# 13 Is there Really a Human Race

Is there Really a Human Race
Author: Jamie Lee Curtis
Illustrator: Laura Cornell
Publisher: Joann Cotler Books, 2006
30 Pages

Poetry

           I chose this book because I saw that Jamie Lee Curtis was the author and was intrigued. I have heard of celebrities writing childrens literature books, but have never had a chance to look at any of them. When I zeroed in on the title and looked at the boy on the cover wearing running clothes, I knew that it would be a funny story.At the beginning, it looks as if the little boy has heard the term "human race" instead of looking at the term as humanity, he imagines an actual race. He imagines that everyone who is a human is competing against one another to get somewhere faster than the others. He thinks it must start the day a baby is born. He wonders how to prepare and who he will race against. He quizes his mom about who will be on his team and what their prizes will be. Soon he realizes that going places fast is not always the best way to get there. The boys mom explains to him that doing your best and being helpful to others is more important than always winning. The mom tells her son that being a friend and being loving is most important in order to make the world a great place.
          The illustrations in this book look to be watercolor. The colors in this book are very perfect matches for the text and use details and entertaining illustrations of all the different types of people in the world to give the character and reader a more clear understanding of the human race.
           This book would be great for grades 3-6. I think the concepts in this book would be more understandable for higher grade levels who have higher order thinking skills and a more detailed understanding of the human nature and feelings for others. This book would be great for a character development lesson to teach students that what is really important in life is not always being eager to win, but being eager to make the world a better place by helping, loving, and contributing. This book has no awards or honors.