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· 3,867 ratings · 474 reviews
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I love the Andy Warhol type art Todd employs with vibrant colors. It's a great message to anyone at any age. Be proud of you and the difference that come from that. I love the one that says It's ok to dance by yourself. Indeed. Yes it is.The kids think this is a fun little story too.
It's Okay to be Different is such a bright and cheerful picture book. See those quirky DayGlo illustrations on the front cover? That is the kind of smiley fun you're in for throughout the book. At once a self esteem booster and a celebration of individuality, kids young and young at heart will love this book. Each page tells you it's okay to be, have or do something and is supported by cute illustrations that even I, wanna be artist that struggles to create a legible stick figure, could attempt It's Okay to be Different is such a bright and cheerful picture book. See those quirky DayGlo illustrations on the front cover? That is the kind of smiley fun you're in for throughout the book. At once a self esteem booster and a celebration of individuality, kids young and young at heart will love this book. Each page tells you it's okay to be, have or do something and is supported by cute illustrations that even I, wanna be artist that struggles to create a legible stick figure, could attempt to trace draw. Whether it's being okay to:
* Be a different colour - a black and white zebra standing next to a red, green, blue and yellow one
* Talk about your feelings - I'll listen to you, Mr Lion
* Eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub - permission granted. Woohoo!
* Have different Mums and Dads - these are some seriously awesome looking parents
... this book includes lots of serious and seriously fun statements that will make you proud of being you.
And let's face it, who you are is pretty darn wonderful anyway! I wouldn't change a thing about you! 😃
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These books by the uber talented Todd Parr are simply gold. I know I am aware of my judgement factor, we do judge others at times. This series remind us that firstly love our self; and secondly to simply just be kind. Simple concept which will hopefully fill our lil' ones minds. Indy likes these books. (My quirky hard to keep still 6 year old) - or am I talking about myself, too;) These books by the uber talented Todd Parr are simply gold. I know I am aware of my judgement factor, we do judge others at times. This series remind us that firstly love our self; and secondly to simply just be kind. Simple concept which will hopefully fill our lil' ones minds. Indy likes these books. (My quirky hard to keep still 6 year old) - or am I talking about myself, too;) ...more
This book is great because it talks about how we are all different. It's Okay to be Different, is a book that helps young children understand that there are no two people exactly alike and that it is okay to be who you are. It helps children learn to embrace the differences in the world around them and be proud of themselves and their families. It is a great book to read at the begining of the school year or for social emotional development. Learning activity: SE1a: The children will demonstrate
This book is great because it talks about how we are all different. It's Okay to be Different, is a book that helps young children understand that there are no two people exactly alike and that it is okay to be who you are. It helps children learn to embrace the differences in the world around them and be proud of themselves and their families. It is a great book to read at the begining of the school year or for social emotional development. Learning activity: SE1a: The children will demonstrate knowledge of personal information.
I will read the book "It's okay to be Different", to the class. As a large group we will discuss the differences in the people and families provided in the story and the environment around them. After our discussion on differences, I will hold a bean bag, introduce myself to the children and state something that I feel is different, that I like about myself (physically or something I enjoy doing). I will pass the bean bag to the child closest to me and encourage that child to share something about themselves that is different. He will then pass the bean bag to the person next to him....and so on. Each child will take a turn passing the bean bag around the circle and each child with the bean bag in his hand, will continue to share something about himself to his peers. This activity will promote social emotional development and turn taking.
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Simple, darling book with a great message.We used this to write our own...each child picked something that they think is okay and wrote a paragraph about why that is okay. "It's okay to be in a wheelchair." "It's okay to be scared on a cruise ship." "It's okay to like video games." "It's okay to have curly hair." And so on. They turned out really cute.
Simple, darling book with a great message.We used this to write our own...each child picked something that they think is okay and wrote a paragraph about why that is okay. "It's okay to be in a wheelchair." "It's okay to be scared on a cruise ship." "It's okay to like video games." "It's okay to have curly hair." And so on. They turned out really cute.
