What Is Your Language? - Softcover

Monica Wellingtonwas born in London and lived in Switzerland and Germany as a child.She has written and illustrated many books for young children, including Mr. Cookie Baker and Apple Farmer Annie. She now lives in New York City, where she teaches at the School of Visual Arts.

Ages 3-6. Based on a 1960s song by Leventhal, this picture book introduces global diversity in the simplest way. A small child in New York City packs his bag, boards a plane, and travels all over the world. Each double-page spread of clear illustrations in bright primary colors shows him in a new country; each time he asks the children there, "What's your language?" and each time they answer with the name of their language--English, German, French, Russian, Inuktitut, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Swahili, and Spanish--and they chant the word that means "yes" for them. With very young kids, the book can be read aloud and sung (the music notation is appended). The endpapers have clear world maps showing names of continents and oceans, and national flags border the back of the jacket. For older kids, there are detailed notes at the back about each language, including a pronunciation guide. Of course, representation is of the simplest tourist kind of food, costume, and travelogue scenery; however, along with the pleasure of adventure is the recognition of community with kids everywhere. In a nice reversal, when the boy says finally that he has to go home, all the children shout their word for "no." Hazel Rochman