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Earlier this week I did a review of Todd Parr’s The Family Book, and wanted to continue to shine a spotlight on his work with a review of It’s Okay To Be Different. I am a big fan of all his books, but this one is especially perfect for transracial adoptive families. Kids will see faces of different colors and people with different features, and see that they are all smiling and confident in themselves.
One of the phrases that jumped right out at me (of course!) is “It’s okay to be adopted.” Parr seems to have such a good grasp on the adoption community and makes sure to include adopted kiddos in his books. In It’s Okay To Be Different, our kids will learn that it’s okay to be adopted and it’s okay to look different, among many other important lessons. I’m sure that exposing kids to books like this will help them to become more aware and accepting of other people, and learn to love and accept themselves.
The book appeals to kids’ silly side with pictures of aliens and kids with silly hair bows and accessories. They may not even realize the true message that they are ingesting: that we are all different, and we should be proud of those differences and celebrate them! As in all his books, Parr illustrates his message with bright, cheerful colors and big, simple drawings. Kids are definitely drawn to the illustrations and they make a perfect jumping off point to start conversations about diversity.
While kids are learning the importance of accepting and understanding other people, parents can help them realize that they are unique as well, and thus start the process of accepting their own differences. Younger kids in a transracial family may not realize that they look different from their parents, and Parr’s book can help them begin to identify with and feel confident about their own unique physical features.
