaxing and energizing fun activities. I especially enjoyed watching some children run up and down a hill, working together to try to get a huge kite to fly.

In this book, "a young girl rounds up a group of her friends" in park playground who are different in height, hair color and texture, eye color, etc. She makes up a playground song to celebrate their differences and similarities and urges her friends to join in. It shows them having fun, all immensely enjoying each others' company and a day at the park. The message is that while the friends are all uniquely different they do have common interests and feelings. They can come together and celebrate these things.

I liked the overall message and the illustrations, but felt that the playground song was not so exciting. Maybe the same idea could have been presented in a more interesting fashion??

[Audreona Ferren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book is about a young African-American girl who visits the park. While at the park, the young girl looks for friends to play with. As she finds playmates, she notices that they all have differences. They had different hair, different skin colors, different size noses, and different color eyes. However, in the end, they were all pretty much the same.

I loved the diversity that this book had. It includes a wide variety of cultures. Also, I love that it shows that even though we may look different, we are still the same. The illustrations were also very detailed for showing the differences described in the book.

This book could be used at the beginning of the school year. This would be a great book to read to talk to students about how we all look different, but we are all the same on the inside.

[Andrea L’Ecuyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It was a great multi-cultural book that discusses the difference among children (tall/short, long/short hair, ect.). I would like to use this book in my classroom to show that even though students make look different they still have the same feelings and wants (playing) as they do.

[Rachel Magee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story follows a young African American girl who sings on a playground with her friends. While she sings, she points out that although we may look different, we still all enjoy laughter, love, and spending time with one another. This is a cute story that you could sing with a child, appreciating diversity around us.

[Cara Bornemiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great way to show kids that just because they are different physically does not mean that they are much different at all. The book is set at the park where a group of friends play games with each other. This is when they realize that they are not much different like they thought they were.

[Mackenzie Navarrete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Date: 10/10/23
Genre: Poetry
Level: K-2nd
Review: I read this story in class and connected it to diversity. The illustrator did a great job at making the kids diverse and special in their own way. It talked about differences in skin tone, hair, eyes, and themselves overall. The words encouraged kids to come together and embrace their differences. Not only was it a type of poem, but you could turn the words in the story into a song.

[Cassie Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect for teaching diversity to children. This book also has a lot of repetition and the children can repeat along. The pictures are fantastic and the story line is even better.

[Chappyfamily · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are different but the same. Fun book

[Rick Christiansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice mesage and illustrations but overall pretty boring.

[Stormy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Loved reading it to my kids when they were young!

[Diana V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main Characters: Racially-mixed group of children
Point Of View: Third Person Point of View
Setting: Playground
Genre: Multicultural
Lexile Level: NP Non-Prose Primary Grades

Organization / Unique Features: An exuberant story in which a little girl invites others on the playground to join in celebrating their differences in appearance; as they slide and swing, play chess and checkers, run, and play leap frog, they acknowledge that they have light or dark skin, curly hair or straight, eyes of blue or brown, and so on -- which may be "Mm-mmm , but the same, Ah-ha! Now isn't it delightful, simply out-of-sightful, bein' with you this way!" "Bein' with you this way" is a playground rap about the marvelous physical differences among people of different ages and races that make us all unique and yet, ultimately, the same. This children's book is written in a rap-style prose. As a whole, a racially-mixed group of children, enjoying a sunny day at the playground, discovers the virtues of racial diversity and, at the same time, their basic identity as individuals. By concluding the book with this phrase: "Light skin. Dark skin. Long legs. Short legs. Thick arms. Thin arms. Brown eyes. Blue eyes. Big nose. Little nose. Straight hair. Curly hair. Different-- Mm-mmm , but the same, Ah-ha! Now isn't it delightful, simply out-of-sightful, bein' with you this way!", children may identify other kinds of similarities and differences, while recognizing the importance of valuing, finding, and celebrating one's uniqueness and identity.



Main Ideas:
Racial Diversity
Identity

Recommended: If a classroom unit is focusing on physical traits differences, I would recommend "Bein' With You This Way." Since this rap-style prose poem, primarily, highlights physical differences among people of different ages and races, I consider this book useful for younger readers, who are beginning to notice differences amongst each other.


Personal Reaction: Reading "Bein' With You This Way" was a journey of discovery. Some would argue that the overall message was strong, yet bit superficial because the book focused on only physical traits. I consider using this rap-style prose a great launch to discuss other kinds similarities and differences - such as cultural, familial, and ethnic. In addition, the cheerful faces and colorful outdoors scenes in "Bein' With You This Way" vividly express the importance of celebrating our differences. As a whole, I consider that young readers will begin to feel comfortable about discussing differences, while learning the importance of respecting each other for who they are, after reading this text.


Satisfying Concluding Statement: Our differences should be discovered and celebrated.

