Many Ways to Dress

November 1, 2022

PreS-Gr 2-Familiar Sesame Street puppets pop up throughout this series to highlight the many ways they celebrate their families, communities, and themselves. Diverse representations of abilities, family structures, races, and religions are depicted throughout the series in the same seamless way one sees them pop up in the television show. This is a jubilant highlight of people, cultures, and abilities from across the world that encourages families to celebrate themselves and would be a welcome addition to public libraries for storytime and beyond. VERDICT The major themes across these titles are joy and understanding, which are sure to bring a smile to readers of all ages.

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October 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 1 This selection from the Sesame Street Celebrating You and Me series (6 titles) is filled with welcoming color photographs that mix Sesame Street's beloved puppet characters with images of diverse families and children clad in everyday and special attire. Some are pictured wearing hanboks or Mexican traditional dresses, while others appear in hijabs, patkas, and kippahs. Very general statements are made about when or why such clothing might be worn, subtly normalizing these customs. Also included are outdoor clothing for certain weather or seasons, sports uniforms, and dance attire. An introductory note explains the series' aim to "teach little ones to be proud of themselves and appreciate the world around them," and this title accomplishes that well. To close, a guided activity asks readers to draw themselves in their favorite outfit.

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