We Are One: How the World Adds Up

by Susan Hood, Linda Yan (Illustrator)

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts--and unity and connection are most important of all--in a beautifully illustrated counting book with a timely message.

One can be one thing all on its own--one star, one stream, one stick, one stone. But those on their toes, those using their smarts, know one can be more than the sum of its parts.

Consider the two slices of bread that make up one sandwich, or the three lines of poetry that form one haiku, or even the ten years that form one decade. From one to ten, from sandwiches to centuries, every part is necessary to the whole. In this fascinating concept book, a simple rhyming narration aimed at younger children is complemented by informational panels about subjects like the four compass points, the five acts in Shakespeare, the seven colors of a rainbow, or the nine innings in baseball. Award-winning author Susan Hood and debut children's book illustrator Linda Yan offer a mind-expanding look at early math concepts such as part/whole relationships, fractions, and addition--while underlying themes of cooperation, peace, and kindness make this beautiful volume one to be enjoyed by anyone at any age.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Mathematics, Counting, Stem, Childrens, Science

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Susan Hood is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, including Ada's Violin; Lifeboat 12; The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics; Shaking Things Up; Titan and the Wild Boars: The True Cave Rescue of the Thai Soccer Team; and We Are One: How the World Adds Up.

Susan is the recipient of an E. B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book Honor, the Christopher Award, the Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, the Golden Kite Award, and the Bank Street Flora Stieglitz Straus Award, given annually for “a distinguished work of nonfiction that serves as an inspiration to young people.”

COMING IN MARCH, 2022!
Susan's newest book is Alias Anna: A True Story of Outwitting the Nazis. Co-authored with Anna's (a.k.a. Zhanna's) son Greg Dawson, this biography in verse celebrates the life-saving power of the arts.

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting picture book. You can read it with just the rhyming text, or you can stop and peruse the informative footers on each page that go into a little more depth about each concept. The numbers 1 through 10 are related to different things (such as poetry, sandwiches, or baseball). Cute illustrations accompany each concept.

There are lots of resources at the end for kids who want to learn more, along with lists of things that come in twos or fives or nines (and so on). Some of the language in the footer text seems a little advanced, but at least it isn't talking down to kids.

Overall, this is a strong little picture book. It reminds me a bit of titles like Elin Kelsey's You Are Stardust or Jason Gruhl's Everything Is Connected , but with the added bonus of the numbers.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

This introduction to math for young readers explains part/whole relationships, addition, and fractions using examples from real life and bright, colorful illustrations.

The pages of this book are very busy, and it's hard to know where to look. Because the text is a bit of a hodgepodge, the illustrations are similarly random, and it's not easy to tell at a glance what is being expressed by each picture. The yellow borders where tiny supplemental text is printed are distracting and their color, in particular, makes it difficult to focus on either the tiny text or the main part of each page.

I think this is strictly a lap book because it's going to require quite a bit of extra context from an adult to make sense to the kids who are at this level mathematically. I actually think that my kids who have mastered the concepts the book covers would like it, but it would be totally overwhelming to a new learner. From a practical standpoint, the main text is too thin on its own, but the supplemental text on each page is too hard to see, making it sort of impossible to read it aloud while also showing the pictures to an audience.

For a reluctant math student, this book is going to be overwhelming and confusing. For kids who naturally love math, it may be fun to look at, but it's still not enough on its own to teach the concepts it sets out to teach. The cover is appealing, but inside, it's too much of a muddle for me.

I received a finished copy of We Are One from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a counting book that covers some basic mathematical principles that govern our universe. Counting up to ten, each number gets two or three real-life examples that illustrate that number and how it is used in the world. The breadth of topics that are covered in this simple book is amazing - ballet to Shakespeare, geography to the rules of baseball - it’s all in here. There are also a host of sources that a student can use to dive deeper into the topics.

If you, like me, were intrigued by the thought of a mathematical picture book, this may be the one for you. It is a very broad topic for a children’s picture book, the universe. However, the overall message of community and union is like a silver thread throughout the whole piece. The art is unique and ties in perfectly with the whole feel of the book. This would be a great read for a STEM-focused student.

[Deborah]

Love how this book works on so many levels—it can be read as a simple counting book, or more. Footnotes at the bottom of each page take each number a step forward—from the Jewish scholar Hillel and Japanese Haiku to Braille writing—in diverse ways. My favorite is "two vows make one marriage", with its reference to Anthony Kennedy's 2015 opinion, "two people become something greater than they were." :)

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at numbers in our world - and thinking about the number one and its parts!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world is made up of “ones.” You can have one stick, but a bunch of sticks makes one pile. Many other numbers can create one too. Two slices of bread make one sandwich. Seven colours make one rainbow. This picture book explains the way that numbers, and especially the number one, make up the whole world.

