We Go Slow

by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, Aaron Becker (Illustrator)

A walk through their bustling city neighborhood brings a girl and her grandfather closer together in this gentle, contemplative picture book celebrating the everyday wonder of slowing down and appreciating our surroundings.

A child and her grandfather step out of their brownstone and take a walk around their lively city. Together, they practice looking closely. They delight in the world that they see, taste, touch, feel, and hear. Whether learning a yellow bird’s song, tasting a street vendor’s mango slices, or listening to the thumping music from passing cars, they find small wonders in every moment they share—and together, always, they go slow.

Simple yet poetic, We Go Slow is a breathtaking invitation to everyday wonder from acclaimed picture book creators Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and Aaron Becker.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Urban, Poetry

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 26, 2025

About the author

Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie is the author of Strut (Agape Editions), Dear Continuum: Letters to a Poet Crafting Liberation (Grand Concourse Press) and Karma’s Footsteps (Flipped Eye Publishing). She served as Poetry Editor of African Voices from 2013 to 2017. Her work has been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Tallie is the subject of a short film “I Leave My Colors Everywhere.” Tallie earned an MFA from Mills College. She’s currently a Ph.D. student at Brown University.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a joy. As a walker, I try, oh-how-I-try to look and really see the wonders of every day around me as I go. But I have to face facts. Most days I’m running for the train, hurrying to get here or there on time, and racing to get home at the end of the day. We Go Slow is a beautiful reminder to slooooow down. Stop, look, listen, and appreciate the view. The wonder is there. We just have to slow down to see it. I know, I know this is all easier said than done. Start with this book though. Sit, look, and read.

“We go slow, admire a squiggly rainbow on the sidewalk below & wonder if sneakers like their new view from up high.”

Art and words share the page here with stunning results. I read the words silently and then repeated them right out loud. They’re that beautiful! And the illustrations are full of light and color that urge you to look again and again. Like the sunflowers! Or the “thump, thump, thumping” yellow car. Both images are hard to turn away from. My favorite page though? The sneakers. Come see for yourself. This book is something special.

HIGHLY recommended.

[Sarah BT]

Once again, Aaron Beckers illustrations are the star. The use of color to express the calm, slow of the day is beautiful.

[Theodore Rodin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a little harder sell because it's not funny. But my five year old warmed up quickly. It's about not rushing, taking your time and appreciating the little things. At the end he told me "dad, you go slow, too." I was very pleased.

[Maxime Hendrikse Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rushing into the bookstore today, I didn't realize how much I've been pushing my way through life. Then I sat down to read this book. I ended up reading it twice, going slow, savoring the language and the illustrations. Walking home with a copy, I found the world opening up — I felt the earth beneath my feet, heard the distant conversations of people passing by, looked up and appreciated the way the sunlight illuminated the sides of buildings I'd rushed past earlier. I breathed, and felt alive.

Reading this book brought back warm memories of my time with family, and hopes for the family I someday would like to have. It's a window into how I want to see the world, always.

Highly recommended for any age, We Go Slow is a love letter to the world and all the people we're fortunate to share it with — a love letter that invites you to sign your name at the bottom.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl and her grandfather go for a walk through their city neighborhood in this lovely picture book from author Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and illustrator Aaron Becker. Taking their time, they witness the world around them in all its light-infused glory, listening to a yellow bird's song, meeting a new neighbor, seeing a sunflower unfold, and drinking a cop of chai together. Eventually, as evening comes, the pair head home on the subway, bringing to a close an afternoon of going slow and truly appreciating the life around them...

Published last year (2025), We Go Slow is the second book I have read from Tallie and the twelfth from Becker. I've had it on request at the library for some months, waiting for their copy to arrive and be processed. I'm glad to have finally had the chance to page through these scenes, going slow and appreciating the simple but poetic text and the gorgeous visuals. Author and illustrator capture the beauty of the urban landscape, discovering its element of peace—sometimes difficult to find in such a busy place—and depicting the loving relationship between grandfather and granddaughter. Projects like this always remind me a bit of the poetry of William Carlos Williams, who was also known to find beauty in urban scenes that others might eschew, aesthetically speaking. Recommended to picture book audiences looking for stories featuring the grandparent-grandchild bond, urban landscapes, and/or finding beauty and peace by going slow.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my eyes this is a gem worthy of a Caldecott medal. Both text and illustrations are a laid back walk through an urban area with a grandparent. Anytime spent with a grandparent is valuable and memorable.
The colors of the illustrations achieved by using watercolors and colored pencil are stunning and yes this illustrator has a great feel for light and how to bring it life on the page. Share this title with the children in your life, put down the screens, take a walk and focus on what beautiful interesting things are in your community. What an inspiring title for the youngest and oldest of all of us.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

We Go Slow is just a beautiful book about celebrating all the little things in the day and appreciating life as it is. The illustrations are wispy and beautiful and I love that this book focuses on urban life as often the beautiful of a big city is overlooked. Just a wonderful book to share with your grandparents or grandkids to help them appreciate things on the slower end.

[Victoria Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soft muted colors reminiscent of fall and a sweet walk with Grandpa. The luxuriousness of stopping often. It's the last page — now how do you feel?

Many of you will not read this, so let me let you in on a line:
"Hand in hand, we follow the fading light. It has another place to go."
Beautiful, right?

Thanks to the publisher for the F&G of this gorgeous book.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of those picture books that was written to win awards, not be good for children. The art is beautiful and captivating to an adult. But the story is, respectfully, dumb and the words have 0 flow at all to them. I nearly stopped reading it because my kid couldn't care less.

Stop writing books for adults and putting them in the kids section!!!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about taking the time to appreciate what is around you. A young person and their grandfather take a walk through their neighborhood, savoring the experience. The words match the theme, and are poetic and meditative. Becker's illustrations are soft, and alternate between pulling outward to show the full bustling scenes and zooming inward to focus on the small meaningful connections.

[ashin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous picture book with the most beautiful and calming art style — really appreciated the message in this picture book especially as someone who’s always rushing and busy and forgets to take in the beauty of the world.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author captures the slow pace for this grandfather and child as they move through their day. Readers see them enjoy activities around them and still take their time to explore and be together. The soft focused illustrations add to the theme.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
In a fast-paced, chaotic world where everyone seems to be always in a hurry, this is a beautiful reminder of the power of slowing down and being present. I feel like it's an art form that is being lost in our current generation.

[Ellen L. Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and illustrated by Aaron Becker, We Go Slow celebrates the wonders we can see, hear, feel, taste, and appreciate when we go slow! A perfect book to share with children!

[Breanne Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is gentle and poetic picture book that celebrates mindfulness, connection and the beauty of what you can see and what happens when you slow down in a busy world. It brought me back to taking walks with my grandfather and was beautiful.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

F&G: a cozy reminder to slow down and really look around.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child and her grandfather take time to walk and explore their neighborhood and all the wonders it brings.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

the kind of illustrations that remind you that picture books can be works of art.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemplative, quiet with soft artwork

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic language and beautiful illustrations! A reminder to take a moment and look at the world around you.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustration are everything! The poem is sweet and ask us to slow down and notice things in the city. But the images are really what make this book so good.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to encourage people to take the day slow.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six. I give this one a six. Six stars for a slow-paced saunter surrounded by serenity.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very beautiful story about family togetherness.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful and poetic

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really lovely.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly here for the city illustrations. All the moments of this feel very real, too.

[Gabriel Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that reminds you that there is value to soaking up the world around you.

[Ashley Ewert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good mantra for the new year to slow down!

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

A child takes a walk with her grandfather enjoying the sights and sounds of the city through the day.