We tend to think of the world as a big, scary place for children, but children mostly see it as a big playground with new things to see, hear, touch, and explore. This perspective is a refreshing reminder for adults that the world has not only a lot of good in it but a lot of interesting things that our busy schedules and experiences may have dulled.
Author Tasneem Dariywala explores a child’s perspective of the world using several children and environments in her picture book, The Way You View the World. Below is my review of The Way You View the World followed by an interview with Dairywala about her book and writing.
The Way You View the World plot summary
The Way You View the World explores a child’s perspective of the natural world around them. Told in poetic, four-line, rhyming stanzas, each page focuses on a different child and their interaction with a different environment. The narrator comes off as fascinated by their viewpoints as children of all backgrounds and engage with a different setting.
There’s no actual story, just an idea that is explored in detail over 10 pages. It’s a very gentle book, perfect for bedtime or quick reads for when you’re short on time or have a reader with a short attention span.
The illustrations
The illustrations, also by Dairywala, are very simple and clean. They have very round curves and very straight edges. There are no elaborate backgrounds, keeping the focus on child and the landscape. Her use of pastel colors make it a friendly place to be, one that the children understand and embrace, an idyllic world void of danger and uncertainty.
I particularly love the page of a little boy sitting by his window in his pajamas, staring out at feathers floating by in the night sky. It reminds me of how exciting even the slightest change in a window’s view can be captivating and stop you in your tracks.
The format
As I said, each page features four lines whose second and fourth lines rhyme as they help to explain the image on each spread. The rhymes are strong and make sense to each idea that is being formed on each page.
The image spans across both pages, and the text is placed in a blank area away from the central image. The text is large without taking over the page, and it’s in a clean, simple font that’ easy to read.
The vocabulary may be a little difficult for a new reader. The way that the sentences are formed may also be a little too advanced for a toddler to grasp. But the rhyming nature and the short, to the point phrasing will hold a reader’s attention across its pages. It also sets a calming atmosphere for the end of the day or for a reader just looking for something positive without any drawn out plots or story conflicts.
My recommendation
I recommend The Way You View the World to late pre-school to early grade school children who have a gentle curiosity about their environments. As I said, it’s a great book for bedtime because of its length and content. It’s also perfect for readers who love rhyming books and colorful pictures or those not looking for elaborate plotlines or conflicts.
It’s also a thought-provoking book for adults and a gentle reminder that the world is large and can still be new and exciting, even if we have been in it for a while. Sometimes you just have to get lower to the ground and look up with curious eyes.
An interview with Tasneem Dairywala
About the author
Tasneem Dairywala is the mama of a fabulously huggable toddler. Focusing on themes of resilience, empathy, and kindness, she loves to create worlds full of magic, colour, and warmth. Her passion lies in using the arts as a tool for knowledge and understanding, which is why she founded Art Ignite, a non-profit organization that offers art programs across Toronto.
Tasneem is an OCAD graduate with a major in Drawing and Painting and a minor in English, but most of her education comes from reading books with her four-year-old.
Leaves can tell the time, love is carved in sand, and hope is a jewel. Explore nature’s wonders through the imagination of diverse and creative characters.
How do you see the world? Do you wonder what the bright sun is filled with, if feathers are really stars, or which magic world clouds live in?
In The Way You View the World, a delightful poetry book for children ages 3-5, you’ll explore nature’s mysteries through a child’s eyes. Each page features a different character expressing their thoughts in a rhyming verse. Full of colourful illustrations and simple words, the book will captivate young kids and inspire them to see the world uniquely.
The Way You View the World is perfect for bedtime stories, classroom reading, or anytime fun. It is a book that every child will love and cherish.
This story is about the way that children see the world. What did your surroundings look like growing up? What types of natural environments were you drawn to as a child?
I grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, which is a city with a population of over seventeen million people. When my family moved to Canada, we settled in one of Toronto’s densest neighbourhoods, Flemingdon Park.
