Holiday House; 2010; Ages 3-6

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Have you noticed that people come in many different shades? Not colors exactly, but shades. These are the opening words from the beaming montage of young faces on the pages of this luscious children’s book. Like Karen Katz’s The Colors of Us, Rotner and Kelly present a fresh approach to the message that all children are remarkable—and that, “Our skin is just our covering, like wrapping paper.”

Page after page of dynamically arranged photographs present children of every background, of every shade. All the photos allow our children to see themselves over and over again in charming, sun-drenched moments. The text is powerful in its brevity, with lines like, Even in the same family there can be many shades. I did not hesitate to buy a copy for my son’s preschool, for its messages of inclusion, acceptance, and diversity.

Reviewed by Catherine Anderson, mother of a transracial family, who blogs at mamacandtheboys.com.