Our World Is A Family is such a powerful important book which actually made me cry while reading it to my 5 year old son. It explains why people sometimes have to move from their homeland due to it being unsafe and how we can help them adapt and feel welcome in a new place.
At the time of me reading this book it has been 7 days since Russia invaded Ukraine and my little boy has had lots of questions after seeing the images on the news. This book has really helped answer his questions and, hopefully, helped him to realise that on the whole the world and the people in it are all the same and if we can all just be a little more friendly and helpful to each other it will make the world a much better place.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Kids for my ARC.

I received an electronic ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Kids through NetGalley.
Whitehill and Jackson pull readers in with simple to follow text and matches that with powerful illustrations that show a variety of reasons why people emigrate to other areas of the world. The emphasis on reaching out in friendship and empathy comes through for readers of all ages.
There are many books on immigration and this one offers a gentle and relatable approach for families and classes.

Anyone looking for a simple introduction to why families relocate to new homes in unfamiliar places should pick up a copy of this book by the founder of Miry's List (a nonprofit organization that helps refugee families resettle in the U.S.). The book begins by pointing out that families live in a variety of places and speak many different languages around the world, but sometimes conditions become unsafe and they must find a new home. It shares the long journeys, leaving behind possessions or even relatives, and arriving tired and unsure in a different place. But then it moves into how we can help a new neighbor to feel welcome and settle in - things as simple as a smile, a wave, or a housewarming gift.

Illustrations throughout the book depict families of many backgrounds and cultures. Even the endpapers are covered with the phrase, "I am here" in various languages. The unsafe conditions are represented by scenes such as families being rescued from a flood or children waving to each other from their windows because they can't go out to play - there are no horrific details that would be too frightening for young readers. The characters themselves have a wide range of skin tones, clothing, and other distinguishing features. The visual presentation along with the text make the entire book feel welcoming and supportive.

This is a lovely, positive book to start a discussion about migration and refugees with young kids. Based around the essential truth that we all just want to be safe, accepted, and loved, readers learn why people need to migrate and what they might feel about their journey. There are lots of great suggestions for how to welcome and include newcomers that empower kids to be a force for good.

The illustrations in this book are lively and diverse--many kids will be able to see themselves on the page. This would be a great circle time read for pre-K and elementary. The uplifting message will be a great tool to help students develop empathy and compassion.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

This cheerfully illustrated picture book celebrates the various places and people that make up our global community. In the style of "All Are Welcome" by Alexandra Penfield, it attempts to remind the reader that we all have different languages, families, cultures, and backgrounds. With illustrations that depict drought, climate change, or other factors that may force families to move, the narration describes the need to become a refugee and the ways that we can welcome new neighbors to our community.

I like the focus on what we can do to welcome people to our country/state/city as well as the reminder that many people are not happy to leave their home and they may have had to give up things from their old lives.

This would be a good read aloud for younger primary students. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Sourcebooks, for the advance reading copy.

This picture book is really wholesome and quite the perfect one to introduce to kids to let them see the world is made up of different people belonging to different culture and custom at different places.

The illustration is the main highlight I would say.

The positivity vibes is real.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great book. It's has a wonderful message. It also has really adorable pictures!

There are a lot of refugee books available for children of all ages, and sometimes as educators and parents it is hard to know what sets one book apart from another. I like that this book features people of all different religions, cultures, abilities, on both the arriving side and the welcoming side. It doesn't discuss specifics, it allows the illustrations to convey the multitudes of migration. And how to welcome people in general: those that look and sound the same as us, as well as those that might not. I love the tangible options of cooking something new, learning to say I love you, and dancing and smiling. The positive tone focuses on the welcoming and connecting with one another, while referencing briefly the reasons that people may have had to leave their home. I love all the various #muslimsintheillustrations featured, and like that at times the signs the characters are holding don't match the country that they appear to be from. At first I thought it might be an oversight, but the repeated readings have me convinced it is a deliberate statement that once we have been welcomed, we can then welcome others. The inclusion of different languages in proper script, the warm faces, and the overall messaging make this a great book to encourage community building for preschoolers and up. This book would be great in a classroom or small group setting, and even will work at bedtime.

