من یک انسانم

I Am...

by Susan Verde, غزال موسوی (translator)

من انسانم
ولی انسان بودن یعنی این که
من کامل نیستم
و اشتباه می‌کنم

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship, Emotion, Mental Health, Storytime

32 pages, Unknown Binding

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Susan Verde is a New York Times bestselling children’s author, children’s yoga and mindfulness expert, former teacher, and parent. By 2022 she will have more than 20 picture books in the marketplace. She is a highly sought after speaker at conferences, festivals, and schools across the nation, and spends half the year on the road working with children and families. Verde is a frequent contributor to online magazines and has appeared on multiple podcasts speaking about writing, parenting, mindfulness, and yoga. She lives in East Hampton, New York.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beginning book about what it is to be unique among billions and to learn to have hurt feelings and have empathy and forgiveness so we can all get along. I like Susan Verde and her work and I like books like this. They aren’t the most exciting and they are about important things. I love the artwork and the colorfulness of the book. I am a fan.

The nephew thought this was ok and he gave it 3 stars and the niece enjoyed this more and she gave it 4 stars. It didn’t blow either of them away.

Susan didn’t hide the message in a story and I think that would make it more exciting for kids, but it’s a great story before bed in my opinion.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

First sentence: I am Human. I am always learning. I'm finding my way and choosing my path on this incredible journey. I have BIG dreams. I see possibility. I have endless curiosity. I make discoveries. I have a feeling of wonder. I am amazed by nature. I have a playful side. I find joy in friendships. I am Human.

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get.

What does it mean to be human? That is the question tackled in Susan Verde's newest picture book. It is very much a message-driven book. When a book's message is especially well-received, readers--critics--praise it. Otherwise message-driven books are called didactic.

The book is a good reminder that all books--even picture books--have a world view.

My thoughts: If I could unread the author's note, I might have a more open mind. But I can't. The author's note is a "guided meditation." Will children read the author's note? Will parents? Will teachers? How important is the author's note to the text as a whole? I can't answer all those questions. Obviously.

I was bothered by the capital H. This may or may not be Significant to the Message. I'm assuming it is. On the one hand, I suppose "Human" could be the proper name of narrator. There is no hidden-meaning or significance. On the other hand, it could be making a statement--spiritual, psychological, or philosophical.

I admit this could be an overreaction but. It felt like humanity was being elevated to deity, to God. I am Human. I am the Center of the Universe. I answer to no higher power. I define my own meaning; I make my own place in the universe. I am who I say I am. The book screams humanism. I read an article on humanistic psychology and it captured the message of the book perfectly.

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

[Rita Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful reminder of what is important! Thankful for children’s book authors and the messages they ensure our young people hear!

[Andrew “The Weirdling” Glos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is meant to be a deeply moving and to help its readers come to a deeper understanding of themselves as humans, what it means to be human, and the ways in which humans are ultimately the same in spite of our differences. In addition, it also seeks to encourage our feeling of connectedness to the world and the greater cosmos.

I fully enjoyed the pictorial dimension of the book. It is engaging and beautiful. It is in no way life altering, radical, groundbreaking, or transformative. However, not every children's book needs to be. The images match the wording, embody the message and tone of the writing, and my children liked looking at them. They did their job well.

Personally, the writing of Susan Verde's book that did not do anything for me. I get the message the book is trying to deliver. Regardless of whether or not I "approve" of the message, I think the writing is wooden, stilted, and not at pretty or as deep as it pretends to be. At best it comes off as didactic and lecturing. At worst, it gives the book a nearly arrogant tone, in spite of the fact that it is trying to deliver a message which is very much the opposite of that. That gives the reading an almost lopsided or even contradictory feelings.

On a more personal note, I am not the biggest fan of books which suggest the beauty and perfect of all things. The field of children's literature is replete with these sorts of books. Once in a while they are nice and serve a purpose. However, one of the many purposes of literature is to teach. What concerns me about these books is that they suggest the world is perfect, we are perfect, and all things are well. I don't mind a book that says the world "should" be that way. It should. I do mind books that suggest the world is this way. It is not. For this reason, I prefer reading books to my kids that have an evil witch or a Lord Voldemort in them. The world is full of dragons and I think it is unhelpful to suggest otherwise.

That last bit is just a personal pet peeve of mine and I don't detract stars from books for failing to meet my own personal mores. I gave this book three stars primarily because of that didactic (possibly arrogant) tone I mentioned earlier.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Am Human: A Book of Empathy is a children's picture book written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, which tells a story about the importance of empathy and celebrates it with vivid metaphors and beautiful illustrations. This is a third in the Wellness series following I Am Yoga and I Am Peace.

