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Somewhere Today: A Book of Peace (Albert Whitman Prairie Books
1999 Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College
2002 CCBC Children's Choices
Somewhere in the world each day, people just like you are acting in kind, peaceful, loving ways. Perhaps they are visiting someone who is old, teaching a little sister to ride a bike, or sharing an experience with a friend from a different culture. With its poetic text and appealing, vibrant photographs, this book shows some of the simple ways in which any child or grownup can make the world a better place.
2002 CCBC Children's Choices
Somewhere in the world each day, people just like you are acting in kind, peaceful, loving ways. Perhaps they are visiting someone who is old, teaching a little sister to ride a bike, or sharing an experience with a friend from a different culture. With its poetic text and appealing, vibrant photographs, this book shows some of the simple ways in which any child or grownup can make the world a better place.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 11, 2018
This book is a great example of always being kind. There is always someone out there being kind to someone else. This author does a great job at listing kind actions.
April 17, 2023
A very reassuring photo book.
March 21, 2010
Somewhere today someone is: reading a book about peace, learning to do something a new way, fixing toys to give away, planting a tree, visiting an old friend, caring for someone who is ill.... Photo montages show children and adults engaged in activities that positively impact the world. The text is lyrical, the photos are multicultural, and the message important. Photos show kids that it's people like themselves who act. At the same time, I would give a higher rating if the aesthetic of the book were more compelling. This is pretty basic looking.
August 7, 2009
A children's book of Random Acts of Kindness, this quick read lists all kinds of simple things kids (and adults!) can do to make the world a better place. Being a friend, learning new things, fixing our toys instead of throwing them away - all great lessons for those big and small!
January 26, 2012
This book shows the good and bad in life. This book is all about life and what we can to help each other. I think this would be beneficial for students because it shows them kindness, which we all need to see.
May 17, 2008
a simple way to teach children about reaching out to others.
October 25, 2010
A lovely book to read aloud to children of all ages to encourage a peaceful existance. I love sharing this in my story times.
January 30, 2012
This is a book that shows not only the good on life but the bad as well. It shows kids how to treat one another.
April 19, 2012
Nice real photographs. Feel good poems.
February 6, 2013
This a good book for diversity and social/emotional development for my little ones. It shows different ways people are kind to others.
February 7, 2013
This book shows how kids (and adults) can help make the world a better place. It would be good to show kids that they can make a difference.
April 3, 2013
I like to read this book to my students to show that we can always make a difference in another person's life, be it big or small. Photographs instead of illustrations.
January 12, 2017
empowering for children
their actions matter
peace making starts small
their actions matter
peace making starts small
Read
April 30, 2017Title: Somewhere Today: A Book of Peace
Author: Shelley Moore Thomas
Pictures by: Eric Futran
Genre: Photographic Essay
Theme(s): peace
Opening line/sentence:
“Somewhere today..someone is being a friend instead of fighting.”
Brief Book Summary:
The book has pictures on every page and words that describe those pictures. Each page starts with “somewhere today…” followed by the peaceful and kind action that someone is doing around the world. The book concludes with the words, “Maybe it is you.”
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1998)
An uncomplicated text about a complicated subject contains only 11 short sentences. Ten of them begin with the words, "Somewhere today someone is...." These ten sentences define ten distinct peace-making actions, such as "...being a friend, instead of fighting...planting a tree where one was cut down...learning to do things a different way." The words on the final page are "Maybe it is you." An assemblage of uncaptioned photographs reproduced in full color illustrates each of these actions, inviting readers to figure out or find out more about each example. The children and adults pictured suggest glimpses of racial, cultural, age and gender diversity. The author's selection of seemingly ordinary actions and her understanding of how young children might begin to think about the idea of peace are no doubt informed by her role as a teacher of first and second graders.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Carolyn Dennette Michaels (Children's Literature )
The blurb states this book's intent is to show some of the simple ways in which a child or grown-up can make the world a better place. Each two-page spread presents one instance of such a happening, somewhere in the world. I expected, but did not find, lots of "somewhere" on each page. Such limitation precluded the chance to stretch a child's world to encompass the reality that, as a page is turned, on each continent, country, city, and neighborhood these ways to raise children as a way of peace are happening. Otherwise without realizing "the somewhere," it is becomes "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood," double page spread by double page spread.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews respond to the fact that the book portrays different countries, different races, and different gender diversity. The second review mentioned the idea that due to this diversity, this is a way of instilling peace within children and create that in their bringing up. I agree with this idea that it will help children create peace especially in a time where war is so strong in the world.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
This book provides a simple plot to the reader, but is still able to bring in the idea of social movements and the concept of peace. When thinking about literary elements, the illustrations is a large component of the book overall. The illustrations demonstrate real life situations from different cultures and countries. Having an poem type saying and repeating the words “somewhere today”, young readers are able to follow along and create a small sing song read aloud.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
Students can bring in their own pictures and create their own photographic essay that relates their experiences to the idea of peace in the world. Using this idea, young students will be able to portray kind actions that are important to them as well as learn new actions and new values that promote peace throughout the world.
Author: Shelley Moore Thomas
Pictures by: Eric Futran
Genre: Photographic Essay
Theme(s): peace
Opening line/sentence:
“Somewhere today..someone is being a friend instead of fighting.”
Brief Book Summary:
The book has pictures on every page and words that describe those pictures. Each page starts with “somewhere today…” followed by the peaceful and kind action that someone is doing around the world. The book concludes with the words, “Maybe it is you.”
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1998)
An uncomplicated text about a complicated subject contains only 11 short sentences. Ten of them begin with the words, "Somewhere today someone is...." These ten sentences define ten distinct peace-making actions, such as "...being a friend, instead of fighting...planting a tree where one was cut down...learning to do things a different way." The words on the final page are "Maybe it is you." An assemblage of uncaptioned photographs reproduced in full color illustrates each of these actions, inviting readers to figure out or find out more about each example. The children and adults pictured suggest glimpses of racial, cultural, age and gender diversity. The author's selection of seemingly ordinary actions and her understanding of how young children might begin to think about the idea of peace are no doubt informed by her role as a teacher of first and second graders.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Carolyn Dennette Michaels (Children's Literature )
The blurb states this book's intent is to show some of the simple ways in which a child or grown-up can make the world a better place. Each two-page spread presents one instance of such a happening, somewhere in the world. I expected, but did not find, lots of "somewhere" on each page. Such limitation precluded the chance to stretch a child's world to encompass the reality that, as a page is turned, on each continent, country, city, and neighborhood these ways to raise children as a way of peace are happening. Otherwise without realizing "the somewhere," it is becomes "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood," double page spread by double page spread.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews respond to the fact that the book portrays different countries, different races, and different gender diversity. The second review mentioned the idea that due to this diversity, this is a way of instilling peace within children and create that in their bringing up. I agree with this idea that it will help children create peace especially in a time where war is so strong in the world.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
This book provides a simple plot to the reader, but is still able to bring in the idea of social movements and the concept of peace. When thinking about literary elements, the illustrations is a large component of the book overall. The illustrations demonstrate real life situations from different cultures and countries. Having an poem type saying and repeating the words “somewhere today”, young readers are able to follow along and create a small sing song read aloud.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
Students can bring in their own pictures and create their own photographic essay that relates their experiences to the idea of peace in the world. Using this idea, young students will be able to portray kind actions that are important to them as well as learn new actions and new values that promote peace throughout the world.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews