School Days around the World written by Margriet Ruurs and illustrated by Alice Feagan is a children's non fiction book that details how children from different parts of the world might go to school. From Marta in Azezo, Ethiopia, and Luciano in Merida, Venezuela, to Alina in Taraz, Kazakhstan, and Lu in Shanghai, China, the children who are profiled live in places that truly span the globe. While there are major differences, all the children share similar desires to learn, read, and play with others.
School Days around the World is a wonderful way to show how important education is, how much some children go through to receive an education, and how similar all people are regardless of their location. I enjoyed the feel created by Alice Feagan's charming cut-paper collage artwork. It truly enhances the concept of a global community. The smiling and enthusiastic children's faces drives home how important education is no matter where you live, and what form that education takes. A concept like going to school works perfectly to introduce children to other cultures and places in social studies classes, or to start discussions at home. at the end of the book there are further resources such as discussion topics and organizations that help children access education as well as a glossary with definitions of the foreign words.
I recommend School Days around the World for classroom and library collections. The book does a great job of introducing a variety of cultures while showing how we are all similar in needs and desires no matter where we live. it makes a great discussion starter about the importance of education, world cultures, and geography.
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