Where Children Sleep

Where Children Sleep documents young people's bedrooms across the globe through photographs and brief biographical profiles. Photographer James Mollison captured images of children aged 4-17 alongside the places where they rest each night. The book presents each child's story through a pair of images - a portrait of the child and a view of their sleeping space. The accompanying text provides context about their daily lives, families, hopes, and living conditions. From large homes in wealthy nations to refugee camps and city streets, the images span multiple continents and socioeconomic circumstances. The project took four years to complete and includes children from diverse cultural backgrounds and living situations. This photographic survey reveals stark disparities in childhood experiences while highlighting universal aspects of youth and rest. The bedroom images serve as windows into larger questions about inequality, privilege, and what children need to thrive.

Readers emphasize the book's effectiveness in teaching children about global living conditions and economic disparities. Many parents and teachers use it to start conversations with kids about privilege and gratitude. Likes: - High-quality photographs that capture details - Side-by-side format showing children and their bedrooms - Brief but informative text accompanies each photo - Works for both adults and children - Promotes empathy and understanding Dislikes: - Some find the price high for a relatively short book - A few readers note the contrasts feel "manipulative" - Some wanted more middle-class representations - Text occasionally contains complex vocabulary for young readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (590+ ratings) "This book opened my child's eyes to how others live," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user writes, "The photos tell powerful stories, though I wish there were more examples from average households."

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📚 James Mollison spent three years traveling to over 50 countries to photograph children's bedrooms for this project. 🌍 The book showcases stark contrasts between privileged and impoverished children, from a boy in China who owns 100 pairs of shoes to a girl in Nepal who shares a modest room with her entire family. 📸 Mollison was inspired to create this book after reflecting on his own childhood bedroom and how it represented his earliest exposure to personal space and material possessions. 🎨 Each child's story in the book is told through two images: a portrait of the child and a photograph of their sleeping space, accompanied by a short biography. 🏆 The book has been used in schools worldwide to teach children about global diversity, economic inequality, and cultural differences in a way that young readers can relate to and understand.