This was a fascinating book. The world is made up of the same numbers. Things found in nature and man-made things all consist of numbers. There were examples from around the world, such as Haiku poems from Japan (one poem with three lines) and Shakespeare plays from England (one play with five acts).

The story was told in rhyming lines that were illustrated on the page. Each page also had more in depth details about the history of what was mentioned on the page. For example, it explained how Braille is made up of six dots in different formations to create the language, and how the seasons come from the way the Earth tilts as it circles the sun. These facts could be interesting for some older children who would also like this book.

We Are One is a beautiful and educational picture book!

Thank you Candlewick Press and Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book provides simple rhyming facts about math and the world as a whole. Young children will learn and count the sides of a snowflake, the innings in a baseball game and the number of points on a compass, as well as other equations in life. Older readers will be able to read about the reasoning and history behind the numbers. Bold and fun illustrations pull all this information together.

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a typical count to 10 book for very young children. Though it is designed to appeal to the young child, the thought processes involve more than one apple and add one apple to equal two apples.

It begins with.... "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." ("credited to Aristotle, ancient Greek philosopher.") And then the small print explanatory text gives an example that a pile of sticks built into a campfire is greater as a whole (the fire) than the sum of all the sticks.

So this mind expanding children's book goes on to serve up a variety of informational tidbits along with the math concepts.

A compass always points North and is caused by the Earth's magnetic force draw. A compass has 4 points pointing directions North, East, South, West

For the number 5, we learn that ballet has 5 basic positions

7 is a great number. There are 7 colors in visible light. 7 seas on Earth.

Baseball lovers will love the number 9. Example: 9 players, 9 innings, 9 positions

And 10 is special as numeric systems are on a base of 10. Think, 10 years = a decade; 10 decades = a century; 10 centuries = a millennium. And we often learn to count on our 10 fingers and 10 toes.

Truly an interesting book to read and ponder.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rhyming picture book explains numbers by counting parts of things in the world around us. One campfire has many sticks; a snowflake has six sides; baseball has nine innings. Each spread has a simple rhyme across the tops of the pages, with a paragraph of information in smaller print on the bottoms. Exuberant digital art complements the concepts beautifully, and populates the pages with kids of many skin colors and abilities. There are several pages of source notes (!) and two pages of lists of things by number, counting down from 10 to 1: ten pins in bowling, nine Supreme Court justices, two numerals in a binary number system. For lovers of numbers and numbered lists, this book offers much to think about (and explain!)

My problems with the book: I can’t be sure who the book is targeted for. The simple rhyming lines at the tops of pages mostly give examples kids will understand, such as one sandwich is comprised of two slices of bread, but there are other examples which will not mean much to young kids, such as “Five acts tell the story of one Shakespeare play.” There’s so much to explain here! I think that the book would find broader appeal with more relatable examples. How about the five points on a star instead? I also think that the paragraphs of information at the page bottoms could have been rephrased in simpler language.

[Eve Costarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could say I had a favorite new book, then this would be it! I find this book truly fascinating and endearing. It makes me feel whole! The simple rhymes flow comfortably through the sweet meanings of what it means to be one part of a whole-that a whole is singular but when dissected it is made up of many parts. You are a sum of all your parts, a community is a sum of all its parts, the universe is a sum of everything. This makes me feel larger than life! This is a philosophy book for the very young but can be enjoyed by all ages. I adore the added facts that just enrich the knowledge and will fascinate children as they grow and will lead to them asking more and more questions. This book is a gem! One is one, yet one is many, many many. The illustrations are adorable and the last few pages just made my heart grow bigger and bigger. We are one! This book is a giver, a keeper. Buy it today..buy two because you will not want to give up your copy.

[Diane D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book accomplishes an important thing -- how does "one" fit into the bigger picture. Using understandable terms and concepts small children will learn that although they may be small, they are an important part of everything around us. The book's message "we are one" - but, one is a part of everything. From Ten to One the author demonstrates example of "one" being a part of something greater - For example: Ten pins in bowling, Nine Supreme Court Justices, Eight Limbs on an Octopus, Seven Days of the week etc..

The book can be read as rhyme with additional details for a more in depth conversation on each page. This book with its lovely illustrations is beautiful and important in helping little ones understand just how important they are to everything else in the world. Highly recommended.

Thanks go to Candlewick Press for providing me with these lovely books in exchange for my unbiased re

[Byron Bibliotherapy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan Hood explores such interesting topics in her nonfiction picture books! This one is no exception, with a clever premise of a counting book to ten, which relates all the numbers back to one, or a whole. I love the rhyming text, and I imagine it would work well as a read-aloud, leaving plenty of time for the audience to savour the words and rhythm, and also to ponder the meaning. I wouldn't read the factual footnotes, unless an inquisitive child asked about them, but I like having them there for context and to see the story behind the story, and Hood's inspiration for the text. Linda Yan's illustrations are gorgeous and vibrant.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Counting book about where the numbers 1 through 10 appear to make different kinds of wholes.

