The People of the World
I can’t remember the name of the book, but when I was younger, my aunt had a picture book at her house that celebrated diversity in the world. Through cartoon-like drawings (similar to the style of The Point!) and minimal text, the book explored the “peoples of the world,� highlighting differences in cultural markers such as dress, cuisine, and manners. The underlying message was how cultures may have different practices, but no one is “better� than the others—they are just different.
One image that I remember clearly was of a western (perhaps American) tourist couple visiting an African village. While the people of the village may have looked “weird� to someone in the tourists’ position, with their body paint, piercings, and minimal clothing, this image showed how the villagers thought the couple, with their running shoes and nail polish (well, the women’s nail polish), looked exotic and strange to them.
I remember looking at this book and being struck by the concept of differences and beauty being in the eye of the beholder. Though I was young (between five and eight), reading that book really instilled in me the awareness and importance of cultural understanding.