People
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"The Caldecott Medalist has created his most ambitious and impressive picture book so far, with minutely detailed and exquisite paintings of human beings on all four continents." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review.
"A wonderful introduction to a global view that will answer and arouse curiosity in the young and act as an absorbing reminder for any age." -- School Library Journal.
The Christopher Award, An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.
"A wonderful introduction to a global view that will answer and arouse curiosity in the young and act as an absorbing reminder for any age." -- School Library Journal.
The Christopher Award, An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.
From the Back Cover
"The Caldecott Medalist has created his most ambitious and impressive picture book so far, with minutely detailed and exquisite paintings of human beings on all four continents." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review.
"A wonderful introduction to a global view that will answer and arouse curiosity in the young and act as an absorbing reminder for any age." -- School Library Journal.
The Christopher Award, An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.
"A wonderful introduction to a global view that will answer and arouse curiosity in the young and act as an absorbing reminder for any age." -- School Library Journal.
The Christopher Award, An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Without moralizing or mawkishness, Spier here portrays something of the amazing variety of human life on Earth. He points out that "we come in many colors," with different-looking features; that we dress in different ways, enjoy different things, have different personalities, live in different homes, speak (and write) different languages (including a wonderful double-page spread showing samples of 40 separate writing systems!), keep different pets, celebrate different holidays and worship in different ways; that "some of us excel at things others could never do," that "there are more different ways of [earning a living] than you would believe." Yet, he quietly observes, "without a single exception, we all began quite small...and in the end we all must die." Though he never uses the phrase "the brotherhood of man," he manages to get across that, in the most important ways, we are all alike--and, at the same time, he celebrates our diversity ("Imagine how dreadfully dull this world of ours would be if everybody would look, think, eat, dress, and act the same!"). He never exalts one way of life over another, but fills his pages with his trademark detailed, action-filled color sketches and gives each of his examples its moment in the sun. This is a book that not only the youngest kids, but teens coping with the Herd Instinct should read, and that adults can enjoy for its tone and beautiful artwork. Every home and library should own a copy of it. May it never go out of print!
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By Elizabeth
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I got this book as a child and was one of my favorites. It is a beautiful celebration of diversity and universality in human cultures and appearance.
I disagree that the representation of different groups is outdated or stereotyped: perhaps in the United States everyone is encouraged to "blend in" but I have travelled to many countries where people happily wear their traditional dress and markings, like in the book. Anyway, it is a celebration of the diversity that still exists in the world, not a representation of how all people would look if forced to sit in a U.S. immigrant interview or something.
This is a book about the whole world, not ethnic groups as they live in the U.S. or U.K. or Europe. Although many people from far-away countries put on our dress when they come here or work in their own big cities for international companies, that does not mean that they do not still have their own traditions, or that their distant relatives in those countries do not have their own traditions.
It will be a sad day when we can truly say that the diversity shown in this book no longer exists, but that all people now wear more or less the same clothes, have the same beauty standards, and do the same sorts of jobs.
I disagree that the representation of different groups is outdated or stereotyped: perhaps in the United States everyone is encouraged to "blend in" but I have travelled to many countries where people happily wear their traditional dress and markings, like in the book. Anyway, it is a celebration of the diversity that still exists in the world, not a representation of how all people would look if forced to sit in a U.S. immigrant interview or something.
This is a book about the whole world, not ethnic groups as they live in the U.S. or U.K. or Europe. Although many people from far-away countries put on our dress when they come here or work in their own big cities for international companies, that does not mean that they do not still have their own traditions, or that their distant relatives in those countries do not have their own traditions.
It will be a sad day when we can truly say that the diversity shown in this book no longer exists, but that all people now wear more or less the same clothes, have the same beauty standards, and do the same sorts of jobs.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Darren
Format:School & Library Binding
This is a great book to get children (and even some adults) beyond egocentric thinking, to expose them to diverse cultural icons and to the celebration of individual differences. Each page is richly illustrated in colorful "where's waldo-esque" detail, providing plenty of stimulation to keep children focused and interested through its entirety. Some of the visual images do reflect outdated cultural stereotypes, but do not detract from the main theme.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this book.
I'm Korean and I read this book in Library some months ago.
I wanted my little daughter to read this book whenever she wnats to. Read more
I wanted my little daughter to read this book whenever she wnats to. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ChangHun Shin
5.0 out of 5 stars
People book for youngsters
This is by far one of my all time favorite books. I loved this book so much, I wrote to the author, several years ago. To my surprise he wrote back to me. Read more
Published 2 months ago by OTDebbie
5.0 out of 5 stars
great book for multi-cultural curriculum
What I like about this book is that it teaches at a preK/young elementary level that there are lots of different people in the world and everyone is worthy of respect, even those... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Christy
5.0 out of 5 stars
people for all people
I first owned this book People over 20 years ago, when my children were small. This book is one of the finest, gentlest, most nonjudgemental books written for children that... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Karen Thorburn
5.0 out of 5 stars
A childhood favorite continues to be loved
As a child I spent hours pouring over the illustrations in this book. It was a favorite for all my siblings as well. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Kimberly L. McKenzie
5.0 out of 5 stars
We have worn it out!
This is one of my favorite books to read with children. With its interesting and detailed illustrations that support the text, little ones have much to see while thinking about... Read more
Published 16 months ago by New Grandma
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book to share with young children
I ordered this book because I knew about it. I shared it with my daughter when she was small and have used it with groups of young children in educational settings. Read more
Published 19 months ago by MarianneM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Diversity, Political Correctness, And In the End We All Must Die
People, by Peter Spier, is really an outstanding book.
Some overly sensitive twenty first century types may sniff at a perceived lack of political correctness in the use... Read more
Some overly sensitive twenty first century types may sniff at a perceived lack of political correctness in the use... Read more
Published on March 2, 2011 by Andrew Schonbek
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
Every kid should have this in their library. You can't get a better way to visual explain to children that we are all equal yet different and why that is such a beautiful thing!
Published on August 3, 2010 by William Fleenor
3.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful, needs updating
This is a large beautifully illustrated book (referring to the hardback issue) that affirms the individuality and dignity of people all over the world. Read more
Published on March 2, 2010 by S. Baker-Johnson
