Wow. This is such an important book that I think is necessary in the world we live in. Mai notices that her friend Kiara, who is Black, is not around at the bus stop or at school as normal. She doesn't understand where her friend is and struggles to get a concrete answer. There is a beautiful relationship between Mai and her older brother, Tou, who then helps her understand racism and injustice in an incredibly simple way. Tou helps Mai make a sign to take out to a protest, joining her Kiara and her family. It is imperative that we teach children early about racism and injustice so that future generations are tolerant and accepting. Books like this are necessary in our current political climate. I loved that this book framed the difficult subject matter in a way that would be easy for children to understand. I would absolutely recommend this book.

Today Is Different tells the story of a Hmong girl, Mai, who misses her best friend at school and finds out she is protesting with her family. She joins the protest in support of her friend and recognizes the importance of supporting all marginalized communities and not just her own. I liked the simplicity of the story, which makes it a good introduction for young children on why we protest and why we should support other families even if our own is safe. A glossary of terms and additional ways to be an ally are included. The illustrations were well done and appropriate for the story.

This book made me tear up. The topic of valuing lives are very important. I love the resolution and the ending.

In this picturebook we follow a young girl named Mai throughout her day as she wonders where her friend Kiara is. Kiara is young black girl which plays into Mai learning more about the injustices Black people face in the world today. This is an crucial thing every kid should learn about which is why this book is so important as well. The art was very nice as well and fit the story overall.