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This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World
Follow the real lives of seven kids from Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda, and Russia for a single day! In Japan Kei plays Freeze Tag, while in Uganda Daphine likes to jump rope. But while the way they play may differ, the shared rhythm of their days—and this one world we all share—unites them. This genuine exchange provides a window into traditions that may be different from our own as well as a mirror reflecting our common experiences. Inspired by his own travels, Matt Lamothe transports readers across the globe and back with this luminous and thoughtful picture book.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2017
590 people are currently reading
2376 people want to read
About the author
Matt LaMothe
9 books18 followersMatt Lamothe is one-third of the award-winning design company ALSO, author of the award-winning picture book This Is How We Do It, and coauthor of several other books, including The Exquisite Book; The Where, the Why and the How; and The Who, the What and the When. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 436 reviews
April 23, 2020
What a fantastic book! I loved this look into children's lives in different parts of the world. My favorites were how I spell my name and how we eat dinner. I found the differences in when people eat dinner to be interesting and it made me wonder about bedtime and waketime, neither of which was shown unfortunately.
I can see this book leading to many discussions about how people live and why. The book is a good opening to conversations about our similarities and differences no matter where we live.
I can see this book leading to many discussions about how people live and why. The book is a good opening to conversations about our similarities and differences no matter where we live.
January 26, 2021
This is How We Do It is a nonfiction look into the lives of seven real children living in seven very different places: Russia, Uganda, Italy, Peru, Japan, Iran, and India. Among other things, author Matt LaMothe showed their homes, their school clothes, their lunches, and their dinners (including what was most interesting to me: when they eat dinner). Like the other things, dinner time varies considerably, but I wasn't expecting just how much. For instance, the Russian boy profiled eats dinner at 6:00, the standard dinner hour in the U.S., but the Ugandan girl eats dinner at 10:00. I assume kids who eat that late go straight to bed after dinner.
Photos of the children and their families are on the last page. It's a nice touch. (Initially, I thought only the facts were nonfictional, that the children weren't.) The digitally rendered illustrations aren't beautiful, but they're pleasant and give the book a cozy, comforting feel.
It's strangely easy for people, especially children, to get stuck in a bubble of superficiality, to have a limited world view, to forget how vast the world is and how different from place to place. What This is How We Do It shows is that the general things--playing, eating, going to school--are universal, but the specifics of these are different in fascinating ways. For children who, going in, are interested in other cultures, This is How We Do It provides good (if basic) fuel for their intellectual curiosity. What's best, though, is that by placing each person on the same level, the book helps foster a respect, even awe, for differences. All children should read it.
Complementary reading: Another children's book that teaches about differences (though limited to Alaska) is Recess at 20 Below.
Photos of the children and their families are on the last page. It's a nice touch. (Initially, I thought only the facts were nonfictional, that the children weren't.) The digitally rendered illustrations aren't beautiful, but they're pleasant and give the book a cozy, comforting feel.
It's strangely easy for people, especially children, to get stuck in a bubble of superficiality, to have a limited world view, to forget how vast the world is and how different from place to place. What This is How We Do It shows is that the general things--playing, eating, going to school--are universal, but the specifics of these are different in fascinating ways. For children who, going in, are interested in other cultures, This is How We Do It provides good (if basic) fuel for their intellectual curiosity. What's best, though, is that by placing each person on the same level, the book helps foster a respect, even awe, for differences. All children should read it.
Complementary reading: Another children's book that teaches about differences (though limited to Alaska) is Recess at 20 Below.
May 7, 2017
Perfect for pre-K and Kindergarten and emergent readers.
I love everything about this book except for the fact that the families shown are all two-heterosexual-parent families with 2-3 kids. Celebrating all the different types of nuclear families that exist in the world is not the point of the book, but it misses a real opportunity to at least show that multiple generations living under the same roof is common in many parts of the world.
I love everything about this book except for the fact that the families shown are all two-heterosexual-parent families with 2-3 kids. Celebrating all the different types of nuclear families that exist in the world is not the point of the book, but it misses a real opportunity to at least show that multiple generations living under the same roof is common in many parts of the world.
May 17, 2021
شاید بشه گفت بهترین کتاب برای شناخت فرهنگ های مختلف در جهان به بچه های 6 سال و در کل سنین دبستان این کتاب هیت. که 7 کودک از 7کشور رو با هم از لحاظ خانه و خانواده،جغرافیا،رنگ پوست ونقاط مشترک و در کل شباهت ها و تفاوت ها و خوراکی و آداب غذاخوردن مقایسه میکنه و اطلاعات جالبی رو به بچه ها میده.
