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lileuw's review against another edition
4.0
Edition read: Dutch
What a cute story! I am so sad these kinds of books are necessary [the default being white that is where little children don't have people to look up to that look like them] so I'm glad this book is there to show them they matter too and just as much as everyone else.
Also, I'm hungry now thanks to these illustrations of food!
What a cute story! I am so sad these kinds of books are necessary [the default being white that is where little children don't have people to look up to that look like them] so I'm glad this book is there to show them they matter too and just as much as everyone else.
Also, I'm hungry now thanks to these illustrations of food!
mnboyer's review against another edition
4.0
This story is aimed at younger children and wants them to embrace the fact that they are brown and should love themselves. The book notes that there are brown people all across the world and they are all different – different religions, locations, foods, clothes, everything is varied except one thing needs to be the same: love being brown. The book is aimed at younger readers and therefore the themes are ‘basic’ but necessary for diversity within literature.
bmanglass's review against another edition
4.0
Bursting with exuberance and joy. Gorgeous illustrations.
pib003's review against another edition
2.0
there's no story, so I don't really have a reason to share this book with young readers :( I would rather recommend a book about a child of color having relatable, everyday experiences.
heisereads's review against another edition
4.0
Not a cohesive story structure, but positive and affirming text for varieties of identities and personalities of brown kids. Good text to work against the single story.
maweets's review against another edition
4.0
A great book that seeks out to illustrate the vast vibrancy of brown skin all over the world and seeks to build connections between all shades of skin tone around the world. It shows how people can be alike and different and how all those things make us unique, beautiful members of society. Full of affirmations, inspiration and delightful illustrations, I can see this easily becoming a favorite book for many families around the world.
abigailbat's review against another edition
Love it, love it, love it. This book is a celebration of brown children all over the world and the many different things they do, wear, say, and dream of being. Special props for atheist representation on the religion page. Hand to all readers looking for affirmations for brown children and put this on your library shelves for families of all colors.
emeelee's review
4.0
Joyful and affirming book about the many different and wonderful varieties of Brown people. From all around the world, from all different faiths (or no faith), wearing many different types of clothes, Brown is amazing!
The illustrations are adorable, though the choice to only portray children makes for a couple awkward moments-- for example, on the "I wear..." page, one little girl wears "...a wedding gown". It would also have been nice to see some disability representation among the kids, or vitiligo for example.
The illustrations are adorable, though the choice to only portray children makes for a couple awkward moments-- for example, on the "I wear..." page, one little girl wears "...a wedding gown". It would also have been nice to see some disability representation among the kids, or vitiligo for example.
bookdingo's review against another edition
5.0
You really can't read this book without a big grin on your face. You just can't do it.
leslie_d's review against another edition
5.0
I Am Brown is a joy. I am adding this title to my “to-gift list” for baby showers and early birthdays. I Am Brown would be a marvelous pre-school and classroom library.
I Am Brown opens with a girl declaring herself to be brown before telling us what that means in equally declarative sentences like: I am beautiful; I am love; I am happiness… Lest you think it is just that she is these things, the “I” begins to include more brown children.
Brown children are seen dressed up and acting out vocations like: a doctor; writer; astronaut; athlete (a particularly charming image); president; prime minister (in her hijab). In a classroom/community room setting, these children will continue with more “I” statements: I make art; I design rocket ships; I study germs; I solve crimes (delightful). Huddled around a globe, “I come from” all over. Next, “I speak” a lot of languages (e.g. German, Russian, Tamil, Arabic, Teluga). And to follow in a silly playful way, “I have” different types of hair, if hair is had at all, and different colors of hair or eyes. Brown children live in different types of homes: a riverboat; a mansion; a bungalow… Brown children “like to” do a lot of different things like travel; read; collect; swim.
The “I eat” section offers a variety of dishes that could read like to “to try” list (e.g. samosa; biryani; barbecue; jhal muri). The “I wear” page continues in variation of culture and occasion (I love the prom dress wearer next to the business suit wearer). The inclusion of an “I am” declaration of relationship is beautiful: I am your roommate, classmate, boss, guru… As is the inclusion of “I pray at;” which not only lists a number of places, but ”everywhere” and “nowhere,” too. The paper-cut-out banner linking the buildings (like dolls) makes sense for the thematic space (community/class room), but I like how it works to reinforce (inter)connection.
We return to more familiar content where brown children have accomplished goals: I drew that picture; built this building; ran this race. This celebration launches us into an exclamation we’ve long suspected: “I am amazing.” The key here is how “I am amazing” is situated between “I am brown” and “I am you”—a statement any brown child reading/listening to this will believe after their journey through this book.
