What Do You See? – Books about Perspective
"The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws…"
So begins the 2017 Caldecott Honor Book: They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel, a book that uses simple language and unique illustrations to show the reader how the same cat can look very different when seen through the eyes of several different animals. It is a beautiful book about perspective that would nicely lend itself to many different teachable moments and opportunities for further exploration.
One way to "go beyond the pages" of this book is to use Mr. Wenzel's idea of describing the same object from different points of view to inspire your own creativity. Caregivers or teachers could pick something that they and their children see every day and then have each person in the family or class describe the item using either words or pictures. Once everyone's interpretations are complete, take a look at them side-by-side and talk about both the similarities and differences that are created when each person looks at the "same" thing.
Do You "See" An Elephant?
There is an old fable, widely believed to have originated in India, about how blind men (or in some interpretations mice) encounter an elephant for the first time and each "see" this curious new thing in an unique way. It has been retold and reinterpreted in several books, including the following, which are available at Toronto Public Library.
Six Blind Mice and an Elephant by Jude Daly (Ages 4-8)
Elephant in the Dark by Mina Javaherbin (Ages 4-8)
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young (Ages 3-7)
This too is a lesson about perspective which is wonderfully summed up in Ed Young's "mouse moral": "Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole.''
More Books, Many Different Perspectives
Jung Jin-Ho
Ages 4-8
This book is literally about perspective as it tells the story, in both words and pictures, from the point of view of a child in a wheelchair who is looking down at the world from a rooftop. It also speaks to everyone's desire to be truly seen by others; "look up!" is also a cry to "look at me!" and see me for who I am.
Jackie Azúa Kramer
Ages 4-7
What is it and who does it belong to: Is it Hedgehog's boat? A tent for Cat? Bear's flying machine? The old Rabbit's cane? Or a green umbrella that Elephant uses for so much more than just keeping dry in the rain? With a little imagination and help from all the animal friends, everyone begins to see it in a new way, as something to be shared.
Ages 5-8
Who is Melvin Bubble? Well, it depends on who you ask. Melvin, like all of us, means different things to different people (including his paren'ts, best friend, and teddy bear). This book shows how our relationships with others help to shape our identity.
Ages 4-7
This look at the animal kingdom illustrates both the differences and similarities in a seemingly unrelated group of animals. It would be perfect for either STEM or a discussion on unity and perspective.
Different? Same! closes with the words: "If you look close enough, it soon becomes clear…we're not as different as we first appear." …and isn't that one of the most important lessons any book on perspective can'teach us?
2 thoughts on “What Do You See? – Books about Perspective”
A fun and well-researched post!
Thank you.