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Todd Parr books are some of my story time favorites because they are bright and written in a totally kid-friendly way, while also covering important concepts. This one explains that differences are okay - big and small, silly and serious. Although my 6-year old now thinks he should eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub. 😂
This book was amazing and I would recommend it to any teacher. No matter the grade level. This book touches bases on accepting the differences amongst a group of friends. My students actually used this book during a writing center.
Personal Response- I really like this book and just love how the author emphasizes a range of differences people may have amongst each other but that it is okay to have those differences. The illustrations are descriptive about what the author is trying to say is unique about someone but okay.Purposes - read aloud kindergarten
-This book could be used for enrichment purposes to illustrate to students early that no matter what makes someone seem different from yourself, is completely okay and that
Personal Response- I really like this book and just love how the author emphasizes a range of differences people may have amongst each other but that it is okay to have those differences. The illustrations are descriptive about what the author is trying to say is unique about someone but okay.Purposes - read aloud kindergarten
-This book could be used for enrichment purposes to illustrate to students early that no matter what makes someone seem different from yourself, is completely okay and that it is the right thing to do, to respect the difference the other student may have and care for them as a person.
This book could really be used to express to students the wide variety of differences people may have.
- Before beginning the book, I could ask students what they think it means to "be different." or ask what they may believe differences are and ask why its good to treat everyone fairly.
This would be a good opportunity in the classroom if students are making fun of each other for not being able to read as well or learn numbers as well, that everyone is different and we all have our own strengths and weaknesses that we grow and develop and use to help others.
...more This is a book about our differences. Each page has a character doing something different, and says, "It's okay to...(get mad, lose a tooth, wear glasses, etc.). It also has silly examples like, "It's okay to help a squirrel collect nuts!" I like that the book has specific examples of differences because it allows children to relate to the book. I like the idea of reading this book with a large group of students, because you could add lots of opportunities to respond with questions like, "Does a This is a book about our differences. Each page has a character doing something different, and says, "It's okay to...(get mad, lose a tooth, wear glasses, etc.). It also has silly examples like, "It's okay to help a squirrel collect nuts!" I like that the book has specific examples of differences because it allows children to relate to the book. I like the idea of reading this book with a large group of students, because you could add lots of opportunities to respond with questions like, "Does anyone here have glasses?" or "Does anyone get mad?" This book has a predictable pattern, which if read repeatedly, and a teacher could easily add a choral response component to the book to ensure that everyone follows along. The only thing that I didn't like about this book is it's size--it would be hard to read to a large group because the book itself is small. It would work well if read with an Elmo or if children had their own copies of the pictures or if reading to a smaller group of children. The kids won't want to miss out on the cool pictures in this book! ...more
It's okay to be different is a picture book. It is a primary read. The book tells that people and things are different and that it's ok to be different. It talked about people wearing glasses and some that dont wear glasses. That some have missing teeth while other's don't. It showed that despite how different we all are our differences are ok.The pictures are wonderful. It is a very easy read. The pictures are bright and colorful and would catch any young readers eye. My daughter enjoyed readin It's okay to be different is a picture book. It is a primary read. The book tells that people and things are different and that it's ok to be different. It talked about people wearing glasses and some that dont wear glasses. That some have missing teeth while other's don't. It showed that despite how different we all are our differences are ok.The pictures are wonderful. It is a very easy read. The pictures are bright and colorful and would catch any young readers eye. My daughter enjoyed reading this book as well. I was listening to her read the book and on one page it said "its ok to be different" and she replied "it sure is". I thought that was cute. Very good book to use to teach about diversity. ...more
I enjoyed the book and i feel that it is a cute way to introduce to children that differences are OK. I think some adults need to still learn this lesson, unfortunately. I appreciated that the book's illustration was not necessarily realistic. It has characters that are orange, purple, blue, and it even had some crazy looking animals; i think kids will find this to be fun and interesting and most importantly there is no one representation in the book. Therefore, anyone who reads the book can rel I enjoyed the book and i feel that it is a cute way to introduce to children that differences are OK. I think some adults need to still learn this lesson, unfortunately. I appreciated that the book's illustration was not necessarily realistic. It has characters that are orange, purple, blue, and it even had some crazy looking animals; i think kids will find this to be fun and interesting and most importantly there is no one representation in the book. Therefore, anyone who reads the book can relate to it or picture themselves in the book. This is a lesson that is important to teach even people in the same family are different so it it important to introduce to children that those difference they may have already noticed are OK and its normal to be different. ...more
A bright and bold picture book celebrating diversity. The comforting repetitive text with the joyfully vivid illustrations make this a fun way to begin discussions on mutual respect and acceptance with preschool and early elementary students. A happy book with a big hearted message.
