Where it comes to children’s books, they have an understated quiet power but often look at some very big issues and even complex questions, albeit in a gentle and warm way. Identity and cultural diversity are two of those questions that, when handled well, open doors to empathy, curiosity and spark lots of conversations. In a world where identity is often reduced to checkboxes and assumptions, Hey, Where Are You From? By W. T. Farris offers a gentle thoughtful exploration of belonging and identity. The story is told as a discussion between two young boys, where the travels and friendships are not so straightforward as the question.
Hey, Where Are You From? by W. T. Farris is an engaging and refreshing picture book for children age 5+. We live in a multi-cultural world and this book asks one simple question (one that many people are often asked): Hey, Where Are You From? But the question isn’t so easy to answer, as the answer is layered, dynamic and fluid. This is a book that looks gently at the complexities of identity and belonging – is home where the heart is or where you were born?
The story follows a young boy called Max. He has lived in many places around the world. When asked the seemingly simple question, “Hey, Where are you from?”, Max doesn’t have a simple one-word answer. Instead, he takes readers on a journey through the many places he has called home – the jungle, the beach, the mountains, places such as Senegal, Malaysia and France among them, each one leaving a mark on who he is. Through Max’s eyes, we see that home is not just a location, but a feeling, a memory, a connection to people and places that shape us.
Overall, this book is a very interesting look at what a lot of people would consider a very simple question and one that should be easy to answer. For many it might be, but for others in is not so straightforward. And it is so much more that where are you from, it a story of identity and how it formed by experience, relationship and memory rather than by a single place, country or label.
The story follows Max as he recounts a life of movement around the world; the temples of Malaysia, jungles, beaches and remote villages, collecting stories and friendships along the way. The book’s strength lies in the way it asks a simple, but not so straightforward, question, “Where are you from?” and lets the answer unfold as something wonderfully complicated. With its conversational warmth it speaks to children directly without being overbearing or feeling like a textbook, and it leaves room for them to supply their own answers and counter-stories. This is not a book that tells readers who they are; it offers them the vocabulary to tell their own story and where they are from, whether that is just one place or several.
Then there are the illustrations. Marcin Poludniak has crafted beautiful images that work in tandem with the text to show the patchwork nature of home – colourful, expressive and vivid scenes that celebrate cultural details such as textiles, food, landscapes and faces, all while remaining deliberately inclusive rather than leaning on stereotypes. The result is a visually appealing book that sparks questions and recognition in equal measure.
This is a wonderful book that asks one simple question “Hey, where are you from?”, but in today’s multi-cultural, inter-connected world that “simple” question has an abundance of answers, making that question far from simple. It emphasises that we can be from more than one place, that people, relationships and where you feel comfortable are what make places feel like home.
Hey, Where Are You From? is a thoughtful, beautifully crafted picture book that belongs on every young reader’s shelf. It’s takes a look at identity in all its complexity and reminds us that our stories are what truly define us, not where we were born or live. For young readers, this book is not only good to read, it’s an essential one. It nurtures empathy, curiosity and pride in your own roots, making it a perfect read for children, families and classrooms.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £7.99 (Paperback) / £2.20 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here.