Verde's text is rather simple, straightforward, beautiful, and soothing. It is a story about a boy who is striving to be the best human he could be in an imperfect world run by imperfect humans. Reynolds' illustrations are wonderful, beautiful and reminiscent of watercolor paintings and depict the text exceptionally well.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward and has a soothing aspect. A boy is striving to be the best person he could be. He will make mistakes, but through empathy and compassion, he learns from them and ventures on.

All in all, I Am Human: A Book of Empathy is a wonderful children's book celebrating empathy and compassion that lifts up flaws of humanity – that it's alright to make mistakes and encourage readers to see themselves as one big (imperfect) family.

[Bel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think what I love the most about Susan Verde’s books (apart from her wonderful ongoing collaboration with Peter H Reynolds) is her ability to take something hugely complicated (Peace, being Human etc) and creating the most wonderfully simple and yet deep stories that resonate with small kids and adults alike.

I am Human made me cry. Very time I read it I cry. And in a good way. So many grown ups need to read this book. And then take the time to complete the meditation at the end.

This is an important book. Read it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. If I were rich, I would buy copies and distribute them.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book of affirmations, rather than a story. The Author's Note in the back describes "a loving-kindness meditation" and claims "studies have found that this practice has many positive psychological and physiological benefits." While this may be true of adults, these are still abstract ideas to children without much context to help interpret them, let alone apply them to real life. I believe it is more beneficial to teach empathy through an engaging fictional story and encourage actual acts of kindness rather than chanting dictums, however true they are. This feels to me like one of those children's books that is targeted more to adults than children.

[JoEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

‪Love the continued collaboration between @susanverde and @peterhreynolds. #IAmHuman A Book of Empathy is another gift for learners of all ages! Great message found on every page. So many opportunities for discussion: morning meetings, choices, meditation and more. Bonus message in author’s notes.

[Yoo Kyung Sung · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was not as powerful as Raynolds' other books.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. PICTURE BOOK. Abrams, 2018. $15. 9781419731655

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL.

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This meditation on what it means to be humans begins by listing some of bright parts about being alive. The book then moves to some of the hard parts of being human and the ways in which we make mistakes and are fallible. The final pages list the ways in which we improve and can make efforts to reach out to others on this journey.

This is a thoughtful and poetic book that would be a lovely addition to a unit on kindness or mindset. The illustrations depict a child of color as the main focus, although problematically his skin is lighter in the book than on the cover. I wasn’t especially moved by this book, but it does include important appeals for readers to be empathic with others.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the Kid Lit Exchange for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

I AM HUMAN follows Susan Verde/Peter H. Reynolds previous books I AM YOGA and I AM PEACE. This series continues to teach kids life skills and concepts that will serve them well.

This one emphasizes that being human means you have a life of endless wonder and creativity ahead of you. You will make mistakes. But you will find your own way.

Books about kindness and empathy are evolving and introducing even more complex ideas for children. One that struck me in I AM HUMAN is, "I can hurt others with my words, my actions, and even my silence." This is an idea that many of us are just waking up to in 2018. I'm so glad kids have a resource for learning this much earlier in life than I did.

This is a must-have book for all families and classrooms!

[Gary Anderson]

This 2018 picture book focuses on the traits that all human share: uniqueness, curiosity, fear, hope, the ability to make choices, and more. The playful illustrations focus on one child who grows and experiences all of these things and dreams of the possibilities available in his life. Readers are led to empathize with this child and then extrapolate that empathy to others and to themselves. The language is fairly simple, especially at the beginning, but some potentially challenging vocabulary appears in the second half (compassion, equality, for example). The author’s note seems geared to older readers as it provides a guide to practicing a loving-kindness mediation.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rare case where the author's note really didn't add anything for me. Then I did a little bit of research and discovered that Verde has written other books about meditation and yoga, some of them with Peter Reynolds. There is something about the illustrations that really resonates with me, from examining each face on the cover to the wonderful way Reynolds captures expressions. Perhaps my favorite message from this is that we all make mistakes, but we have the chance to do better.

I found it interesting that the book is dedicated to Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue.

[Julie Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book from this winning team. As with the others, this is a beautiful book with its mix of words and pictures. It reminds us that we are all human and we make mistakes but that we also learn an adapt. Gorgeous.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful companion to I Am Human and I Am Yoga that focuses on cultivating empathy.

[Heidi Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this illustrator SO MUCH

[Beth Honeycutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good reminder in the middle of the week on a cold, snowy day!

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this would be over my (almost) four year old’s head, but she was so intrigued and asked great questions, and the message is beautiful.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our daughter received this book for her birthday and it is lovely. We really enjoyed this.

[Mim_farahani · Rating 3 out of 5]

از این کتاب شعاری‌ها که قصه ندارن ولی قشنگن.
ولی تکراری هم هستن!

[Amy Brydon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book for the younger years to start thinking more about themselves, their feelings and their actions towards others! Simple language and beautiful illustrations.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young man meditates on what it means to be human.

This book is an exploration of human experience. "I am Human. One of billions but unique." It is relentlessly positive in its focus. Even the more negative aspects of life are framed by conscious choices in how to respond to mitigate the negative outcome. The Author's Note sums it up better than I can: "I Am Human is the story of what it means to be a human being as both an individual and without our worldwide human community. As humans, we make mistakes, but that also means we have the ability to choose how we respond to our mistakes. We can learn from them and change. We can be kind to one another even when it is difficult. WE can choose love and compassion and celebrate the 'human-ness' in all of us."

My favorite part was "Being human means I am not perfect. I make mistakes. I can hurt others ... I can be hurt, too."

This is a great book to share with small children to help them develop empathy towards their fellow human beings as well as compassion for themselves.

[Jo-ann Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner
Thank you @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. I AM HUMAN was released in October, 2018. After recently reading I AM PEACE with my class, I was anxious to read this book.
I adore the collaborations between Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds, and this book did not disappoint! These books fit in perfectly with my Open Circle curriculum.
As humans, we learn, we dream, we wonder… and we can also make mistakes. We learn that sometimes we hurt others, but we can also make better choices, move forward, and act with kindness and compassion! We can each try to be the best versions of ourselves!
This is an excellent book for helping children see that they can make good choices and show empathy to others. It is also good to show them that it is okay to make a mistake and not be perfect, because that is part of being human. We learn from our mistakes, and we are not alone!
This an excellent book with an important, positive message. I highly recommend it for children (and adults) of all ages!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a human in today's world offers many delightful moments, but it also offers challenges. This picture book provides an honest look at both sides of the human experience and offers ways in which to make up for the mistakes we all make. Trying to treat others fairly and apologizing when we have done something to hurt someone are good ways to become a more caring, thoughtful person. Created with ink, gouache, watercolor, and tea, the images complement the text nicely and offer suggestions for making life more meaningful and ourselves more empathetic. The back matter provides readers with phrases to repeat in order to become more mindful and more aware of themselves and others. Classroom teachers and caregivers might want to encourage their youngsters to start the day with a loving-kindness meditation similar to the one provided here. Doing so is likely to calm some emotions and allow them to focus more carefully on the tasks at hand while also feeling better about themselves.

[Cara LoPresti · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. This book has not won any awards
2. This book is appropriate for PreK-1st grade
3. This book bring readers on a journey with the main character through self-discovery. He is finding ways that he is connected with the people around him and he is figuring out what upsets him and what makes him happy. He uses the way that he feels to understand how others feel and how he should treat them.
4. This book is very calming and familiar to children. It also contains yoga instructions in the back which is super cool and fun!
5. This book can be used in the classroom to teach children that they way they act affects others in ways that they may not understand. It teaches them what empathy is and how it surrounds them every day. It can also be used in order to teach children about emotions. If children are able to become aware of the different types of emotions and what they mean, then they can better understand others, as well as themselves.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more of these types of books today, in our world that seems lacking on compassion or empathy... The third in a group, this title joins "I Am Yoga" and "I Am Peace" for a bit of calm and introspection.

In 32 pages, Susan Verde declares what it means to "be human". Told from the viewpoint of a young child, he shows many things that makes one human: to err, to be hurt, to be filled with wonder and curiosity, to be willing to try something... Her spare text is nicely matched with the ink, gouache, watercolor and tea illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds. They are colorful, cheery and leap off the page with the text. Verde includes an author's note that offers a brief meditation.

I love that Peter H. Reynolds dedication is to Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue.

Highly recommended for PreSchool - grade 5.

[Brianna Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Kindergarten-2nd grade
-This book focuses on various aspects of being human and shows that we all have similar qualities and feelings. Children are able to see that the power that simple things we say and do can have a large impact on others whether it be good or bad.
-This book is fantastic for showing children that they are one part of a large universe of people. everyone is similar in some way and children are able to get an understanding of that through this book.
-This book can be used when talking about the world, empathy, and simply being human. It can also be used in a guidance counselor's office.

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Human a book about Empathy by Susan Verde. When I read this book to my children last night, my oldest said "He liked the book because it made him feel better when his friends say thank you and sorry to him. He realized that is ok to make mistakes because we are humans" and that made me smile.
A teacher can use this book to shows the children how good is to be connected with others and all the good things that a human can do and feel. Everyone feels sad sometimes or maybe makes bad choices sometimes. But we can always start to make good choices and turn things around. And it celebrates being human.
This book is written in English.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade

Verde tackles another big issue in her series (I Am Peace, I Am Love). All three together would make an excellent SEL unit for all K-2 classrooms. While this book will benefit from further discussion and classroom activities, there's nothing that pops, especially compared to other books that discuss empathy (Words and Your Heart by Neal, Be Kind by Miller, and Life by Rylant). Still a valuable contribution to youth literature.