26 Comments

what a GREAT book. very interested to look in detail at the Tokyo room come November. that to me looks like tat heaven! nice concept, some kids have brilliant bedrooms.
schnabz
2010-08-05 16:17:13

brilliant. i like the personal aspect, and think it's nice to see into the lives of younger people for a change.
jenna
2010-08-05 17:06:29

I like this very much. People and their spaces is incredibly interesting. Cool!
Dannie
2010-08-05 18:02:31

thats so awesome!!!
batmantvr
2010-08-06 07:17:08

looks like a great book. The difference between some kids lives is shocking, make you realise how spoilt some children are.
Dave - Graphic Design Essex
2010-08-06 08:33:32

This is a lovely idea and beautifully executed. I remember back whilst working at Sea in 2001 that the photographer Edward Barber approached us with a very similar idea. Not sure if it ever got off the ground but he placed UK based youngsters in their environment (rooms) and as a result this gave them more of an identity and a connection with their own space.
John Dowling
2010-08-06 10:57:14

It certainly seems thought provoking, from what I've seen it could be an eye opening read. It's strange to see the difference between kids rooms, and at such young ages!
John King
2010-08-06 14:19:13

This is an interesting compilation but it obviously uses stereotypical extremes. ..and lol at the kid from New Jersey. Jesus christ.
Kel
2010-08-08 04:14:48

Nice photos - and a shocking contrast between how the Rich and Poor kids live...

Eight-year-old Harrison and the unnamed four-year-old boy look like they could have been separated at birth!
bel
2010-08-08 20:29:51

wow.. most thought provoking.
squid
2010-08-09 10:48:00

From these excerpts the book appears incredibly biased as to the supposed wealth and clean living quarters of ALL Japanese and Americans while the ALL children of all other countries are poverty stricken and forced to live in shambles.

I hope the rest of the book has a more accurate portrayal.
Ye
2010-08-09 21:25:35

Yes Ye, the book TOTALLY stated "ALL." No, [deleted by moderator]. The author strictly states "I hope this book will help children think about inequality, within and between societies around the world." He is only providing an example of the children's room. Obviously, you should already know not ALL of Japanese lives like this. [deleted by moderator] Everywhere around the world contains poverty. This photo album is a great compilation of bedrooms from different nations around the world. Perhaps many internet geeks are not aware at what the world is outside instead of sitting on your chair browsing webs.
Ben
2010-08-11 16:55:00

There's no way the author told the parents of "Four-year-old Kaya" the real theme of this book. I bet they were/will be pretty pissed when they see the finished product.
Leslie
2010-08-12 02:35:04

love the concept of the book.
jolene
2010-08-17 11:40:42

Eight year old Harrison, and four year old unnamed boy look just the same. As if they were twins.
Elizabeth
2010-08-18 08:42:14

Elizabeth's comment is really on. It looks like the same boy for real.
Randy
2010-08-26 18:48:49

Leslie: I have to love people who cannot see viewpoints/moralities other than their own.

Not everyone is ashamed of their prosperity. Were I "Kaya's" parents, I would be happy to contribute to such a project and thankful for all the glorious things I was able to provide for my daughter. I doubt in the extreme they were not informed about the project thoroughly, as the laws of Japan (and international law for that mater) would easily allow them to sue the creator and win if that were the case. Not a risk a publisher would take, or one such an obviously intelligent and thoughtful photographer would take.

Don't project your first world guilt and belligerence onto others.
Jack
2010-09-04 18:48:43

While this book is aimed at opening the minds of children to consider that their quality of life is not the same for everybody else, the book also illuminates how much a child is influenced by their parents economic status. The child inherited and was born into the economic class of the parent. Besides being a shocking portrayal of the pros and cons of global capitalism, the books also gives insight into different cultures of the world. Definitely a book even someone my age would enjoy reading.
Jasmine Farahat
2010-09-24 02:02:56

Please look at Alex from Rio de Janeiro...he´s so beautiful, but he has such a hard destiny....
fried
2010-10-11 09:55:00

I would have to agree with Jasmine, Jack, Leslie and Ben (etc) as well as Fried. (that young man has an incredible build)

If I can find this book I will purchase it for my daughter. It will be used as a tool for learning when she's older. (currently 18 months old)

I think it would be interesing to make such a book with the subject being chidren who have parents that are divorced but share joint custody. Do a side by side of their rooms that they have at each parents house, and state what each parent does for a career/job/whatever.
I'm not sure if this would work well with many other cultures than the American culture.. It's just an idea.
Katie
2010-10-29 00:31:33

Great idea but I didn't like the choice for the Brazilian Child. It's a shame the stereotyped way this country is seem abroad.
Flavia Yumi Sakai
2010-11-08 17:52:14

love the idea of the book. Pictures said more than 1000 words in each. Felt so sad for the boy in Italy who shares the mattress with his family....
Leslie
2010-11-16 13:03:37

Great idea for the book. It just visualize the truth. So sad for the children that don't have appropriate home to live in.
Martin
2010-12-27 03:08:31

I saw a review of the very same book at "El País" (a newspaper from Spain). To me, this book just shows the lack of parallelism of our societies. For some people this children (should say, their parents) show a stereotypical way of living (stereotype of being rich and the stereotype of being poor?) The boy from Brazil, could be the portrait of another boy from Mexico or Africa. I have a friend that lives in a trailer park in Texas, if you visit her house you won´t believe she is living in the United States of America, well I say this just in case people think that poverty does not exist in US, which is another cliché.

My children saw the pictures with me and both of them said "Kaya is spoiled". I just told them that children are the product/mirror of their parents.
Verónica
2011-01-04 18:30:21

فكرة الكتاب فكرة مسلية وشيقة جداً ، فتحثنا على الفناعة التي لانراها لدى أطفالنا اليوم

My mind around the idea of the book is entertaining and teaches children about the satisfaction and acceptance .. We thank the writer who collected these wonderful pictures to us .. =)
Aisha - Dubai
2011-05-10 12:41:48

I don't like how the only US houses shown are of really wealthy children. It would be nice to see the opposite end of the spectrum too. Believe it or not, not everyone here can afford to live in a skyscraper or mansion... Many live in tiny house with no running water, or even on the streets. Just a thought.
Kristen
2011-10-13 16:46:52

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