Synopsis:
The Day You Begin explores moments when a child feels like an outsider among others or is venturing into a new environment. There can be differences based on skin color, clothes, appearance, languages, daily life, and cultural traditions. Despite these distinctions, the book reminds us that, with time and familiarity, we will discover commonalities with each other. After all, it emphasizes everyone is special and unique, encouraging confidence, and an open mind to new experiences.
Anti-Bias Elements:
- Unique & Descriptive Illustration
- The main characters, Angelina and Rigoberto, are presented in both genders to represent situations applicable to everyone. Other supporting characters, such as Chayla and Nadja, reflect diverse ethnicities and cultures, including Black, Indian, Hispanic, Asian, and White backgrounds. The drawings also depict various settings in the typical environment where the situation may occur, such as in the classroom, the playground, own home, and the cafeteria.
- Positive Story Line & Empowering Relationship Between People
- The story centers on embracing our uniqueness based on our ethnic and cultural background. It underscores the importance of understanding and appreciating each other's differences. Fostering diversity between us can create spaces for knowing more knowledge beyond self. Both the story and the illustration celebrate identical diversity we can have because the characters all have different skin colors, hair, food, personalities, and experiences. The book reinforces the idea that despite differences, we can always find common ground, cultivating positive relationships with ourselves, friends, and family.
- Connection to Young Children
- The plot and the explicit lines effectively convey situations when children read the book. The book targets kids from four to eight because it aligns with their stages of rapid adaptation to new schools, teachers, other kids, and environments. This age group is transitioning from strong caregiver attachments to increased interaction with other children and adults. The illustration connects the kids based on the similar surroundings in schools, and the message of the book highlights that each person is different, and encourages children to share confidently about themselves while gaining insights into others.
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