Dreams Around the World by photographer Takashi Owaki is a sweet introduction to 14 children from around the world.
Mr. Owaki presents a full page color photograph of each child, accompanied with a paragraph about their daily activities and what they would like to be when they grow up. Their dreams for the future range from careers other children can relate to, such as the ballerina or teacher, as well as some that are more surprising, such as gelato shop owner. One child delightfully says she wants to be a princess when she grows up.
Each child is identified by country, with a small icon of that country’s flag. In the backmatter is a world map that shows where each country is.
Dreams Around the World is likely to be compared to other geography/culture books that have come out recently with a similar subject matter (Children of the World: How We Live, Learn, and Play in Poems, Drawings, and Photographs by Anthony Asael and Stephanie Rabemiafara comes to mind). It stands on its own, however, because Mr. Owaki has chosen to highlight only a few children, making each more memorable. The book is a standard 32 pages, making it easier for a child to pick up and read. Also, Mr. Owaki has chosen photographs that give clues to the culture of each child and invite further study and conversation.
Looking at Dreams Around the World through the eyes of children readers, it is a fun, easy-to-relate-to look at the lives of children from other cultures that is sure to reveal something about their own lives as well.
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: One Peace Books (April 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935548115
ISBN-13: 978-1935548119
This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.
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This week’s round-up is at True Tales and a Cherry on Top.
What a delightful idea for a book! I look forward to reading this book. I’m thinking of all the upsides of being a gelato shop owner. If he had asked my son at one point what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would have said, “a shark.” Yep! We’re a family of dreamers.
Thanks for joining the Nonfiction Monday round-up today.
This looks brilliant. I can see classroom connections already. I will track this one down for the Doucette Library. Thanks for the recommendation.
Tammy
Apples with Many Seeds.
Jeanne,
Too bad shark isn’t an option, I think that would be an interesting career 🙂
I have to say that this kind of book really appeals to me too, and there are a lot of ways to use it.
This book is a great classroom resource. I have read and reviewed it myself. Thanks for sharing.