Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A sweet celebration of differences.There's not a cardigan in sight, but the spirit of Fred Rogers is all over this rhymed chorus of "likes." "You don't look just like me. / You don't see the things I see. / You don't walk just like me," but still and all, "You just like me! You just like me!" Bloom suspends pairs and larger groups of anthropomorphic young animals on plain, unmarked white backgrounds for these amicable declarations, and she goes to town on highlighting her figures' diversity—dressing a gray elephant in a colorfully striped shirt, wrapping a looong scarf around a woolly llama's looong neck, outfitting an ostrich with pink ruffles and a parasol a-dangle with pompoms, placing a wombat in a wheelchair and a little squirrel atop a tall unicycle. Nor are behavioral differences neglected, as a methodical porcupine ("I like to take my time") leans over a blank sheet of writing paper while the tiger cub in the next seat ("I'm speedy") is awash in notes and drawings. Scenes gradually fill up as the author gathers all and sundry together to dance (or shyly watch), to eat, and climactically to read (books printed and handwritten; in English, Danish, and Braille; a map; a sheet of music; a sewing pattern; a blueprint). The mood then calms for a concluding scene of two friends sharing an easy chair with a final: "I just like you! / Yes, I do."A manifesto to bridge the deepest chasms of otherness and to melt the stoniest of hearts. (Picture book. 4-8)

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Animal friends celebrate their differences; even though they don't do things the same way (i.e., "just like" one another), they nevertheless "just like" one another. Talents, physical traits, tastes, and preferences are all highlighted as ways of being unique--and loved. Very simple text uses repetition and rhyme. Clear watercolor and pencil illustrations allow the creatures' personalities, and their warm friendships, to shine through.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A sweet celebration of differences.There's not a cardigan in sight, but the spirit of Fred Rogers is all over this rhymed chorus of "likes." "You don't look just like me. / You don't see the things I see. / You don't walk just like me," but still and all, "You just like me! You just like me!" Bloom suspends pairs and larger groups of anthropomorphic young animals on plain, unmarked white backgrounds for these amicable declarations, and she goes to town on highlighting her figures' diversity—dressing a gray elephant in a colorfully striped shirt, wrapping a looong scarf around a woolly llama's looong neck, outfitting an ostrich with pink ruffles and a parasol a-dangle with pompoms, placing a wombat in a wheelchair and a little squirrel atop a tall unicycle. Nor are behavioral differences neglected, as a methodical porcupine ("I like to take my time") leans over a blank sheet of writing paper while the tiger cub in the next seat ("I'm speedy") is awash in notes and drawings. Scenes gradually fill up as the author gathers all and sundry together to dance (or shyly watch), to eat, and climactically to read (books printed and handwritten; in English, Danish, and Braille; a map; a sheet of music; a sewing pattern; a blueprint). The mood then calms for a concluding scene of two friends sharing an easy chair with a final: "I just like you! / Yes, I do."A manifesto to bridge the deepest chasms of otherness and to melt the stoniest of hearts. (Picture book. 4-8)

School Library Journal (Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

PreS-Gr 1 This is a charming read that celebrates diversity and promotes acceptance of differences and harmony. Using domestic and wild animals, this tender story is illustrated with sweet pencil-and-watercolor artwork that will appeal to children. In the opening pages, a cute pig in a blue jumpsuit and a llama with a pink scarf look up at the sky and see the same clouds. But the pig interprets the cloud shapes one way and the llama another. On a different page it shows animals walking different ways. The text says, "You don't walk just like me." The illustrations on the two adjoining pages show a bear cub pushed in a stroller, a baby alligator being carried in a blue wrap, a flamingo with a pink parasol walking on foot, a mouse on a skateboard and a groundhog with a fancy hat riding in a wheelchair. Large illustrations and short text make this a good choice for sharing in a group setting. The message is a positive one about accepting others' perspectives even if they differ from your own. VERDICT A first purchase for libraries that serve young children. A perfect selection for a storytime or use in a one-on-one setting. Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA