Eddie Elephant has never seen anyone like Jake Giraffe before. Jake is different from Eddie in so many ways. What should Eddie think of Jake? How should Eddie feel toward Jake? What should Eddie do around Jake? Eddie imagines many different possibilities until he realizes that the only way to spark a real friendship is to actually speak to Jake, spend time with him, and get to know him. Explore the wonder and possibility of new friendships and the art of including and accepting others as you enjoy the heartwarming story of Just Because We're Different.
The illustrations in Just Because We're Different are mixed media-print, gouache, collage, and digital art. The characters are cut from current event news articles that exemplify the extreme of what happens when we meet the differences we see in others with destructive attitudes rather than meeting them with love. My desire is for these illustrations to remind us of the choice that we have-we can paint over one another's stories with the broad brush of prejudice and remain ignorant, or we can choose to move closer to one another and listen in love and compassion.
Children are so smart-they absorb much more than we think. My hope is that this book provides children with tools and practice to meet differences in others with curiosity and love rather than aversion and hatred. I also hope that this book and its accompanying resources help parents and educators create a safe and open space to have difficult yet age-appropriate conversations with children.
For more resources and to join the community of champions for diversity, join the #JustDifferentMovement. Visit hannahmwangi.com/books for more info.