All of the people in the world are part of one family, so if new people come to our neighborhood we need to do simple things to help them to feel welcome. That is the basic tenet of this book which illustrates people from different countries and circumstances, even wheelchairs and sturdy long-term crutches. Simple phrases of welcome are included in several different languages and the people are wearing different styles of colorful clothing. This is an excellent book to enjoy with our households as we welcome others. The illustrations are colorful and delightful.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from SOURCEBOOKS Kids, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky via NetGalley. Thank you!

I really loved this book. A beautiful book full of easy to understand and process information for all ages. My son loved reading this one with myself and my husband. As a child with a white Mother and Biracial father my son was amazed that not everyone thinks the way of message of this book already. It's full of beautiful illustrations & my son loved learning all the different ways you can say hello, he enjoyed pronouncing them & trying to remember them so if he went to those countries or meet someone with that language, he will be able to say hello in their language. All round a beautiful book that should be in every household, library, and school. My husband, myself and my son all give it 5 out of 5 stars.

A beautiful book on diversity in the world!

I really liked this book from @sourcebooks ! The first thing I noticed was 3 hijabi girls on the front cover, one of whom has a sign that says ahlan wa sahlan in Arabic (welcome).

The book shows how the world is diverse, with people all over having the same basic human needs. There are people in different climates and different areas. People all over speak different languages and signs are shown to show some (Salaam was pictured)

Sometimes people need to flee their homes, due to climate change or war. The book explores how hard it is to leave, and mentions that its important to make newcomers feel welcome. Furthermore, the book gives specific examples of being welcoming: a smile, a hand, a nice word (here the book shows different phrases meaning I am here for you, among which was an Arabic one!)

The book gives more examples of friendship and kindness (like drinking tea) and learning how to say I love you in a different language (also pictured in Arabic)! And it ends with saying that there is a place for everyone, and more welcome signs in different languages (another Arabic one)!

The Muslims in the illustrations are plenty, and the art is absolutely gorgeous and well done! I loved all the different hijab-clad Musim girls in the book (I counted around 12 in the actual story and thats not including the many on the cover, inside cover, and inside front illustrated page.

There were also many diverse characters including people of all colors, people of different religions (Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu), people with a disability, and more!

I enjoyed how the story was simple, used kid-friendly terms easy to understand, and had a oh-so kind message that can be understood by kids of all backgrounds.

Some parts of this book that made it unique were some masks in the illustrations! Def a cute “covid life touch”.

I also really liked how the book showed that being a refugee and being a welcoming person is not limited to a color or race, and different people were shown for both examples.

This book is a universal book on diversity that can be appreciated by anyone!

Our World is a Family is a charmingly illustrated picture book with the goal of making children think about more than their tiny corner of the world. Diverse examples of places people live, languages they speak, and clothing they wear are illustrated with very cute images. Next, we see not-very-graphic images of places where it isn't safe for people to live and that sometimes people have to leave their beloved home to find safety and that it is our obligation to welcome these people to our communities. The book encourages children to find ways to make newcomers feel at home and to appreciate that our communities are made up of people from all over the world. A sweet little book to make children more sympathetic to the plight of refugees and people with cultures that are different from their own.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. This child friendly book features diverse characters from different backgrounds, religions, and physical abilities. I love how the concept of refugees and immigrants is taught from a non-political, positive way. The illustrations are colorful, detailed, and show diverse people. Celebrating inclusion and welcoming others is a staple for all classrooms, so I am recommending this for our classroom and school libraries.

A heart-warming and child-friendly approach to expressing empathy and making others feel welcome. Book helps children come to terms with reasons why some are forced to leave their homes without seeming bleak. Instead, it encourages children to open their hearts and homes to new neighbors and extend a helping hand where they can. A powerful and timely message for children today.

Our World Is a Family is a great book to explain and discuss the migration of people, especially with what they might see in the news or experience living in an inclusive, diverse community. Jennifer Jackson and Miry Whitehill do a phenomenal job that covers the human aspect in a way a young child could understand and understand that humanity should be more empathetic and sympathetic to everyone because what happens in the world should matter to everyone, as the title so indicates; Our World Is a Family.