This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World

K-Gr 3—An illustrated take on how seven real kids from different countries go about a typical day. Each spread introduces a new topic (family, teachers, chores, dinner, play, etc.) and dedicates a panel to each child, identified by country, with glossary words underlined ("Iran: I live in a second-floor apartment in the city of Gorgan, close to the Caspian Sea."). Lamothe was able to create the digitally rendered illustrations based on photos sent to him by the families featured (a family photo for each child is included at the end). The muted palette in combination with the level of detail makes for a pleasing visual experience. An ending spread with a night sky scattered with stars and a glowing full moon is accompanied by the words, "This is my night sky," hinting that though these kids may lead very different lives, they all sleep under the same sky. In the "Meet the Families" section, Lamothe emphasizes that "not everyone in Peru likes to play soccer, and not everyone in Japan eats fish for breakfast," smartly communicating that the work is just one representation of much larger, complex communities. Endpapers provide a visual map of each child's name and country, including a cameo of the author. VERDICT A good purchase to refresh social science and geography collections.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI