Different Just Like Me

Author/Illustrator: Lori Mitchell

About the Author:
http://www.differentjustlikeme.cc/families_text.html
Mitchell grew up in Redondo Beach, California and her older sisters are also artists. She’s been teaching art since 1996 at elementary schools, high school, college and private school. She teaches students from age 8 to past 80. She graduated from Art Center College of Design with a BA in Illustration which she has used to illustrate 9 books including Different Just Like Me.

Genre: Fiction

Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Differences

Synopsis:
This book is about this little girl who does different things during the week with her mother while waiting to see her Grammie at the end of the week. She sees two kids her age that used sign language to communicate with each other, she saw people in the market, a woman who used braille to figure out where to go, a man who enjoyed eating the same lunch as her, a person in a wheelchair, and many others who do things JUST LIKE HER.  Finally she gets to her Grammie's house and sees all the flowers she has around.  Each one of them is different and she cannot decide which one she likes best.  Her Grammie tells her that it is okay to like them all and not have a favorite.  Before she leaves her Grammie's house, her Grammie gives her a bunch of flowers to take with her. The flowers made her think of all the people she had seen that week and how even though the flowers are all different from each other, they are all great and that goes with people in the world. Everyone is different...just like her!


Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:
Have students brainstorm how people are different. Explain to the students what sign language and Braille are.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:
After reading the story, let the students get to feel the numbers in Braille in the story and teach them the letters in sign language that are in the book as well.  This will help the students understand that some people communicate differently than others.  Some may not be able to talk but others may not be able to see and each needs different things to help them!

Reflection:

I think this is a great book to use because it allows students to see how all people are different just like them.  They may do the same things as them but in a way people need help with different things or speak different languages.  It also allows them to see the letters in sign language as well as the numbers one to five and how they look and feel using Braille. I think that is a great idea to get students familiar with what other people use so they know when they see it again in the community!