وقتی کتاب رو می خوندم واقعا شبیه ورق زدن آلبومی بود پر از شباهت ها و تفاوت ها و مقایسه ها که در کنار هم بخشی از این جهان زیبا رو می سازند.
اگر دوست دارید بچه ها این تفاوت ها رو بدونن و متوجه بشن که همه شبیه هم نیستن این کتاب گزینه ی خیلی خوبیه.
و البته جایزه ی 4 لاک پشت پرنده رو برده.
می تونید چند صفحه از کتاب رو تو سایت انتشارات فاطمی ببینید👇
https://tutibooks.ir/product/%D9%85%D...
پی نوشت:انتشارات طوطی که در واقع بخش کودک نشر فاطمی هست معمولا کتابهای خیلی خوبی برای کودکان داره.
تاریخ ویرایش 1400/02/27
وقتی کتاب رو می خوندم واقعا شبیه ورق زدن آلبومی بود پر از شباهت ها و تفاوت ها و مقایسه ها که در کنار هم بخشی از این جهان زیبا رو می سازند.
اگر دوست دارید بچه ها این تفاوت ها رو بدونن و متوجه بشن که همه شبیه هم نیستن این کتاب گزینه ی خیلی خوبیه.
و البته جایزه ی 4 لاک پشت پرنده رو برده.
می تونید چند صفحه از کتاب رو تو سایت انتشارات فاطمی ببینید👇
https://tutibooks.ir/product/%D9%85%D...
پی نوشت:انتشارات طوطی که در واقع بخش کودک نشر فاطمی هست معمولا کتابهای خیلی خوبی برای کودکان داره.
تاریخ ویرایش 1400/02/27
April 19, 2017
I have spent years recommending What the World Eats and Material World to families for their irresistible peek into the everyday lives of families around the world. This spectacular picture book offers the same engrossing level of detail, but with an illustrator's eye. So good. Put one in every classroom.
GIANT IRRESISTIBLE BONUS: photographs of all of the REAL families profiled in the book at the back. Seeing is believing.
GIANT IRRESISTIBLE BONUS: photographs of all of the REAL families profiled in the book at the back. Seeing is believing.
October 2, 2017
Really cool book. I could see kids spending hours poring over the details. I love that the author included photos of the real families in the back. I didn't love that all the families were structured so similarly - 2 parent households with a mom, dad, and kids. A missed opportunity to include different types of families in an otherwise diverse book.
November 12, 2018
Before I opened this book, I saw some reviews that complained about the lack of diversity in the makeup of the families (they all have a mom and a dad). I would argue that that argument somewhat misses the point. This isn't a book where kids are supposed to see themselves reflected in what they're reading; this is a book that aims to show kids about different lives and experiences that they might not have any previous knowledge of. I didn't expect to see a lot of gay couples raising kids (especially considering being gay can land you in prison in at least one of these countries), although a single-parent family might've been a nice inclusion. Keep in mind that these are real families, so these seven just may have been some of the ones most willing to participate. That said, I wish there had been more than seven children featured, at least so the book could've covered a few more areas of the globe. Oceania isn't covered at all, and I wouldn't have minded seeing a family in the far north (Canada or Alaska).
I read Children Just Like Me years ago, and really liked that glimpse into the everyday lives of kids from around the world. This book is similar, though instead of using photos, it's illustrated, and it goes through the events of a typical day, showing how each of the seven children eat, learn, play, and even sleep. I think I would've rather had photos than illustrations (I liked seeing the photos of the actual families at the end), but that's a minor complaint. There's a glossary at the back of the book that explains the unfamiliar words that are underlined in the text, which is a nice touch.
Even as an adult, there are things in this book that surprised me. I had no idea that some kids eat dinner at 9 or 10 in the evening (I would've been in bed hours before that)! Seeing the different meals was one of my favourite parts of the book. I was surprised at how many kids drink water. One little kid in Peru even drank coffee! The education section was interesting, too; kids in Japan study ethics and kids in India study value education (subjects that weren't really covered at my elementary school).
Aside from a weird layout problem in the glossary (one of the definitions seems to have gotten cut off, which may just be an issue with the e-book formatting), this is actually a pretty strong book. And I like the message at the end, that no matter our differences, we're all still looking up at the same night sky. This would be a great book to use in a classroom, or even just for kids who like learning about other kids around the world.
