Is There Really a Human Race? by
Jamie Lee Curtis
Clever Book For Thinkers
Is there really a human race?
Is it going on now all over the place?
When did it start?
Who said, Ready, Set, Go?
Did it start on my birthday?
I really must know.
With these questions, our heros imagination is off and running. Is the
human race an obstacle course? Is it a spirit? Does he get his own lane?
Does he get his own coach?
Written with Jamie Lee Curtiss humor and heart and illustrated with Laura
Cornells worldly wit, Is There Really a Human Race? Is all about relishing

the journey and making good choices along the way&#8212because how
we live and how we love is how we learn to make the world a better place,
one small step at a time.
Personal Review: Is There Really a Human Race? by Jamie Lee
Curtis
One of the great things about children is the way they can take words
literally . . . and give us a new perspective on life as we stop to think about
the words we employ for well-understood adult idiomatic expressions. "Is
there really a human race?" might thus be seen as a literal question about
all the racing around that children see around them, as perhaps reinforced
by television shows like The Amazing Race and other reality show
competitions. Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell take that literalness and
turn it into motherly wisdom for a child who's concerned about what it
means to be in so much competition.
As I looked at the second two-page spread in the book, I had to laugh
aloud as I saw the vision of people racing through what looked a lot like
Central Park in New York City while mom and child sit on a park bench. I
have often wondered why New Yorkers walk so fast . . . and now here is a
story that picked up on that.
From there, the child asks mom a series of naive questions about the race:
"Did it start on my birthday?"
"Do I warm up and stretch?"
"If the race is a relay, is Dad on my team?"
"Am I a jockey or am I a horse?"
"Is there pushing and shoving to get to the lead?"
"If the race is unfair; will I succeed?"
"Do some of us lose?"
"What am I winning?"
"And why do I do it, this zillion-yard dash?"
Mom then provides a bit of perspective:
"Sometimes it's better not to go fast. There are beautiful sights to be seen
when you're last."
"Shouldn't it be that you just try your best?"
"Shouldn't it be looking back at the end that you judge your own race by
the help that you lend?"
"So take what's inside of you and make big, hard choices. And for those
who can't speak for themselves, use bold voices."
"And make the world better for the whole human race."

As you can see, the book turns back to the subject of brotherhood without
getting stuck tricky philosophical bases. Instead, brotherhood is just
presented as the way to go. Very nice!
As charming as the words are, the illustrations are critical to this story and
carry it forward much more powerfully than any words alone could do. As
usual, Ms. Cornell gives both panoramic images and tiny details that will
intrigue the most observant young child. As an example of the detailed
humor, the child's backpack has an open package in it. If you look closely
and turn the page, you can see that these are "Nutrition Patches . . . No
Need to Stop and Eat . . . Eat and Run!" Now, even a sober-sided adult
who doesn't like to read to children can appreciate humor like that.
To me, the best aspect of the book is that the story and illustrations open
the doors for a nice discussion between parent (or grandparent) and child.
Too many children's books try to exclude the reader from having a role as
a discussion leader. I would describe this book as being designed to be a
discussion starter. And it's a discussion that is good to have . . . getting
out of the rat race so you can join the human race.
Slow down, make good choices, help others, and enjoy!
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