Disclaimer: I know a lot of my friends have children who have been diagnosed with actual disorders so this comment is not meant for them.. so here goes. I think kids are over medicated and mis diagonesed for being wonderfully quirky and this book says EMBRACE YOUR QUIRKINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Delightful story explaining the differences of all people. It is a nice way to have children relate to one another and understand it is okay to be different from everyone else,.
The Spanish version of this book is my "mystery reader" book for O&E class for their fall curriculum. The Spanish version of this book is my "mystery reader" book for O&E class for their fall curriculum. ...more
Our kids request this over and over; it celebrates many of the differences we all have. They loooove the "it's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub" page. Our kids request this over and over; it celebrates many of the differences we all have. They loooove the "it's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub" page. ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. While reading this book I saw continuous repetition in wording. Every page started with 'Its Okay'. This was because they wanted children to understand no matter what they look like, believe, or feel, it is okay to be different. I was surprised to see how no pages were about heritage or skin color. I loved this because I feel this doesn't make children believe that we are different just exclusively on our skin color. Children need to be able to know everyone is going through different things and While reading this book I saw continuous repetition in wording. Every page started with 'Its Okay'. This was because they wanted children to understand no matter what they look like, believe, or feel, it is okay to be different. I was surprised to see how no pages were about heritage or skin color. I loved this because I feel this doesn't make children believe that we are different just exclusively on our skin color. Children need to be able to know everyone is going through different things and at the end of the day it's okay to look the way you look and its okay to be the person you are. One connection I had was my nieces showed me this book. They were always self-conscious because they were adopted. This book talked about how it's okay to be from different families and that you are still loved at the end of the day. I loved this book because I feel that it is able to reach so many people and make them feel good about whatever situation they are in. ...more
What an amazing book! The pictures are intentionally childlike, the words are simple, the ideas are poignant and together these elements make a perfect book for kids!I have read this book aloud to Pre-K, Kinder, 1st and 2nd grade. The giggles, gaffaws and aww's were the same for all these ages. Entire classes of kids were enthralled by Todd Parr.
At the end of each book is a little message that tells kids that they are awesome and need to continue to be proud of their differences. And they all e
What an amazing book! The pictures are intentionally childlike, the words are simple, the ideas are poignant and together these elements make a perfect book for kids!I have read this book aloud to Pre-K, Kinder, 1st and 2nd grade. The giggles, gaffaws and aww's were the same for all these ages. Entire classes of kids were enthralled by Todd Parr.
At the end of each book is a little message that tells kids that they are awesome and need to continue to be proud of their differences. And they all end, "Love, Todd"
I highly recommend all the Todd Parr books for any Elementary School library - but especially this one!
...more It's Okay to Be Okay by Todd ParrIt's okay to be who you are. No one is exactly the same as you. A child learns to be confident in their differences. Whether you are big, small, tall, or short everyone is their own person. It's okay to feel emotions and express them how you please. Be who you are. You will be accepted.
Todd Parr does an amazing job at letting young readers know it's okay to be different than others. He explains how no matter you look or feel everything is fine. I believe this b
It's Okay to Be Okay by Todd ParrIt's okay to be who you are. No one is exactly the same as you. A child learns to be confident in their differences. Whether you are big, small, tall, or short everyone is their own person. It's okay to feel emotions and express them how you please. Be who you are. You will be accepted.
Todd Parr does an amazing job at letting young readers know it's okay to be different than others. He explains how no matter you look or feel everything is fine. I believe this book is perfect for children starting in the age range of 3 years old. That's where they start noticing and paying attention to others and themselves. Teachers are able to read this book during morning circle time. Parents can read it while at home during bed time or even in the morning to start their child's day with great positivity. Confidence is key and I love to see children love who they are!
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I liked the first page...since I am missing four teeth of my own.😁
I also love this one for introducing differences to children.
