October 10, 2017

Hello from Around the World – A Fascinating Discovery of Children Around the World

Hello From Around The World

Click here to download the cover of “Hello from Around the World”.

About “Hello From Around The World”

This is a fun and engaging picture book about children around the world.

It is an excellent introduction into the lives of kids around the world, which will put your child on a journey of exploration and discovery.

You will find it to be a captivating picture book with bright and vivid colors. The illustrations are beautifully authentic, portraying life as it is where these children are from.

It is written in rhyme, which makes it an entertaining read for children of all ages.

Children are intrigued by cultures around the world.

They are interested in the traditional foods, lifestyle, language, hobbies, sports and culture of others. “Hello from Around the World” feeds that interest.

It is fun yet informative. Without realizing it, your child will be learning!

The book explores the most common foods, language and activities shared in 12 different countries. There is a particular focus on how they say “hello” and “thank you”.

Each child is also introduced by their traditional/ common name, making it a truly authentic experience.

The book is written in the first person, allowing your little reader a more personal connection with his/her new friends from the other side of the world.

children around the world

Pronunciation guides are also provided for the basic words. This allows for a fun, easy and interactive experience. Watch your little ones try to replicate the new words they are introduced to. (Basic words include: Hello, thank you, and a traditional food for each nation).

kids around the world

I had done a ton of research about the cultural identity of many countries. In the end, I decided to delve into the lives of 12 from the following countries:

Say “Hello” to:

  • Eduardo from Brazil
  • Matilda from Australia
  • Shaka from South Africa
  • Magdalene from France
  • Asim from Egypt
  • Anna from Germany
  • Kanna from Japan
  • Shweta from India
  • Diego from Mexico
  • Alexei from Russia
  • Jack from USA
  • Bai from China

Cultural identity is important and should be respected by all.

When our children know where they come from, they feel a sense of belonging and a sense of self. Our cultural identity is all the things that make us, us. It includes our beliefs and values, language, customs, the way we dress, our food, song, and stories. But once we know and understand our own cultural identity, it is important to understand that while others may be different from us, they too must be respected for their differences.

The Inspiration for “Hello from Around the World”

The world is beautiful in its diversity. It is extraordinary.

In our busy lives going from this activity to that, we hardly notice anything beyond our immediate surroundings. That is fair and it happens to everyone. However, the world truly is extraordinary, and that is the reason why I wrote this book.

I want my children to be aware that there is a wondrous world of diversity beyond their iPads and Kindles. My hope is that, with this book, they will discover other children and other cultures around the world. The “others” they discover may speak a different language and their lives may be very different. But, there are many similarities they share and that’s the wonder I wanted to expose.

I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, I was always fascinated by children around the world. I wanted to know how they lived, what they ate, the games they played, EVERYTHING.

That fascination is not uncommon. I wanted to encourage that interest by creating a book that was authentic in its descriptions, yet engaging. I wanted to somehow create a personal connection, which is why I wrote the book in the first person.

I grew up in South Africa. Thanks to limited tv, we were able to get a glimpse of the lives of other children, particularly American children. It was fascinating to watch. To me, it seemed like American children had the best lives. They could speak up for themselves, without fear of punishment. They could go to school in regular clothes – we had to wear uniforms. It generally seemed like the life of an average American child, was great. But now I live in America and my children are all Americans. I remember my roots and I want to be sure that they not only understand cultural diversity but also respect it.

This is a topic that I believe is very important – which is why I wrote this book.

As the writer, I really enjoyed the writing process because I had a very specific goal – share the lives of children from cultures around the world. But my words are not enough. It is the illustrations and the book design, that truly brings the book to life. “Hello from Around The World” was illustrated by Valeriia Koronets, who also illustrated “Little Bear Takes a Winter Nap“, and “I am Small But I Know This”. All my books are designed by my good friend Eva Po, and I strongly feel that while the text and illustrations are good, it is the design that truly brings the book to life.

The three of us put a lot of work into this and I think it came out great. I do hope you agree, and I also hope that this book serves you as it has served our families.

Gioula Chelten