Sometimes kids feel like they are “different.” But in the children’s book Beautifully Different, author Dana Salim shows how differences make us unique, special, and beautiful. The book shines an optimistic outlook on life, demonstrating that differences are a positive thing rather than a negative one.

The protagonist of the book is Yousuf, a thoughtful and inquisitive little boy. Yousuf tells his dad that some of his classmates are teased because of the way they look, or because they read a lot. Yousuf thinks that if people looked the same and enjoyed the same things, people would be nicer to each other. But Yousuf’s wise father shows him why differences are a blessing, and he teaches a lesson on the importance of differences by playing an Imagination Time Travel Game with his son.

Illustrator Pavel Goldaev’s cartoon-like drawings are cute and colorful. The book has exciting elements, and it is fun to watch Yousuf sail to a tropical island, unlock a gate with a golden key, and discover a field of flowers – flowers that are all beautifully different from one another. Beautifully Different sends a great message.