I read Children Just Like Me years ago, and really liked that glimpse into the everyday lives of kids from around the world. This book is similar, though instead of using photos, it's illustrated, and it goes through the events of a typical day, showing how each of the seven children eat, learn, play, and even sleep. I think I would've rather had photos than illustrations (I liked seeing the photos of the actual families at the end), but that's a minor complaint. There's a glossary at the back of the book that explains the unfamiliar words that are underlined in the text, which is a nice touch.
Even as an adult, there are things in this book that surprised me. I had no idea that some kids eat dinner at 9 or 10 in the evening (I would've been in bed hours before that)! Seeing the different meals was one of my favourite parts of the book. I was surprised at how many kids drink water. One little kid in Peru even drank coffee! The education section was interesting, too; kids in Japan study ethics and kids in India study value education (subjects that weren't really covered at my elementary school).
Aside from a weird layout problem in the glossary (one of the definitions seems to have gotten cut off, which may just be an issue with the e-book formatting), this is actually a pretty strong book. And I like the message at the end, that no matter our differences, we're all still looking up at the same night sky. This would be a great book to use in a classroom, or even just for kids who like learning about other kids around the world.
August 17, 2022
اینقدر تصاویر جذاب بود، که اصلا دلم نمیخواست متن رو بخونم. این کتاب مقایسه یک روز زندگی ۷ کودک از ۷ نقطهی جهانه. از بیدار شدن و لباس پوشیدن و خورد و خوراک... تا فعالیت های روزانه.
آخرین مقایسه این ۷ تا کودک عالی بود. مو به تنم سیخ شد 🥲
آخرین مقایسه این ۷ تا کودک عالی بود. مو به تنم سیخ شد 🥲
May 31, 2019
عاشق كتاب هاي كودكي هستم كه جزئياتِ تصويري فراوون داره ، جوري كه با نگاه كردن به هر گوشه از تصاويرش ميشه چيزهاي جديد كشف كرد.
June 15, 2020
A lovely, deceptively simple book. It shows how one child from each country goes about his/her day, so you will see the differences in housing, socio-economic background, the foods they eat, what school is like etc. It is presented without a "lesson" attached but is such a beautiful way to foster a respect for different cultures while showing that fundamentally children are so much the same in their basic needs for nourishment and shelter, love, education, and play.
December 12, 2019
This is a book that you can go back to again and again. Put it a text set with ALL IN A DAY by Mitsumasa Anno and THIS IS THE WAY WE GO TO SCHOOL by Edith Baer. A wonderful resource for writing and social studies.
July 27, 2017
At first I thought This Is How We Do It was going to be a little too busy and confusing. Silly me. It comes together smoothly as author Matt Lamothe charmingly shows how kids from Italy, Japan, Peru, Uganda, Russia, India, and Iran do pretty much the same things American kids do, although some of the details are different. Each activity—breakfast, going to school, playing, etc.—is shown in action from other the countries, with a space on the page for American kids to reflect on their own version of the activity. This large picture book draws on the basic principle that much of how we learn is based on recognition of how things are the same and how things differ. This Is How We Do It can help children (and adults) understand that our lives have far more in common with our global neighbors than we are sometimes led to believe.
June 6, 2017
I loved pouring over the illustrations of this book and learning about cultures all over the world through the eyes of children. My one criticism is that every family represented includes both a mother and a father. I would have liked to see some diversity in the make up of each family, including a family with a single parent, a same-sex couple, an only child, or multigenerational families. That was a huge missed opportunity.
February 20, 2021
#36 in my 365 Kids Books challenge and multi-year request to Goodreads to fix the Top Readers, etc. lists. For a full explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
Speaking of different places. This is fascinating. Seven kids, seven cities, we go through their day: what do they have for breakfast, what does their home look like, what subjects do they learn at school, what do they do if their free time. The very clever concept comes off poorly due to formatting issues in Libby, so if you can get a physical copy, do. It's much more effective showing the contrasting scenes in a two-page spread, rather than seven discrete images. It could be a fun project to have kids answer the same questions from their own lives, or from interviewing someone of a different generation or a different place. I love cross-cultural comparisons.
Library copy
Speaking of different places. This is fascinating. Seven kids, seven cities, we go through their day: what do they have for breakfast, what does their home look like, what subjects do they learn at school, what do they do if their free time. The very clever concept comes off poorly due to formatting issues in Libby, so if you can get a physical copy, do. It's much more effective showing the contrasting scenes in a two-page spread, rather than seven discrete images. It could be a fun project to have kids answer the same questions from their own lives, or from interviewing someone of a different generation or a different place. I love cross-cultural comparisons.
