Looking Like Me
written by Walter Dean Myers
illustrated by Christopher Myers
Published by Egmont, 2009
Walter Dean Myers is a writer and photographer, a flute player and cat lover. Christopher Myers is an artist and writer, a clothes designer, a dancer. Together this father-son duo created the picture book Looking Like Me, a collaboration that celebrates the concept of every individual having a unique identity.
The book reads like a rap song: “I looked in the mirror / And what did I see? / A real handsome dude looking just like me. / He put out his fist. / I gave it a bam! / He said, ‘Jeremy!’ I said, ‘That’s who I am.’”
One by one, the young narrator, Jeremy, is greeted by members of his community: A sister, his father, a teacher, the mailman. They give him an approving fist-bump — bam! — and identify him in a different light. To his sister, he’s brother. To his father, he’s son. To his teacher, he’s a writer. Jeremy’s perception of himself (his self esteem) is affirmed by the people in his life. He’s a dancer, a runner, a dreamer. Jeremy is every child.
Christopher Myers illustrates the story, which has a bold graphic feel, psychedelic. Photos and textures mix with cut-out figures in every color of the rainbow. Kudos to the jacket designer, Yvette Lenhart.
–Don
December 4, 2009 at 9:30 am |
Love this book. Just saw it in an indy bookstore. I put it on the reading list for the girls book club I facilitate. Thanks for featuring it.
December 4, 2009 at 9:42 am |
This looks like a great one, Don. I’m putting it on my reading list for sure.
December 7, 2009 at 12:53 pm |
Oh, I know a lot of people who’d probably love this — thanks!
December 15, 2009 at 8:27 am |
Sounds like a book that I would enjoy right along with my kiddos. Adding it to the list!
January 20, 2010 at 8:33 pm |
This book should win many awards and inspire readers to love themselves.
January 28, 2010 at 3:34 pm |
Not too sure how I found this blog but glad I did.