People

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 I disagree that the representation of different groups is outdated or stereotyped: perhaps in the United States everyone is encouraged to "blend in" but I have travelled to many countries where people happily wear their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.

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!

This is one of the books that my preschool class wore out (not tore up!) halfway through the school year! Older children can read the culturally sensitive text and all children love the colorful, interesting pictures. My only problem with the book is the naked, rear view of Adam and Eve in the beginning. Children tend to giggle at it as well as wanting an explanation of who those people are; which causes a problem in the classroom and occasionally an issue with parents when their chilren tell about it at home. And that's not MY problem with the book; it's just the way it is in our society. society. Someone could simply glue those pages together or exise them with a sharp knife, but I don't recommend that.

Im 25 now and although I have since lost the original, this was one of the first books I had when I began to read and really is wonderful. I agree with s. burn's review, the book portrays the diversity within the world without passing any judgement good or bad. This is such a good book that I am buying a copy to replace the one I lost.

I bought this book for my 6 year old who had started to point out the differences she saw in people. With the help of this book I have been able to explain to her in terms she can understand that it is ok to be different. Together we have studied the detailed pictures & explored the differences between our lives and people in other parts of the world. (And yes, we have even discussed that some of the pictures show details that are out-dated.) With the help of this book my daughter is learning that people can not control those things that make us different: skin color, hair texture, shape of our nose and eyes, and that we should not judge each other based on these things but to celebrate our differences. And we fully agree with the book: this world sure would be a boring place to be if we all were the same! This Christmas we will share 'People' by Peter Spier with our family and friends!