This story by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell really makes you think about how you live your life. Is There Really a Human Race? is about a boy who wonders if there is a "human race" and if so, does he go through an obstacle course, does he run, does he jump over things he may encounter along the way? The deeper meaning of the story is really about how we live our lives, treat others and the choices we make. The story flows quickly, with lots of rhyming words, and almost every sentence ends in a question mark. The illustrations are bold and full of color, often depicting people from every "race" and ethnicity working together to get through the daily obstacles presented in life.Most of the drawings are messy and all over the place, like life can be "messy." There also lots of BOLD words. Students as young as Kindergarten will enjoy this story, although they will probably not grasp it's deeper meaning; I gave this book, as a Christmas gift, to my oldest son several years ago and although he enjoyed reading it, I don't think he was able to "get" the true underlying meaning of this wonderful story. Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell have worked as a team on several other books: Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day.
I'm Gonna Like Me:Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem.
It's Hard to Be Five.:Learning How to Work the Control Panel.
Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born.
When I Was Little:A Four-Year Old's Memoir of Her Youth.
If you like to know more about Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell, you can visit them at : www.jamieleecurtisbooks.com or www.lauracornellbooks.com
I really like the illustration of the little boy, he reminds me of some of the little boys in my class who always seem to be wondering about something.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw the title of this book I thought "how in the world can a picture book be made about whether race is a social construct?" I took an undergraduate class that focused just on that! By reading your review, I am impressed that Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell have broken down this abstract concept into a more simple message. I am very interested in reading this book and examining the text. Thank you for introducing this book Gina!
ReplyDeleteIs there really a human race? Are we racing towards some unreachable perfection of human existence? I think it's a fun concept to think about every day ideas in abstract ways. I was hooked into the book as soon as I read the title.
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