Six young people discuss their feelings about their own ethnic backgrounds and about their experiences with people of different races. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Gr 4-8--In this companion book to What I Believe: Kids Talk About Faith (Holiday, 1996), the Birdseyes have encouraged six eighth graders from Oregon to share their impressions about race. Rosa, a Mexican-American; Akram, an Arab-American; Jenny, a Chinese-American; Tad, an Anglo-American; Janell, a Native American; and Jason, an African American, present their first-person accounts in separate chapters. The middle schoolers each discuss feelings about their race and what racism means to them. Interestingly, they examine both sides of the issue--when the prejudice is directed against them, and when members of their own ethnic group are prejudiced toward others. Full-color photographs show the young people in everyday activities--dancing, playing sports, using computers, and hanging out with friends. There are also a few shots depicting culturally specific activities. This book provides an excellent starting point for discussion. It gives readers a chance to see what life is like through someone else's eyes, and in someone else's skin.Yapha Nussbaum Mason, Brentwood Lower School, Los Angeles Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 3-7. "Maybe I'm unique because I come from Tunisia, but I feel like I'm the same as other people, just in different ways." The tone is upbeat and informal in these brief, lively oral histories with cheerful color photographs by Robert Crum on every page. Six American middle-schoolers, ages 12 to 13, from various racial backgrounds talk about their pride in their culture and their feelings of connection with friends from everywhere. Rosa's parents are from Mexico. Akram is from Tunisia. Jenny came here from China four years ago. Tad is white in a racially mixed neighborhood. Janell lives on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Jason is African American. They do talk about prejudice and conflict, about being teased for your accent, but all speak personally, without jargon or sermonizing, about getting to know people across boundaries of race and culture. "It would be boring to have just one race," says Tad. The same authors and photographer did What I Believe: Kids Talk about Faith (1996), and here again they have not tried to cover everything. The book is slim, bright, spacious. Caught by the photos, kids will stop and browse. This would also be a good starting place for classroom discussion on tolerance. (Reviewed December 15, 1997)082341325XHazel Rochman From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.