There is wisdom in the saying, if you can see it, you can be it. And Sandhya Prabhat makes ‘seeing it’ a lot of fun. The dressing up for careers keeps it within the realm of childhood dreaming and play while suggesting real future possibility. It functions as a form of permission, which is echoed under the accomplishments part. The double-page spreads are packed with activity; bright, warm color and texture; and yet Prabhat manages to focus each moment around its text. And even before we fully explore the sheer variation of appearance, language, origin or practices we’ve already noticed the diversity of brown. Indeed, this isn’t one of those children of the world encyclopedic efforts. Each child isn’t assigned a language, food, origin, or dress code. For one, there are more languages listed than children… “I am brown” is a liberating statement. It can mean a lot of things—all of them good in I Am Brown.
Too often brown can be (and has been) presented in monolithic ways; the variations on a theme limited by white supremacy. This is why I Am Brown should not be limited to brown audiences. Banker and Prabhat not only invite children to celebrate (their) being brown, but invite curiosity and imagination about brown people. To envision a depth and fullness to what it means to be brown; touching on so many aspects of a human life in a delighted, accepting way.
Banker and Prabhat cast no judgement on the choices or actualities inside this record of joy and goodness. They merely observe the knowable: to be brown is to be beautiful, perfect, love, friendship, happiness…amazing.
I Am Brown opens with a girl declaring herself to be brown before telling us what that means in equally declarative sentences like: I am beautiful; I am love; I am happiness… Lest you think it is just that she is these things, the “I” begins to include more brown children.
Brown children are seen dressed up and acting out vocations like: a doctor; writer; astronaut; athlete (a particularly charming image); president; prime minister (in her hijab). In a classroom/community room setting, these children will continue with more “I” statements: I make art; I design rocket ships; I study germs; I solve crimes (delightful). Huddled around a globe, “I come from” all over. Next, “I speak” a lot of languages (e.g. German, Russian, Tamil, Arabic, Teluga). And to follow in a silly playful way, “I have” different types of hair, if hair is had at all, and different colors of hair or eyes. Brown children live in different types of homes: a riverboat; a mansion; a bungalow… Brown children “like to” do a lot of different things like travel; read; collect; swim.
The “I eat” section offers a variety of dishes that could read like to “to try” list (e.g. samosa; biryani; barbecue; jhal muri). The “I wear” page continues in variation of culture and occasion (I love the prom dress wearer next to the business suit wearer). The inclusion of an “I am” declaration of relationship is beautiful: I am your roommate, classmate, boss, guru… As is the inclusion of “I pray at;” which not only lists a number of places, but ”everywhere” and “nowhere,” too. The paper-cut-out banner linking the buildings (like dolls) makes sense for the thematic space (community/class room), but I like how it works to reinforce (inter)connection.
We return to more familiar content where brown children have accomplished goals: I drew that picture; built this building; ran this race. This celebration launches us into an exclamation we’ve long suspected: “I am amazing.” The key here is how “I am amazing” is situated between “I am brown” and “I am you”—a statement any brown child reading/listening to this will believe after their journey through this book.
There is wisdom in the saying, if you can see it, you can be it. And Sandhya Prabhat makes ‘seeing it’ a lot of fun. The dressing up for careers keeps it within the realm of childhood dreaming and play while suggesting real future possibility. It functions as a form of permission, which is echoed under the accomplishments part. The double-page spreads are packed with activity; bright, warm color and texture; and yet Prabhat manages to focus each moment around its text. And even before we fully explore the sheer variation of appearance, language, origin or practices we’ve already noticed the diversity of brown. Indeed, this isn’t one of those children of the world encyclopedic efforts. Each child isn’t assigned a language, food, origin, or dress code. For one, there are more languages listed than children… “I am brown” is a liberating statement. It can mean a lot of things—all of them good in I Am Brown.
Too often brown can be (and has been) presented in monolithic ways; the variations on a theme limited by white supremacy. This is why I Am Brown should not be limited to brown audiences. Banker and Prabhat not only invite children to celebrate (their) being brown, but invite curiosity and imagination about brown people. To envision a depth and fullness to what it means to be brown; touching on so many aspects of a human life in a delighted, accepting way.
Banker and Prabhat cast no judgement on the choices or actualities inside this record of joy and goodness. They merely observe the knowable: to be brown is to be beautiful, perfect, love, friendship, happiness…amazing.