The Same But Different Too

Newson and Hindley team up to create a book that speaks to both an individual’s uniqueness as well as a sense of community and unity that runs through all things. In this celebration of similarities and differences, Newson’s rhymes (“I like breakfast. / So do you. / But I can’t drink the way you do!”) are perfectly accompanied by Hindley’s mix of spunky, diverse children and jauntily clad animals to create a lovely and playful tone. While some pairs of opposites will feel familiar (short/tall, big/small, etc.) the situations in which they are presented are delightfully unique—cold and hot, for example, is depicted with a child bundled in snow gear from head to toe who is hot while a polar bear standing nearby shivers in the cold; on another inventive spread, a zebra that blends into black and white striped wallpaper can hide better than the child ducking behind a potted plant. This creativity, coupled with imaginative details in the illustrations—teetering stacks of pancakes, an above- and below-ground perspective on a mole’s house, and a breakfast spread fit for a king—make this a charmingly original read. While the bedtime connection made at the end is a sweet one, it seems to unnecessarily place this story full of energy and pizazz in the bedtime story category.