What's the Difference?: Being Different Is Amazing

by Doyin Richards

What’s the difference if she has light skin and yours is a little darker?

All that matters is the artwork you create together is as colorful as possible . . .

As he did in I Wonder , Upworthy.com and Today Show parenting expert parenting guru Doyin Richards tackles a timely and universal subject―diversity and acceptance―and distills it for the youngest readers. Because what matters most is not our differences, but what we do together as friends, as families, as colleagues, as citizens. Perfect for sharing as a family or in the classroom, What's the Difference? should find a place in homes and in hearts.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Cultural, Nonfiction, Storytime, Friendship, Race

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 19, 2017

About the author

Doyin (pronounced “doe-ween”) Richards is a dynamic keynote speaker, best-selling author, anti-racism facilitator, TEDx speaker, Slate Columnist, mental health advocate, and lover of cheesy pasta.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This message reads very much like "Whoever You Are" by Mem Fox, but this one has photographs instead of illustrations.
These photos are clear and colorful, and seem to hammer the 'different' point - how about some photos where the 'difference' aren't as obvious? I'm not trying to negate the importance of the message, but I felt that this drew too much attention to the extreme difference in some people's skin color. What about using some more subtle differences, such as Chinese and Japanese, or Mexican and Indonesian, for example.
Some of the photos don't match the text as closely as they could, such as the page "What's the difference if your classmate has light skin and yours is a little darker?" has two children whose skin tone is VERY different, not a 'little'.

[Christine Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary
What's the difference if she has light skin and yours is a little darker? All that matters is the artwork you create together is as colorful as possible . . .

Doyin Richards tackles a timely and universal subject, diversity and acceptance. Because what matters most is not our differences, but what we do together as friends, as families, as colleagues, as citizens. Perfect for sharing as a family or in the classroom, What's the Difference? should find a place in homes and in hearts.

Note: This book would work well for pre-school storytime and early primary.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. More like this please publishing world! A simple yet profound message told with engaging and heart-warming photographs of children of different races just being kids together. The text hits exactly the right note and this is an inspiring and lovely picture book.

Bravo!

[Christina Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is a must have because it does an exceptional job at teaching children (most likely Pre-K through 2nd graders) the importance of looking past the color of someone’s skin. It digs deeply, using effective words that are not too difficult for the readers to understand, into how the characterization of someone can not be based on this difference. By the children being displayed doing various activities and enjoying each other’s company while doing so, this shows young readers that we can all get along and have fun together and nothing else matters! This is the recognition for children that their friends may not look like them, however they can still love and care for one another despite their differences. It also emphasizes the fact that no one is perfect and no one is better than anyone else. It focuses on "what matters the most." The children playing, eating, laughing, singing and dancing together. It should also be noted that when a child can easily identify with a book, they will be more affected by it. Almost every child can find themselves in this book.

[Lahars_little_library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The phrase “what’s the difference?” Comes off as antagonist at times but other elements make this so worth it. There are WAY too few books openly addressing race issues in a way that is engaging and developmentally appropriate for PRESCHOOL children. This is one of them that I happily share with my children. Preschool children need photographic examples of diversity- illustrations can be too vague. They need to see pictures of children like themselves and they need straightforward teaching in addition to representation.

The page that sold me said...
“Don’t be COLOR BLIND. The sky is blue during the day and black at night. If colors could talk they would tell different stories about what they see when it’s their turn to light up the world.
It’s the same with your friends.
LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES”

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the color awareness message rather than the color ignorance message that was fostered more when I was a kid. The pictures in this book really are what drew me in more than the text in most places. Wish though that there could have been a bit more diversity in the pictures (for example, didn't notice any Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, or Asian peoples--I'm not talking Chinese or Japanese or Koreans here, but Indians, Pakistanis, Jordanians, etc.,--in a book about DIVERSITY everyone seemed to be white or brown people, which isn't all that diverse, you know?).

All that being said, I really enjoyed this book, and think it's one that we should be reading to ourselves (possibly) and to our children.

[Heather Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for young elementary aged kids on the differences between different people and the celebration of those differences, especially racial differences. This book also has simple concepts that are understandable for someone on the spectrum. (I read this with my Autistic 10 yr old). The book is worth it just for this line: "Don't be color blind. The sky is blue during the day and black at night. If colors could talk, they would tell different stories about what they see when it's their turn to light up the world. It's the same with your friends. LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES."

If adults understood this concept, America would be a very different place right now.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple, straight forward text asks children to consider the outward differences between themselves and their friends and to conclude, obviously, that they don't really matter. There's no story line, but this book easily offers a springboard for further discussion with the younger crowd. The illustrations are pictures of real kids. I would have liked to see the pictures match the text just a little better, but overall this is a strong, solid offering for introducing kids to the concept of diversity and equality. Good for both a group read aloud in story time, and an one-on-one lap read with a small child.

[Maggie Ignasiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great because it practices the approach of color-awareness instead of color-blindness: "Don't be color-blind. They sky is blue during the day and black at night. If colors could talk, they would tell different stories about what they see when it's their turn to light up the world." This is an important message, especially since so many books concerning race in the past have taught blindness/ignoring instead of awareness/acceptance.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

photographic based exploration of how important and dynamic different physical and fun activity features are across friendships!! Feature kids of color, written by a black man dedicating this book to his Pan-African/American parents; with a beautiful forward talking about social justice, diversity, inclusion, and the necessary power of educating children "about how beautiful diversity truly is." :-) !!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

My little girl is just now noticing, or just now verbalizing, that she is black and mommy is white - also most of the friends in her preschool class are white. She devoured this book with me, and it gave us another way to talk about race at an age appropriate level. I’m always searching for books, dolls and media that reflect our transracial family and this book is wonderful.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book to read to children about people being born with different skin tones and different texture hair, however, this book should have included more children from a variety of ethnicities than just African American and Caucasian children. Books like this should always try include a photo of all children that might pick up this book.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very well-done and will certainly spark conversation between parents and kids. I loved that the author encouraged children to NOT be color blind, and instead embrace and discuss the experiences they may have based on how they look. There's a lot of hope for change resting on the shoulders of today's kids. Books like this may help them rise to the challenge.

[Jeanine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book if the only difference you are focusing on are black and white races (other races are represented) as the only difference discussed is race/skin colour. An important topic, but the title had me thinking it would be covering many different characteristic of diversity like different abilities, cultures, body types, gender expression, etc.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really positive book that can help start a discussion. The photos really were fun! The author crowd sourced them from his Instagram followers...how cool! I loved the dedication to his parents at the beginning of the book.

[SaraJane · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Don't be color-blind. The sky is blue during the day and black at night. If colors could talk, they would tell different stories about what they see when it's their turn to light up the world. It's the same with your friends. Listen to their stories."

[Bmack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book with real photographs about friends who look different and also like different things but "being different is amazing". A great multi-cultural book for a read-aloud or for a library collection.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Because when it comes to LOVE, keep showing that there really is no difference. It's all AMAZING. Just like you." Beautiful photographs of friends of differing races and genders playing, laughing, and having fun together.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book about celebrating difference is a bit pollyana, it's also appropriately kid-centric, with very cute photos of racially diverse friends having all kinds of fun. I especially appreciate that it pooh poohs the racist concept of "color blindness."

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This went over well with both the three and five year olds. My only slight issue with it is it talks about getting in trouble together and I wonder about that message when the consequences for misbehaving come down so much harder on kids of colour.

[charlene.librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You see, little one, you may not be the same on the outside, but it's what makes you different that makes you wonderful." I heartily agree. This is something that very young children can learn and celebrate. This book of photographs celebrate every kind of difference

[Marta Pederiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

We really love this book. It’s colorful and shows it really doesn’t matter if you’re different. And it’s pretty funny when it says “save the world together” and “get in trouble together”!
We also like that has pictures of real children.
(D. 8 years old, O. 5 years old)

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The text is a little weak (and long in places) but I like the photos and there is a real dearth of good photographically illustrated picture books.

[MaryLibrarianOH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good discussion starter.

From advanced reader copy.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its colorful photographs and inspiring text, we can encourage the new generation to not see the difference at all.

[Casandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one got me crying. Kids are awesome! Let's encourage their natural willingness to accept each other's differences!

[Suebee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely photos. I think the page with the text that states, "Get into trouble together," could have been omitted. :) Adults understand the nuances of that statement but kids don't.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing wrong with basic, but this is really basic.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the simple story of diversity.

[Kathy Iwanicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! As a classroom teacher, there are are so many different ways that I could see using it! I will be adding this to my library.