Book Talk Tuesday: Same, Same, but Different byJenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

SAME, SAME, BUT DIFFERENT
written and illustrated by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Henry Holt and Company, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8946-2
32 p.
Grades PreK-2
Reviewed from personal copy.

BLURB: Elliot lives in America, and Kailash lives in India. They are pen pals. By exchanging letters and pictures, they learn that they both love to climb trees, have pets, and go to school. Their worlds might look different, but they are actually similar. Same, same. But different! Through an inviting point-of-view and colorful, vivid illustrations, this story shows how two boys living oceans apart can be the best of friends.

I enjoyed reading and sharing this book. Not only is the language simple and straightforward, but the illustrations compliment the writing perfectly. The illustrations are bright and colorful and highlight the similarities and differences between the two boys.  I've really come to love collage as an art form and this book demonstrates the characteristics that make collage so unique.  I had a fun discussion with a group of kindergartners about the different materials used in collage and how that effected the feel of the book. It was great.

It was interesting to listen to the comments of the children as they looked at the pictures illustrating some of the differences between the places that Elliot and Kailash live.  The elephant on the same street as cars, pedestrians and carts especially caught their attention.  This book provides a nice way to introduce to children the idea that people in other places are both the same and different as they are.

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