Library copy
April 12, 2019
I never thought I could learn so much from a children’s book! My son and I especially loved looking through pictures of all the different foods people eat around the world. This book encourages a lot of discussion and inspiration. It inspired me to cook more Russian food for my family.
September 17, 2019
Výborná obrázková kniha pre školopovinné deti. Na úplne bežnom školskom dni ukazuje, že veci, ktoré sú bežné u nás doma, môžu byť v inom kúte sveta zvláštne.
December 27, 2021
I think I was expecting a lil more but from the perspective of a seven-year-old, this is good. As a seven-year-old, I wasn't aware of the world outside. I didn't know kids walked to their school or were allowed to pick what to wear.
May 23, 2017
Follow seven kids from around the world through their day in this beautiful and diverse book. It features; Ribaldo from Peru, Romeo from Italy, Oleg from Russia, Daphine from Uganda, Kian from Iran, Ananya from India and Kei from Japan. From where they live and what they were to school to how they spell their name (my favorite page) and where they go to bed this story is simple but magical. It perfectly illustrates the fascinating differences of life around the world, but also the interesting ways that we are similar. I'm so glad this one has been added to our collection because it offers something new every time we read it.
September 18, 2021
Menarik sekali melihat bagaimana potret kehidupan sehari-hari yang sifatnya universal seperti tempat tinggal, perjalanan ke sekolah, menu makan, dan ruang kelas menjadi begitu unik bagi setiap individu.
Selain keberagaman, buku ini membuat saya lebih bersyukur. Bahwa saya masih bisa makan, punya keluarga, rumah, juga akses terhadap pendidikan. Saya harap setiap anak di dunia ini juga tercukupi akan semua kebutuhan mendasar itu.
Tak lupa, penutup bukunya juga manis sekali. Meski hidup dengan banyak perbedaan, kita semua tetap tinggal berdampingan di bawah naungan langit yang sama.
Selain keberagaman, buku ini membuat saya lebih bersyukur. Bahwa saya masih bisa makan, punya keluarga, rumah, juga akses terhadap pendidikan. Saya harap setiap anak di dunia ini juga tercukupi akan semua kebutuhan mendasar itu.
Tak lupa, penutup bukunya juga manis sekali. Meski hidup dengan banyak perbedaan, kita semua tetap tinggal berdampingan di bawah naungan langit yang sama.
June 27, 2017
This book will have my kids captivated and asking lots of questions. I read it with a hopefulness that it was based on the lives of real children and families and I loved seeing the photographs depicting theses families at the end. Awesome look into how we are all the same but different.
October 17, 2018
The premise of the book is great- exploring and celebrating differences. Except that from seven families, every single one includes a set of straight, cis-parents. I could have used some more diversity, but overall the kids loved it.
August 3, 2017
7 kids from around the world talk about who they are, where they live, what they eat, how they get to school, what they do at school, and what they do in their free time. The illustrations have so much for kids to pore over, and the text succinctly describes their daily lives.
While reading, I wondered how the authors chose these kinds of lives to write about. How much is typical? How much is stereotypical? Why choose these particular types of homes and lives? And then, right at the end, the answers are all there in an afterword! These are all real kids and real families, describing their real lives. The authors even talk about what they were looking for: families who had lived in the same place for many generations.
It got me, it made me smile and tear up, and it was a wonderful reminder that the world is so different and yet so similar. A lovely book to treasure, through and through.
While reading, I wondered how the authors chose these kinds of lives to write about. How much is typical? How much is stereotypical? Why choose these particular types of homes and lives? And then, right at the end, the answers are all there in an afterword! These are all real kids and real families, describing their real lives. The authors even talk about what they were looking for: families who had lived in the same place for many generations.
It got me, it made me smile and tear up, and it was a wonderful reminder that the world is so different and yet so similar. A lovely book to treasure, through and through.
June 18, 2020
This book is amazing, honestly. We read it just a few pages a day and the whole family was fascinated by it. It’s based on the lives of kids from 7 different real families—one each in Italy, Japan, Peru, Uganda, Russia, India, and Iran. My kids especially loved the pages showing what they would typically eat for each meal. It also shows where they go to school, what they do for fun, what they wear, and how they sleep. Wonderful book with lots of colorful illustrations and a great way to introduce your kids to the many ways different families around the world do the same things.
Read
August 11, 2020One of my favourite books of the year, I loved the look into different families all over the world. And this is me as an adult, as a small one I would have eaten this with a SPOON. I hope this kicks off a series.
December 9, 2021
A glimpse of how school going children in five different countries of the world have their normal days. I like the representation as well as the artstyle. It's easy to read and read to as well.
