Review: Where Kids Go to School Around the World

As we gear up for another school year to start, your kids might be interested in how other kids learn. Whether you have a child who is getting ready to go to school for the first time, you’re adding back to school books to your classroom library or you’re a homeschooler who wants to talk about how other kids do school, Where Kids Go to School Around the World by Stepanka Sekaninova, Helena Harastova and Michaela Bergmannova is a fun read.

The book looks at different types of schools in different places around the world, from an online school that serves kids in remote Australia to a British boarding school, a school for monks in training in India and a school on a boat in Bangladesh to name a few.

In all, 15 schools are highlighted, including a school in a hospital, a Montessori school, a school in a refugee camp and a sports school. Not all of them have locations mentioned but they give kids an idea of how others kids go about their school day.

Each school is illustrated with a scene on a two-page spread surrounded by facts about going to school and activities they do through the day from the point of view of a student. For example the page about a school in Japan talks about how kids help clean the classroom, what they eat for lunch and how they prepare for earthquakes, among other things.

The page about Finland notes they don’t start schooling until age 7, the school day doesn’t start until 9:30 and the kids don’t take tests. Your kids may have some opinions on which would be their favorite place to learn after reading this book!

Where Kids Go to School Around the World gives you a chance to compare and contrast different learning environments, and could lead to having kids talk about or draw what their ideal classroom would look like. You can talk about how some kids aren’t able to go to school because their families can’t afford it, there isn’t one locally or they just aren’t allowed to.

About the book: 36 pages, hardcover, published 2023 by Albatross Media. Suggested retail price $15.99.

Explaining Dia de Los Muertos to kids can be difficult because most of us don’t generally talk about death or what happens when we die a lot with our kids. But Dia de los Muertos is actually a happy, not scary occasion that allows us to remember loved ones, share stories and come together as a community.

While it is mostly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage, the day has become more well known thanks to movies and other media representations. And there are some great children’s books to help explain and allow you to celebrate the holiday if you want.

Dia de Muertos by Jaque Jours, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (48 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by words & pictures, suggested retail price $14.99) tells the story of a family getting their ofrenda (altar for the dead) ready and how they remember people who have died through decorations, food and sharing stories.

It covers the classic decorations and rituals of Dia de los Muertos including using cempasúchil (in English we call them marigolds) and papel picado (cut paper banners), pan de muerto and la catrina, the elaborately dressed, skull faced women that are a common site at Dia de los Muertos gatherings.

The back of the book explores how the day is celebrated throughout Mexico as well as the meanings of different symbols. There’s a recipe for pan de muerto, a tutorial for making papel picado and tips for doing makeup to look like like la catrina/el catrin.

Want to try more traditional foods? The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook is a companion to The Dia de Los Muertos Story, both of which are by Andrea Jáuregui de la Torre and illustrated by Laura González (52 pages, hardcover paper over boards, published 2026 by becker & meyer kids!, suggested retail price $19.99).

The book opens with some discussion of the meaning of Dia de los Muertos and why food is an important part of the day. The recipes included are easy enough for kids to make with minimal help, and all based on food memories from her childhood.

There are recipes for hibiscus iced tea, Mexican corn and salsa, tortillas, molletes (open faced sandwiches with beans and cheese), jicama fries and sugar skulls to name a few.

Other activities in the book include papel picado, coffee filter marigolds, making your own playlist and making an ofrenda.

Together these books give young readers insight into this holiday that might be new or confusing to them, while also giving you a chance to get in the kitchen together and make your own Dia de los Muertos memories.

Have you read?

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