Although we all come from different places, there are some things that are universal. No matter where you call home, Susan Hughes looks at these similarities in Same Here! The Differences We Share illustrated by Sophie Casson.

Children all need shelter, play, food, fun, etc. Depending on where we live in the world, these necessities look a little different. Susan Hughes looks at children in many different countries and shares with readers the different ways these necessities can look depending on where you live.

Extensively researched, Susan Hughes includes a long list of sources at the end of the book so readers and their grown ups know how all of this information came together. Although it doesn’t appear that she interviewed specific children around the world, through her research, she was able to come to understand how children exist in different places.

This book really demonstrates to readers how we live in a global community. When we think about how others live we can better appreciate experiences different from our own but also understand how similar we truly are. Each section starts with a statement: “We all need to…” then the different children throughout the world chime in on how they answer that specific statement. Each section ends with questions inviting the reader to share their own experiences as it relates to the statement. 

Same Here! is a wonderful book to bring into classrooms to create community. Each member of the class could be invited to share their own experiences with each statement and learners will gain a better understanding of the people they will be learning with throughout the year.

Sophie Carson’s illustrations are colourful and unique. Each page contains images from all over the world, again extensively researched to ensure accuracy.