"Same Same but Different" by Jenny Kostecki

Same Same but Different was written and illustrated by Jenny Kostecki. Same Same but Different is a multicultural children's story that jumps back and forth between pen pals to show readers that we really aren't so different from one another. The story is about two little boys from two very different worlds that in all actuality are one world. The boys in the story are exchanging letters and drawings with each other because they are pen pals for school. The boys Elliot and Kailash discover that even though they have many differences there are some similarities between their lives.  

This is a wonderful story of a friendship that blossomed between two boys from two very different cultures on opposite sides of the world. The illustrations in Same Same but Diffrent are wonderful and an extremely important part of the story. The story would truely not be the same without the illustrations. Something that is really great about them is they show children two diffrent cultures that they can visually compare. I do not think that the illustrations are an aid to enhance the text but rather the text is there to make the illustrations look good. One of my favorite images from the story was actually the end where the children are in their respected rooms with all the art work of their two worlds on their respective walls. 

The intended interest level for Same Same but Different is for Kindergarten-second grade. However I believe that it can be applied to children of all ages as far as being used in literature and as an aid to show that different doesn't mean less. The genre of this book is contemporary realistic fiction.

Some of the literary devices found in the story Same Same but Different are connotation, metaphors, repetition, and the story is a narrative. I think this story would be an excellent teaching aid for showing students that they too can find similarities in their differences while exposing them to some literary devices. 

Classroom Application:

Critical Thinking Preliminary and Post Reading Questions

• Before teachers begin reading Same Same but diffrent to students they should begin by showing students the cover of the book a long with a few images to get them thinking about what the story might be about.
  Teachers should ask questions about the chosen images to get the students engaged and problem solving. Some question that could be asked include: What do you think this story is going to be about?, Do you think the two boys are friends?, Why do you think one boy is upside down?, What do you think might be diffrent about the two boys, or the same?, Why do you think they are putting letters in the mailbox?, etc.
• After reading Same Same but Diffrent teachers should expand on the reading by asking questions that will get students thinking about the future and what happened in the story. For example: Do you think the boys will be friends forever?, What person view point was the story told in and give an example to defend your response?, What did you like most about the story, or least? etc. 

Demonstrating Cause and Effect

• Why do you think that the boys wrote letters and drew pictures to each other?
• Do you know why the boys buses were different?
• Why did the boys hang each others art work on the wall?
• Why did the boys teachers want them to write and draw pictures to each other?

Character Analysis

• Describe Elliot? 
• Describe Kailash? 
• What do the Elliot and Kailash have in common?

Personal Connections

• Teachers should ask students what things from the story they can relate to their own lives. For example drawing pictures, writing letters, having friends, ridding a school bus, having pets, etc.

Sequencing Skills

• Teachers can expand on student sequencing skills by asking students to draw several pictures about their favorite parts of the story and then having them put their pictures in order of how they occurred in the story. 

Summarizing the Story

• The teacher can call on students to help summarizing what happened in the story they just read. The teacher should ask each student to add to the summary before summarizing herself/himself about what happened in the story. 

Theme

• The teacher should ask students to write down what they think the purpose or theme of the story was. It could have been we are all similar despite our differences, don't discriminate between differences, etc.

Interactive Fun

• I think it would be nice if it is possible for the teacher and a counter part to act out the story of Same Same but Different for the class or create an interactive video that might draw them in and then read the story. I found a video of it being done and it seems like something students would really enjoy and it would give them another visual element to relate back to the story. 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgQbY4fhWWU