This is more of a #unitchat book than a counting book (one-to-one correspondence in the illustrations is impossible in some cases, for example). But I think it's really compelling in the #unitchat sense, in really exploring the idea of something being made up exactly of smaller things but that sometimes the whole is more meaningful. ("greater than the sum of its parts" leads off the book.)

And I liked that the book has layers. You can read just the main text, which would work well for younger kids, but there's more information in smaller text at the bottom of most pages.

[Hannah Wilbiks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that comes with bonus thinking questions and points to ponder is always a favourite in our home!

The rhyming phrases throughout the storybook mean it can be a fairly quick and enjoyable read, but the imagery gives so so much to look at – perfect for little curious minds, and then with the additional facts at the bottom of each page give parent and child extra rabbit holes to dig into – perfect for some child and book led learning.

The ‘More About How the World Adds Up’ at the back of the book is a super fun (and sneaky math!) addition to the book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you broke the world up into various numbers, and then put it all back together, this is kind of the book you would get. The author and illustrator break various "wholes" into different numbers of parts, but everything comes back together to create one world and one place. As a read aloud, one could just read the rhyming text at the top; as a deeper exploration, one could read the extra bits at the bottom; and then there are further notes in the back that offer even more broken bits and wholes.

Interesting.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork by Linda Yan is the real star in this book that counts from one to ten. There are fascinating facts for adults at the bottom of each page.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different kind of counting book that talks about things that naturally come in the various numbers.

The numerals aren't used -- just the number words. This isn't really a counting book for the youngest little ones. It takes a slightly older child to understand some of the examples -- like the 6 locations for bumps that make up a Braille character.

The back matter has more things for each number.

[Yuki (Le’a) Fujisawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has such a beautiful drawing every single one page and brought me tons of joy by flipping page by page. They also shows some cool things in the book from this world and under the story on bottom of that page, they got little history on every single things and writing story about it. I think this is one of the great material for child to learn something cool in this world and write about it.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Are One: How the World Adds Up. Susan Hood. Illus. by Linda Yan. (2021). Candlewick.
The rhyming text of this one-to-ten counting book with additional prose text along the bottom of the pages expands on the concept that “one can be more than the sum of its parts.” For example, there are five acts of a Shakespeare play and eight sides to a STOP sign. The text circles back to the reminder that in the world “we are one!” (PreK Up).

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming and unique counting book with remarkable tidbits of information about a variety of topics. From the five basic ballet positions and five acts of a Shakespeare play to the modern day seven seas and the number of years in a decade, Hood and Yan cite different representations of the numbers 1 to 10.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unique book introduces the concept of parts and wholes, while counting from one to ten. Rhyming couplets and cartoon-style illustrations keep the tone upbeat, and prose at the bottom of the page provides additional detail and context for curious readers. A wonderful read-aloud for inspiring wonder.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and a uniquely arranged counting book with a rhyming story and footnotes on each page. My suggestion would be to read through just the rhyming story first, then go back for a second read through and include the footnotes. That way you can hear how the lovely rhyme flows, and then also learn from the footnotes.

Illustrations were created digitally.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hood takes readers through the numbers from one to ten with information about life. She starts with one person and moves through various parts of our world - four seasons, seven seas, etc. The rhyming text offers a taste of information with further informative text written at the bottom of each page in a smaller font.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting look at the different ways numbers, pieces of a whole, mathematical concepts, play out in the real world. I love the variety of things included and the footnote portions that teach you more about everything from baseball positions to the origins of a sandwich, to ballet positions and Shakespeare plays. The illustrations are bright and charming and inclusive too.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully inventive concept book introdcuing one to ten through such subjects as sandwiches, the four compass points, the five acts in Shakespeare, the seven colors of a rainbow, and the nine innings in baseball, and explainning how every part is necessary to the whole. The simple rhyming narrative is complemented by engaging informational panels.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

For: readers looking for a sweet picture book that introduces basic math facts and gives fun trivia throughout.

Possible red flags: some readers may not enjoy the lyrical text paired with the trivia footnotes.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. The artwork is stunning and the idea is so empowering, yet not overly-done. Kids will get a positive message while also learning many new facts about numbers and how they fit together. This will be one kids will want to go to again and again!

[Johannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cool premise. Simple poem with lots of awesome facts at the bottom of each page. Love the numeracy. I think overall it’s a little too complex for grade 2. Maybe kinda cool to start the year with. Read one number each day.

[Eli Casteel · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as kids' books go, it does a fun job of introducing numbers and ideas related to numbers. I especially enjoyed the notes at the bottom of each of the pages. The notes add a lot of meat to this short-colorful book.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.