TO BE A KID

Harking directly back to Edward Steichen’s classic Family of Man (1955, 1983) in design and tone, this portfolio of full- color photographs captures children around the world joyfully engaging in common pursuits. The photos, captioned only by their countries of origin, are grouped thematically, linked by a few words of text—“To be a kid means playing ball . . . running races. . . . or playing a board game”—and depict clean, well-kept young people busy, for the most part, with shared activities. A follow- up essay reinforces the message that the lives, needs, and goals of children the world over are very similar, though the details may differ. Without descriptive notes, many of those details may be lost on viewers, but the theme is a worthwhile one, appealingly presented. (map) (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-9)