Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite
I May Not Be Like You, But We Could Be Friends by Sabrena Bishop is a beautiful book that tackles the topic of being different, friendship, acceptance, sharing, and dealing with bullies. The book opens at the Lauren Simone Fitness Center where though the children are different they do share some similarities, where children say: I may be bigger than you, but I am healthy; I may not speak the same language you do, but we can still communicate; I may use a hearing aid, but I can hear your voice, and so on. Young readers also get to meet different types of children at the Lauren Simone Public Park, the Lauren Simone Track & Field, the Lauren Simone Library, and the Lauren Simone Health Clinic but the story helps them understand that though there are differences, they can all be friends.
The concept is beautiful and the approach to the topic is simple and elegant, making it easy for young readers to understand the message. The illustrations by Tyler Waite are colorful and lively and they give fluidity and movement to the expressions and the story. The activities and the topics for classroom discussion make the book perfect for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries. These can help youngsters understand the different ways children can be different from each other yet still be friends. It is a good story for parents to read out loud to children again to help them understand the importance of accepting the differences in others and still being friends. It is a sensitive topic and the author handles it with tact and grace.