This book delivers an important of how it is okay to be different. The book uses colorful colors and silly pictures to relate to kids. This book really hits the emotions of children and how they see things. I loved this book! Yes it is very short and easy to read but it's message is great and very important. Something that I would love to read at the beginning of the year to set the tone that the class will be filled with students that are all different from each other and that is okay.
This book delivers an important of how it is okay to be different. The book uses colorful colors and silly pictures to relate to kids. This book really hits the emotions of children and how they see things. I loved this book! Yes it is very short and easy to read but it's message is great and very important. Something that I would love to read at the beginning of the year to set the tone that the class will be filled with students that are all different from each other and that is okay.
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Teaches children it is okay to be different. We are all special.
This book is truly wonderful. A book that honors differences and even says how it is okay, the range on all the differences is adorable too. It's okay to eat mac n cheese in the tub, it's okay to be adopted, it's to wear glasses and it's okay to dance by yourself. I want for my children and students to honor each other's differences and be secure in themselves. This is a book that I would read to my students on the first day of school to start the year off loving each other no matter what. I'm t This book is truly wonderful. A book that honors differences and even says how it is okay, the range on all the differences is adorable too. It's okay to eat mac n cheese in the tub, it's okay to be adopted, it's to wear glasses and it's okay to dance by yourself. I want for my children and students to honor each other's differences and be secure in themselves. This is a book that I would read to my students on the first day of school to start the year off loving each other no matter what. I'm thankful for a book like this. ...more
It's Okay to Be Different, by Todd Parr, illustrated by Todd Parr, published by Little Brown and Company, publication date: 2001.
This is a great realistic fiction book because it really brings the idea and point of diversity home. Throughout the book the students are encouraged to embrace their differences and be proud of them. The whole book is about reassuring people that it is okay to be different. For example, it say "It's okay to be a different color, It's okay to be adopted, etc." The ent It's Okay to Be Different, by Todd Parr, illustrated by Todd Parr, published by Little Brown and Company, publication date: 2001.
This is a great realistic fiction book because it really brings the idea and point of diversity home. Throughout the book the students are encouraged to embrace their differences and be proud of them. The whole book is about reassuring people that it is okay to be different. For example, it say "It's okay to be a different color, It's okay to be adopted, etc." The entire book talks about being okay that you are different. At the end of the book the author writes a letter to the reader and it says that it is alright for students to be different because it makes them who they are and they are special. I really thought this book was a neat book for letting people know it is alright to be different or have people around you that are different. The book lets everyone know that no one is the same and everyone has their own unique differences.
For my first activity, I would have the students create a class collage around the theme that it is okay to be different. The class collage would be a good representation about how everybody is different and it is okay.
For my second activity,I would have the students create a billboard centered around the idea that it is okay to be different. The students will create an ad by using a image that persuades people to believe that it is really okay to be different.
The teacher could tie this book to social studies. The teacher could study people from different cultures or things that make people different. This would really be a great book to lead into the study of different cultures and their beliefs.
This book really does a great job of addressing the understanding of multicultural differences and helping students to grasp the concept that everyone is different. ...more 
This children's fiction book discusses the topic of being different. The author, Todd Parr, brings up many aspects of human differences and lets the audience know that it is okay to be different. Parr provides many examples of this (ex. "It's okay to be a different color", "It's okay to be adopted", etc.) He also stresses the importance of embracing our special and unique differences that makes us who we are. This can specifically be seen in the ending where Parr, himself, writes a letter to the This children's fiction book discusses the topic of being different. The author, Todd Parr, brings up many aspects of human differences and lets the audience know that it is okay to be different. Parr provides many examples of this (ex. "It's okay to be a different color", "It's okay to be adopted", etc.) He also stresses the importance of embracing our special and unique differences that makes us who we are. This can specifically be seen in the ending where Parr, himself, writes a letter to the audience. ("It's okay to be different. You are special and important just because of being who you are.")As a teacher, I can incorporate this book in all aspects of the classroom. A classroom is going to consist of many different students. There isn't going to be two students that are the same, and sometimes, there will be situations where students may feel that being different is "different". I would use this book as well as my support to let that student know that it is great to be unique and special. I could also use this book to teach multiculturalism. I know that there are some schools that actually require you to teach a multicultural segment throughout the year. This is a great book to start the segment off with because it goes quickly into some of the many topics that you can branch out with. (ex. "It's okay to have no hair.", It's okay to have wheels.", "It's okay to come from a different place.") The colorful illustrations also help grasp the reader's attention, thus enhancing the reader's experience with the book.
