This Is Who I Am

How do you help young children – KS1 and 2 – who have rich varied backgrounds but still feel the need to ask who am I?  Rashmi Sirdeshpande, herself with a mixed heritage, has turned to a picture book to celebrate this richness – and to present what it means for her. From the first double spread the message is one of optimism and joy. She starts ‘When people ask me what I am or where I’m from I smile’ Ruchi Mhsane’s illustration shows her – a little girl – with a beaming smile on a swing in a park. Turn the pages and the same little girl is in a very different environment, one with temple bells and banyan trees. The narrative then progresses switching between not just different countries but different backgrounds and experiences. Throughout the tone is positive and engaging. Mhsane’s images reflect this atmosphere through cool pastel colours that enrich the reading experience. The clever use of the double spreads allow author and illustrator to play with the idea of a mirror image – two pictures – the same child and family but two settings. This is a gentle poetic narrative that would be effective in both classroom or family setting allowing conversation and recognition of similar lives.