It features a cast of colourful, mostly animal characters: warthog, zebra, elephant, tiger, and many others.
Right at the beginning, though, it starts with a young girl and a dog, and a boy and a cat. They set the scene with their similar, but not quite the same, clothing and features.
Then we're off into the story proper, which visually tells us about everyday activities (eating breakfast, playing outdoors, going to the dentist, etc).
Repetition (especially of the words 'You are too') and rhyming sentences are used throughout the text. Opposites (hot and cold, quiet and loud) and comparisons (both sleepy, listening, hungry) are used to highlight the ways the characters are the same but different too.
They like to eat the same things for breakfast, but differ in how they drink. Only elephants drink through their trunks! Everyone gets wet when it rains. Some of us find certain tasks easier than others, and we each look different in different ways. A crocodile certainly has more teeth than a human!
The writing of Karl Newson and illustration by Kate Hindley are well matched in The Same But Different Too. Kate's depiction of the characters who are never named, or even really described in Karl's relatively sparse text, bring a level of humour and understanding that is crucial.
Reading The Same But Different Too is also a fun experience. There is lots to look at, and the scenarios depicted incorporate plenty of cute and humourous elements.
One for the whole family to enjoy.
Title: The Same But Different Too
Author: Karl Newson
Illustrator: Kate Hindley
Publisher: Nosy Crow, $ 24.99
Publication Date: July 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781788003995
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture book