On Our Street: Our First Talk about Poverty opens by acknowledging that different people live in different ways. Then it invites children to inquire about those differences:
“It’s okay to ask questions when you do not understand the way another person is living.”
Each of the following spreads has a question a child might ask about poverty and homelessness on the left side of the spread, and an answer to the question on the right side. Some of the spreads also have sidebars with definitions, statistics, quotes, or other information related to the answer to the question.
The answers are straightforward and in accessible language. I can’t imagine reading this aloud straight through to a group. It could be a great discussion starter, though, inviting kids to try to answer the questions before reading the book’s answer. I could also imagine an individual child plowing through the book, or an adult using a page here or there to talk about important issues.
The part I loved the most about the book was the illustrations. Every page is illustrated with photographs depicting the problem out in the real world. But along with the photos, every page has ink and watercolor drawings of the children who are grappling with the difficult questions asked. I love that combination of gritty reality and the child’s imagination. I think the illustrations work well to invite young readers to engage with the question.
On Our Street: Our First Talk About Poverty by Dr. Jillian Roberts and Jaime Casp, illustrated by Jane Heinrichs. Orca Books: 2018.
Alyson Beecher hosts the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge at kidlitfrenzy.com. Visit there for more great nonfiction picture books!
I have this book on hold at the library and you’ve made me want to read it soon. I just heard that fewer children in Denver are on the “poverty” list, but still, it’s 12 percent & that feels like a lot to me. It feels tragic that any child in the US is struggling with hunger. Thanks for highlighting this book, Annette!