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List Price: $16.99 | | Publisher: HarperCollins
Salesrank: 12436
Released: September 5, 2006 |
| Our Price: $9.82 |
| Used Price: $0.91 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
Is there really a human race?
Is it going on now all over the place?
When did it start?
Who said, "Ready, Set, Go"?
Did it start on my birthday?
I really must know.
With these questions, our hero's imagination is off and running. Is the human race an obstacle course? Is it a spirit? Does he get his own lane? Does he get his own coach?
Written with Jamie Lee Curtis's humor and heart and illustrated with Laura Cornell's worldly wit, Is There Really a Human Race? Is all about relishing the journey and making good choices along the way—because how we live and how we love is how we learn to make the world a better place, one small step at a time.
Is There Really a Human Race? Reviews:
Great Book 
2009-11-27 - I thought this book was fantastic. It's a great lesson for everyone, including adults. Jamie Lee Curtis has a fantastic way to tell great life lessons. I would recommend this book for all ages. Personally, I thought this was great.
Good 
2009-06-25 - Good, I enjoyed it and of course the illustrations are marvelous and it's a great message. The problem is that my three-year-old wants to read it, but he just doesn't really get it. The jokes a little over his head. Of course it's a great message for him, but it seems to be written a little bit above him. It's like he wants to like it, but.... Hopefully when he gets older, this will be a good one.
Do Your Best to Help Others: Answering an Old Question Coming from a Child's Naive Perspective
2008-11-03 - One of the great things about children is the way they can take words literally . . . and give us a new perspective on life as we stop to think about the words we employ for well-understood adult idiomatic expressions. "Is there really a human race?" might thus be seen as a literal question about all the racing around that children see around them, as perhaps reinforced by television shows like The Amazing Race and other reality show competitions. Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell take that literalness and turn it into motherly wisdom for a child who's concerned about what it means to be in so much competition.
As I looked at the second two-page spread in the book, I had to laugh aloud as I saw the vision of people racing through what looked a lot like Central Park in New York City while mom and child sit on a park bench. I have often wondered why New Yorkers walk so fast . . . and now here is a story that picked up on that.
From there, the child asks mom a series of naive questions about the race:
"Did it start on my birthday?"
"Do I warm up and stretch?"
"If the race is a relay, is Dad on my team?"
"Am I a jockey or am I a horse?"
"Is there pushing and shoving to get to the lead?"
"If the race is unfair; will I succeed?"
"Do some of us lose?"
"What am I winning?"
"And why do I do it, this zillion-yard dash?"
Mom then provides a bit of perspective:
"Sometimes it's better not to go fast. There are beautiful sights to be seen when you're last."
"Shouldn't it be that you just try your best?"
"Shouldn't it be looking back at the end that you judge your own race by the help that you lend?"
"So take what's inside of you and make big, hard choices. And for those who can't speak for themselves, use bold voices."
"And make the world better for the whole human race."
As you can see, the book turns back to the subject of brotherhood without getting stuck tricky philosophical bases. Instead, brotherhood is just presented as the way to go. Very nice!
As charming as the words are, the illustrations are critical to this story and carry it forward much more powerfully than any words alone could do. As usual, Ms. Cornell gives both panoramic images and tiny details that will intrigue the most observant young child. As an example of the detailed humor, the child's backpack has an open package in it. If you look closely and turn the page, you can see that these are "Nutrition Patches . . . No Need to Stop and Eat . . . Eat and Run!" Now, even a sober-sided adult who doesn't like to read to children can appreciate humor like that.
To me, the best aspect of the book is that the story and illustrations open the doors for a nice discussion between parent (or grandparent) and child. Too many children's books try to exclude the reader from having a role as a discussion leader. I would describe this book as being designed to be a discussion starter. And it's a discussion that is good to have . . . getting out of the rat race so you can join the human race.
Slow down, make good choices, help others, and enjoy!
Mismatched Title...
2008-09-20 - Mu problem with this book is that the title really has nothing to do with the content. Maybe I'm just being picky, but before I read the book to my sons, I prefaced it with telling them what "Human Race" means--people as a whole, or all the people in the world. I was expecting and hoping to see a message about how people are really just people, regardless of color, physical differences, etc. But as I read the book, we quickly realized that the book isn't really about "The Human Race". I LOVE, LOVE the message of the book-take time to enjoy the journey of life, don't get caught up in winning or losing, etc. But the title and the message seemed incongruous to us. That certainly doesn't really effect the value of the story or message, and the book itself is very fun to read and listen to. But it really has nothing to do with what most people mean when they use the term "Human Race".
Clever book for thinkers
2008-04-28 - Jamie Lee is very clever with her wordings and rhymes. The illustrations are very eye-catching. Always looking for a new way to challenge and stimulate children's minds....this is it!
