nb FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ROBIE H. HARRIS illustrated by NADINE BERNARD WESTCOTT ‘New York Times best-selling author Robie H. Harris helps preschoolers understand what makes us who we are—from our height to our hair, from the shade of our skin to our sense of humor. Join Nellie, parents at Funland as they go on rides, Gus, baby Jake, and their watch performers, and play games along with many other children and grown- ups. As they enjoy their excursion they— and young readers —notice that people are lots of ways, and different in lots of ways same as one another in too, Accessible, humorous, family-filled illustrations; conversations between Gus and Nellie; and straightforward text come together to help children realize why itS important to treat others the way they want to be treated and the way you want to be treated—whether a person is a lot like you or different from you, a good friend or someone you have just met or seen for the first time On sale March 22, 2016 He: 978-0-7636-6003-4 $15.90. 40 pages - Ages 2-5 No out Being the Same and Being Differen fiA note from author Robie H. Harris A Picture Book Conversation About Diversity Thave had the privilege to hear not only from children about these books, but from parents, educators, librarians, health professionals, and clergy: So many people have said that my books spark the very conversations these adults want to have with children, These are often conversations that adults anticipate will be difficult because the issues involved can be complicated and hard to talk about Yet these are issues that many adults feel need to be talked about with children. The books I write deal with the topics children, even young children, wonder about, think about, and have questions about. I ‘write about these topics in honest, accurate, and age-appropriate ways and | always include the voices of children Or the years, I have had the wonderful opportunity to create many books for childten, And I wrote Who We Are! All About Being the Same and Being Different, a nonfiction picture book about diversity illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott, as a way to have just this type of conversation ‘with young children, who are continually trying to understand how all of us are alike in so many ways and different in other ways. Young children spend many of their waking hours trying to make sense of the world they live in, They think about and have endless questions about who they ate and who all the other people in their lives are. Early childhood is also atime when young children think about making friends, how they wish to be treated by others, and how others wish to be treated by them. Its when they can begin to learn how to treat someone with respect, especially someone they may meet or see for the very first time and/ot who may look or be different from them. While much that happens in the lives of today’s young children is exciting and fun, sometimes theit world can be confusing or scary. A young child may hear reports on the radio or see bits of the news on TV and on other digital media, or overhear older kids and adults talking about major news events—local, national, or international. Many of these events now fuel and will continue to fuel a national conversation about diversity, even though young children might not know just what that word means. Given that young children experience diversity and also hear about issues surrounding diversity, it behooves us to listen to and talk with them in their early years about this topic. If we do so, there’ a chance that they will be able to figure out ways to get along with others in the diverse world in which they live. Sharing this book with a young child can help spark conversations about diversity and also be a helpful way to respond to a young child’ questions or concerns My hope is that we have created a book in which all young children can find themselves and that speaks to every child. 1 also hope that our book will help young children understand why it matters to respect others. And I hope it will spark further conversations about diversity at home, at preschools and daycare centers, early elementary school classtooms, libraries, community centers, healthcare settings, religious institutions, and even among young children themselves. As our nation continties to become even more diverse, and the world becomes even more interconnected, it also matters that children are helped to embrace this diversity so that as they become older, they can become active citizens in our democracy and participants in the larger world in which we all live —Robie H, Harris, author of Whar So Yummy?, What’ In There?, Who's In My Family?, Who Has What?, Its NOT the Stork!, Its So Amazing!, and Its Perfectly NormalAbout the Creators Robie H. Harris is the trusted and highly acclaimed author of numerous books for childten, including It's Perfectly Normal, Its So Amazing!, and It's NOT the Stork!, essential guides for children on bodies, babies, families, and health. She is also the author of the & first four books in the Lets Talk About YOU and ME series. She Z lives in New York City. Nadine Bernard Westcott is the illustrator of more than a hundred books, including the first four books in the Lets Talk: About YOU and ME series. She's best known for her rollicking illustrations for children in books such as Down by the Bay, Miss Mary Mack, Skip to My Lou, and I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed 4a Fly, She divides her time between illustrating books and, designing fabrics. She lives in Massachusetts. Also by Robie H. Harris vA Illustrated by Michael Emberley IesPerfecy Normal: Changing Bodies, Its So Amazing! A Book About Egg, TRSNOT the Stor A Book About Gis, Growing Up, Sex, and Seal Health Sper, ith, Babies, and Families Boys, Babes, Bodies, Fae, and Friends HC9780-786-6071-4 HC 978-4-76366873-0, HC 978-0-7636-0047- PB: S78-0-7636-6872-3 PB:578-4-76368747, PB: S78-0.7636-3331-8Praise for Harris and Westcott's Let's Talk About YOU and ME Series Has V HC 978-4-7536.2931-1 2k “aris tone is cheesfal and confident... Westeot’s bright digital dlustrations keep the afr as breezy and ‘nonshacking as posible— just a it should be.” — Booklist (stared review) "A fanny but factual way to show kids four and up how boys’ and girls bodies are diferent but also very similar Parents Magazine poh se Wer Bon He-978-0-76363680-2, “This book is suitable for young children who ae jst begining to ask the question, ‘Where do babies come from? ‘A good first book to recommend to patents Schl Library Journal “Westcott chummy, slfectionate multicultural eat wll once again successfully open parent/child discussion on balding s family —whatever the family.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’ Books Who's In My Famig,, All About Our Families ROBIE H. HARRIS. & sunnah NABINE BERNARD WESTCOTT HC 9780-7636-3651-9 Harriss uphest, nonjudgmental prose explains ‘that families can diverge in many ways Publishers Weekly “Teachers and parents looking fora picture book out diverse families wil ind this an obvious caoice, with its clearly writen, inclusive text and its larg, cheerfal illustrations " —Boklst HC 978-0-7636-38324 “Never shaming and always empowering, the book ‘champions healthy choies a key to good living.” —Kirius Reviews “This genial positivism, slong withthe wide vanety of featured foods... makes for a fine resource for promoting a healthy lifestyle School Library Journal