Where Am I From?

As people around the world are sheltering at home, most travel has come to a standstill. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go somewhere. We just need to travel through books. Today’s selection provides a trip around the world.

WHERE AM I FROM?
By Elisavet Arkolaki (author) and Graffiti illustration by Platon
Faraxa Publishing 2020
Themes: friendship, diversity, unity
Setting: The world

The story begins –

All the children of the world united. “We’re going to solve this riddle,”
They decided. They were confused but quite excited.

Each child thinks they know where they all come from – the country where they live. But how can that be since they all live in different places? From Malta to Australia, the children describe their mode of transportation which include swimming with a dolphin, flying on a dragon, and riding on a lion’s back. None of them, however, can agree on the one place they are all from until the youngest child reveals the answer.

 

The brilliant illustrations are a perfect match for the text as the author and illustrator worked together to create this stunning book. Amazingly, the illustrations are graffiti art painted on the walls of elementary schools.

 

Why this WHERE AM I FROM? should be added to your shelves:

• It includes a wonderful group of diverse children with mixed cultural and linguistic heritages.
• Each spread shows a child with a background setting and animals from their country of origin.
• The children travel to their destination in fabulous ways mixing fantasy with fact. Who wouldn’t want to hop in a kangaroo’s pocket?
• The detailed graffiti illustrations will entice children to find new things with each rereading.
• This book will be a good addition to elementary school geography, art, and social studies curriculum and will encourage lively discussions.
• The text is lyrical and kid-friendly and perfect for emerging readers.
• The children are painting a mural of the world. I think maps should be in all books!

The Author, Elisavet Arkolaki, was kind enough to write a postcard to the readers of Where Am I From?

 

The trickiest question you can ask Elisavet and her family is ‘Where are you from?’ because they are from everywhere! Passionate about travel and inspired by global learning, she raises her own children in between countries, cultures, and languages. She writes to build cultural understanding and sensitivity in young children while they are still eager to learn.

Here’s how to contact Elisavet and learn more:

FB Maltamum
FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/249812552386188/
IG Elisavet_Arkolaki
Twitter @TheRedPandas
Blog www.maltamum.com

Check out her important resource – How to Raise Confident Multicultural Children

If you are interested, take a look at my post on creating a community mural.