In regards to the author, Todd Parr, he relates to the book just like everyone else in the world. This book is very universal because it doesn't limit itself to one culture. Instead it goes into the broad category of "having differences and being unique", and I feel that Parr as well as everyone in the world has a background with this book.
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I absolutely LOVE this book by Todd Parr. This read is not very long or not very complex, but the overall message is fabulous! No actual characters are named in the book, but each page has a different illustration. I love the fact that the illustrations are kid friendly and look like he got a kid to draw them! Kids love that sort of stuff! The pages list different things such as: Its okay to be a different color, have no hair, have wheels, wear glasses, be from a different place, have different I absolutely LOVE this book by Todd Parr. This read is not very long or not very complex, but the overall message is fabulous! No actual characters are named in the book, but each page has a different illustration. I love the fact that the illustrations are kid friendly and look like he got a kid to draw them! Kids love that sort of stuff! The pages list different things such as: Its okay to be a different color, have no hair, have wheels, wear glasses, be from a different place, have different moms and dads. I believe this would be a great book to share in a classroom full of young children. Some kids go through rough times at this age when they feel different or excluded. This book shows that everyone is different and that it is okay. At the end of the book, it reads that "It's okay to have different kinds of friends". I believe this is a great message and great concept for the children's book that I am writing. By not only telling your students this, but by actually demonstrating it in the classroom, your students will be more diverse in their ways of thinking and more open to new friends and ideas. I believe you could tell your students to go to their seat and grab some colored paper and think of their own "Its okay too ____ " . Each of your students should have different answers simply because each student is different from the other. The author does a great job in making this text easy to read and simple to understand for younger students, but the message can be used for students of all ages. Todd Parr has several other books such as the feel good book and the peace book. All of his books are great for the young readers and portray a great message. I would definitely recommend this book for my kindergarten class. ...more
When our grandson visits us, everyone in town knows him – because he stands out. In any group of kids, he towered over his fellow three-year-olds and went nose to nose with seven and eight-year-olds. His skin colour is different too: in a rural village originally settled by Mi'kmaq (formerly MicMac) and then Scots, his half-Jamaican ancestry is very noticeable. So when I heard about It's Okay to Be Different, I immediately reserved it at the library.Everybody wants to belong – especially kids. S
When our grandson visits us, everyone in town knows him – because he stands out. In any group of kids, he towered over his fellow three-year-olds and went nose to nose with seven and eight-year-olds. His skin colour is different too: in a rural village originally settled by Mi'kmaq (formerly MicMac) and then Scots, his half-Jamaican ancestry is very noticeable. So when I heard about It's Okay to Be Different, I immediately reserved it at the library.Everybody wants to belong – especially kids. So when a child is "different" from the others in his or her group, it can be easy for them to feel bad about themselves. Todd Parr wants every kid to know "You are special and important just because of being who are", and he's written It's Okay To Be Different to get that message across.
Illustrated by the author with outlined-in-black figures that are painted with bright primary colours—blue faces, orange hair and so on—this book delivers the message in short, clear statements: it's okay to have a different nose, it's okay to wear glasses, to have an invisible friend, to have different moms or different dads, to be embarrassed, to be a different color…. I'm not able to imagine a situation Parr didn't cover in these 30 pages.
Although I don't agree completely with Parr (I don't think it's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub, but that's me – I'm a mean old mom), I love the statement this book makes. I think you'll want to buy this one so you can re-read it many times. A solid 4 stars.
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This is a book that I always recommend to other teachers. This book discusses the importance of accepting each others differences. My students use the art and writing style to write about what makes them unique.
Mahogany L. Browne is the author of Chlorine Sky, Woke: A Young Poets Call to Justice, Woke Baby, and Black Girl Magic. She's also the...
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