WHERE WE LIVE

Communities come in all sizes.

The book spotlights children from neighborhoods around the world. Along with a brief summary, each entry contains a simplified map of important locations in the child’s life. An entry devoted to Rejan, a young girl living in Cairo, Egypt, features a map that includes her home, her mosque, her school, and the main road near the Nile. Another spread, devoted to Moana, a boy who lives on Tongareva in the Cook Islands, includes a map that highlights the child’s church, his home, a nearby solar farm, and the wharf where Moana is learning to fish. Each map includes a compass, a legend, and a scale bar that uses meters as the only measurement of distance. Graphically, the illustrations are reminiscent of the poster arts program of the WPA, but the style feels stagnant, and the oversize landmarks and the metric measurements make distances feel confusing. The introduction and the author’s note both mention that the stories are based on interviews with real children, but neither explains whether the names have been changed or how accurate the accounts are or if they are a fictional conglomeration of stories told to the author. The book may attract readers with an interest in geography or storytellers, but educators and caregivers should prepare to help with supplemental research support.

Well meant but somewhat confusing.