Nice concept.
Nice concept.
June 27, 2017
A book that celebrates our differences and shares our similarities!
July 9, 2020
Long! But even my almost-3YO is engaged enough to make it all the way through. Fascinating glimpse into the lives of others. I appreciate the photos and disclaimer at the back. Great all around book, especially for kids around the ages of the kids in the book; 7-11.
November 22, 2018
I really liked this book. I think it's important for children to grow up understanding how different everyone can be, yet how similar at the same time. It's a very informative book that gets the point across in a way that young children can understand. It would definitely help raise children that arr respectful of different cultures . 5/5
August 24, 2019
I absolutely loved this book.
Beautifully illustrated, Lamothe takes you through a 'day in the life' of seven real children from around the world, from Italy to Uganda we see through brief quotes from these children and the gorgeous drawings how each child's life differs. From what they eat for breakfast, through to their bedrooms, Lamothe exemplifies the ways that different cultures live. To add to the beauty of this book, Lamothe has shown how each child sleeps under the same night sky. Reminding us that despite the differences in our lives, we all inhabit the same world.
A fantastic way for children to discover other cultures and remind them that despite these differences we are all start off the same.
Beautifully illustrated, Lamothe takes you through a 'day in the life' of seven real children from around the world, from Italy to Uganda we see through brief quotes from these children and the gorgeous drawings how each child's life differs. From what they eat for breakfast, through to their bedrooms, Lamothe exemplifies the ways that different cultures live. To add to the beauty of this book, Lamothe has shown how each child sleeps under the same night sky. Reminding us that despite the differences in our lives, we all inhabit the same world.
A fantastic way for children to discover other cultures and remind them that despite these differences we are all start off the same.
August 13, 2017
Compare Mirror (by Jeannie Baker) and this very recent release by author/illustrator Matt Lamothe, THIS IS HOW WE DO IT. Rather than explore only two families and cultures, Lamothe selects seven families from around the world to portray and label the intricacies of similarities and differences through the course of a day-in-the-life in various cultures.
He doesn't attempt to weave a storyline throughout their lives. In fact, he chose to shift the positioning of each character/culture instead of locking each in the same orientation on the page. The labeling is still effective and offers an oppportunity for kids to eagerly challenge themselves, turning back often to remind themselves of who is who and where they live.
Endpapers do a a great job of showing just how small our world really is. Back matter provides a simple but helpful glossary (in natural, kid-friendly language) to expand on specific terminology from various scenes and cultures. The author's note explains how he was inspired to create the book and describes the complex process he used to assure authenticity for this nonfiction treasure. It's worth a read in and of itself, and the final double spread using photographs of the seven actual families should lead many young readers to explore Lamothe's final notes.
I particularly appreciate these two titles for use in presenting a balanced view of kids and families in far-flung parts of the world. Some recent titles focus on refugees and immigrants. Presenting objective and realistic stories that share those harsh experiences is essential, but it's all too easy for young readers to develop a false concept: that all "others" are destitute or desperate or seeking to leave their homes. These two titles provide a healthy contradiction to that misperception. They show a variety of daily life patterns in which the children and families are comfortably settled in routines and relationships that feel familiar and safe. In fact, they make the prospect of traveling and meeting people around the world quite appealing.
He doesn't attempt to weave a storyline throughout their lives. In fact, he chose to shift the positioning of each character/culture instead of locking each in the same orientation on the page. The labeling is still effective and offers an oppportunity for kids to eagerly challenge themselves, turning back often to remind themselves of who is who and where they live.
Endpapers do a a great job of showing just how small our world really is. Back matter provides a simple but helpful glossary (in natural, kid-friendly language) to expand on specific terminology from various scenes and cultures. The author's note explains how he was inspired to create the book and describes the complex process he used to assure authenticity for this nonfiction treasure. It's worth a read in and of itself, and the final double spread using photographs of the seven actual families should lead many young readers to explore Lamothe's final notes.
I particularly appreciate these two titles for use in presenting a balanced view of kids and families in far-flung parts of the world. Some recent titles focus on refugees and immigrants. Presenting objective and realistic stories that share those harsh experiences is essential, but it's all too easy for young readers to develop a false concept: that all "others" are destitute or desperate or seeking to leave their homes. These two titles provide a healthy contradiction to that misperception. They show a variety of daily life patterns in which the children and families are comfortably settled in routines and relationships that feel familiar and safe. In fact, they make the prospect of traveling and meeting people around the world quite appealing.
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