Both places were highly urbanized and lacked natural beauty. However, I have vivid memories of walking to school at a slower pace than other children so that I could admire the dandelions that burst through the cracks in the sidewalk or spot squirrels scurrying up tree trunks. I often stumbled over my feet because I didn’t want to look down while walking.
Do you think that children see the world differently because it is newer to them, because they are so much more physically smaller, or do you think it’s something else?
I believe that children are fascinated because of the novelty of the world around them and their ability to be easily delighted. As a child, I remember perceiving Karachi very differently than when I visited again after ten years. Everything appeared more magnificent when I was younger.
Additionally, young children experience the world with a sense of newness. For example, they may forget what snow looks, feels, and tastes like by the summer, so every time winter rolls around, their wonder will renew.
On the other hand, adults may delight in the beauty of a snowfall, but we also think about things like shoveling, changing tires, and walking through slush. Most children can remain carefree in a way that adults can’t, which can make the way they perceive the world quite different from how adults do.
You wrote in your bio that you learned to write books by reading books with your daughter. Which books have most inspired your writing?
My favourite children’s books are the ones that inspire me, even as an adult, to overcome obstacles and find my true self. Some of these books include Dr Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Giles Andreae’s Giraffes Can’t Dance, and Lupita Nyong’o’s Sulwe, which has become my new favourite. The illustrations in these books are truly remarkable, and I am even considering printing some of them to hang on my wall as a constant source of inspiration.
You also illustrated the book. What is your background in art? How did you come up with the style for these particular illustrations?
I graduated from OCAD University with a BFA degree but began my career as an illustrator two years ago without formal training. Each book has been an experiment where I draw whatever comes naturally to me and at my current skill level. With more practice, my illustration style keeps evolving and becoming more detailed and textured.
How early in drafting this book did you decide to make the lines rhyme? Do you have any tips for creating a rhyming book?
I didn’t plan to write a poem, but the first words I wrote came out rhyming. As I continued writing, I could visualize the scenes in my head.
Once I finished the first draft, I made sure that each line had the same number of syllables and that the last words of the second and fourth lines rhymed. I used Rhymezone.com to help me with that. Finally, I hired Jana Broecker, a rhyme and meter editor, to perfect the poem until it was ready to be illustrated and published.
Do you have a favorite page?
I like some pages more than others, but I can’t choose one!
What do you want readers to take away from your book?
For young readers and listeners, I hope that they will enjoy the illustrations and reflect on their own experiences with nature. For adults, I hope this book serves as a reminder to slow down, take a deep breath, and appreciate the beauty surrounding us. Above all, I want this book to be a way for children and their caregivers to bond, whether through the illustrations, the message, or the experience of storytelling while cuddling under a warm blanket!
What’s next for you?
I have written two new books! The first one is about an elf with a sparkly nose who embarks on a journey to find beauty. Along the way, he encounters farting frogs, angry turtles, and thieving chameleons.
The second book is about a dragon who wants to be scary, but her mission is constantly thwarted by silly fairytale creatures who insist on befriending her. I am planning to release both books in the new year.
Author links
Links will open in a new tab.
Also check out Dairywala’s guest post, “Writing Impactful Children’s Stories,” here!
Pin it!
I grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn. When my folks brought me home from the hospital we lived upstairs from the family real estate office. Five years later we moved into a 1st floor apartment in a building my grandmother owned. She even fixed up the celler and turned it into a finished basement for me. MOVE TO FLORIDA…. mommy dearest packed us up and we are now on a plane to Florida where we lived for a year while she filed for a divorce from dear old dad. Then back to Brooklyn where we moved in with gramma on Pennsylvania Ave. Also in the East NY area. Eventualy dear old moms hooked a sucker who need a wife to care for his two children. Hello Sheepshed Bay. that’s pretty much the long and short of it.
What a diverse collection of living spaces. Thanks for sharing!