Our World Is a Family: Our Community Can Change the World
by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson, illustrated by Nomar Perez
Sourcebooks Explore / Sourcebooks
We’re all one big family, no matter where you’re from! Dive into this uplifting picture book and learn how to welcome neighbors into your community—particularly when they might be far from home
When we see someone new in our neighborhood, how can we help them feel safe and loved and important?
How can we tell them, you’re not alone?
There are so many ways!
Our World is a Family is a picture book exploring the complicated topic of human migration in a gentle, loving, and affirming way. It lightly touches on the reason people might leave their homes, like climate change or lack of safety, and inspires children to welcome their new neighbors into their communities with love.
An uplifting look at migration and, ultimately, human connection that champions diversity and inclusion.
Summary and cover image via Edelweiss
Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures
This gentle and heart-warming story explores an intergenerational friendship and the power of words. Khalil moves to the upper floor of a house with his loud and busy family, while Mr. Hagerty, an older white man, lives on the floor below. During the summer, Khalil and Mr. Hagerty spend time in the backyard – Khalil searching for bugs, rocks, and other treasures while Mr. Hagerty works in his garden. They bond, as Mr. Hagerty helps Khalil read his library books and Khalil helps him remember the names of things he’s forgotten i.e. what his “digging thing, [his] hole-maker” is called. One day, when things don’t go as planned, they take a break over “chocolate cake and tall, cold glasses of milk.” That night, over their respective dinners, they each come up with an idea to brighten the others’ day. The clever and sweet ending is a perfect way to portray a growing friendship and sharing the simple pleasures of life.
Taherian’s playful collage-style illustrations portray the juxtaposition of the two households. For example, in one spread Khalil and family can be seen through the upper window; their curtains with bright and bold patterns, texture, and colors conveying their liveliness, whereas in the lower window Mr. Hagerty sits alone, reading—his curtains simple and monochrome. Springstubb’s simple text pairs well with Taherian’s illustrations, both working to highlight the purity and simplicity of the relationship.
While Khalil and his family are not identified as Muslims and there is no reference in the text or visuals to Islam, the name Khalil, meaning “friend” in Arabic is a possible indication that the family is Muslim. In this