[Natalia Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written a song/rap style to explain how different we all are. The entire book is located in a playground. The setting used in this book is a clear non biased setting. Everyone goes to the playground no matter how you look. Honestly, the playground is a place where you will encounter a lot of different people. The cover of the book has a young African American little girl who has beads in her hair, she is the main character throughout the book and continues to have those beads. Those beads are representation of the culture she belongs in. Of course a small child looking at the image could make their assumptions that all dark skinned people wear beads in their hair which as we all know is not true. But on the other hand one can explain that those beads are part of that culture and it is so something to take pride in.

The playground rap/song that is used throughout the book talks about how some people have brown and blue while other have big and small noses. It mentions how people can have different hair types such as curly or straight. The book is very general in the descriptions of what people can have different things in but none the less it makes an emphasis on how diverse we can be. There are no implications of language throughout the book because music is a universal language.

The people that are displayed in the park come from various backgrounds but have no implications of any specific cultures. The images have young people to old people. The kids are seen having fun with whomever surrounds them and that is what matters.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about an African American little girl playing at the playground with all different types of people. The book is a song she is singing about all the differences people have like straight and curly hair, small and big arms, light and dark skin. She sees that everyone is different and that they will be different the rest of their lives but she knows the are all people so they're similar.
I absolutely love this book because it encompasses what children think like. They don't act like adults and judge people by the way they look. This book has so much wisdom in it for a picture book for young students.
I would use this in my class a lot I think. I could use it on a holiday like MLK Jr. Day or during Black History month. I could also use it if our class was having a problem not including everyone because of the way they looked.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike some other reviewers, I liked the musicality of the text.

I didn't like the use of the word "strange." I'm trying to figure out why. I wonder if children innately think that people who look different are strange. Some may be socialized to think it, but one of the things I love about kids is that they don't seem to focus on differences as much as the world around them does. I wonder, but I don't know.

I also felt the text relied on the pictures too much to tell the story. Maybe that's more of an accessibility issue. I actually love the articulation and phrasing of "bein' with you this way." But you don't know what way unless you rely on the pictures. It's not explicit, like: we have different skin, but we both love to slide down the slide.

[Cassie Houck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a group of children on the playground who discover that they don't look alike, but are still the same.

I likes this book, it has good points, however I'm not a huge fan of the writing style. It's more of a rap and I can't figure out the tune. It really only talks about physical differences-which do need to be talked about- however I felt like it could have been better written.

I probably would have this in my classroom, but more likely have a book similar to it, using the same idea to convey the message that we are different but that's not a bad thing and that if we were all the same, life would be boring.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is NOT what I expected and it's NOT at all fun to read. I thought it would be a great 'hey, we're all the same', fun book to read and it's actually boring. The text isn't all that bad, well, half of the text isn't all that bad but the "chorus" is atrocious. A reviewer on here said it's a rap, we read the book without the CD, and being someone who listens to rap on a daily basis the thought never occured to me. That should say something right there.
Illustrations are nice, nothing spectacular and the text takes so much away from the moral.

[Velita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikola-Lisa, W. (1997). Bein' with You This Way. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books, Inc.

Topic: African American
Subtopic:Skin color and differences
Genre: Multicultural-poetry

This book is about an African American girl that gathers her friends for an afternoon of playing. While playing the children notice their differences but realize they are all the same. This book would be great for ELL students because it is delivered in a fun poetic rap and it not only touches on skin color but also other physical differences.

[Maria Garza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bein' with You This Wayi liked this book. i think its a great way to show children how being different is ok! i think this will help children know that althogh we look different we are all the same. the author also made the book as a song so children will have fun reading it as well. this book won the American Pick of the Lists Booksellers. overall all i think children will benefit greatly from this book and enjoy it!

[Westcoast_girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a song book. It has a very catchy tune and a good message. I found myself humming the song for days later.

The book focuses on how we're all different but all special. Our differences include things such as
-skin colour
-hair colour
-eye colour
-arm size
-height
-strength
-age

At the end, the girl concludes that we are all different but that is what makes us fun to be with.

[Rachel Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bein' With You This Way" by W. Nikola Lisa is a great book that describes how different we all are. The playground is the place where everyone goes no matter how you look. It is where everyone will meet different people. The girl realizes that everyone is different, but that is what makes them theirself. The pictures do a great job at telling the story. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend reading it.

[Shelby Haarman · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say to never judge a book by it's cover, and that holds true for this one. I appreciate the book's cover more than the book content. The cover lead me to believe we would dive into culture, but it is simply a sing-song book that gets the kid audience to sing along. Had the book discussed cultural facts, I would have given it five stars. it wasn't a bad book, but it didn't uphold my expectations.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favorites it is a great read aloud and very engaging book that points out and celebrates everybody differences. This is another great multicultural book for my classroom library.

[Jayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute song that celebrates all the many different people in the world. It has an upbeat tempo and addresses skin type, body type, even hair. It reminds us that we are all different but that we are all here together.

[Alyce Dougan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story would be a great read aloud to students to explain that were all different, yet all the same. You can either choose to read the story or sing it. I would recommend this story for children 4-8.