We Are One

by Jackie Azúa Kramer, Raissa Figueroa (Illustrator), Niña Mata (Illustrator)

From an award-winning author, a New York Times bestselling artist, and a Coretta Scott King Honor artist, lyrical text about how we are all one is paired with beautiful illustrations of two girls and their families. If you’re a star, I’m a moon. Together we dream. When we are together, we are one. Two girls―one from a city who lives with her mom, and one who lives by the beach with her dads and brother―come together at a lantern festival in a beautiful story of how we are all one, whether near or far, friend or newcomer. From an award-winning trio, this celebration of community, friendship, and the natural world features poetic, lyrical text paired with a vibrant visual tale of two characters, each illustrated by a different artist.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Inspirational

40 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 2023

About the author

Jackie Azúa Kramer is an award-winning and internationally translated children’s book author. Her picture books include THE GREEN UMBRELLA, 2017 Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year; IF YOU WANT TO FALL ASLEEP; THE BOY AND THE GORILLA, 2021 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner; I WISH YOU KNEW, Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books and Parents’ Magazine Book Club Pick; MILES WON’T SMILE; DOROTHY AND HERBERT: AN ORDINARY COUPLE AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF ART, Junior Library Guild Gold Selection. Her upcoming picture books are MANOLO AND THE UNICORN, WE ARE ONE, EMPANADAS FOR EVERYONE and BOOGIE IN THE BRONX.

Jackie strives to write books that meet children where they are and reflect what children see in the mirror and out of their windows. She lives with her family in Long Island, NY.

Jackie is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and is represented by Stephen Fraser of Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Emily✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are lovely but the text is essentially meaningless.

If you're harmony, I'm a chorus. Together we sing.

If you're a stone, I'm a path. Together we're home.

If you're laughter, I'm a family. Together we love.

Today, forever, when we are together... we are one.

I actually think I'd have enjoyed the book more if it had been entirely wordless.

The idea of having two characters illustrated by different artists is neat. I appreciate that one of the little girls has two dads.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two girls come together at a lantern festival when one girl’s dog runs away. These two girls live very different lives but find that they are alike in many ways. The illustrations shine in this story that reminds us of the joy of friendship and community.

The two illustrators each illustrate one of the girls in the story, but the pages flow so seamlessly that you wouldn’t notice the difference. Each page has a simple lyrical text, but the real story is narrated through the illustrations. The diversity on the pages and the joy on the children’s faces remind all of us that it doesn’t matter our skin color, our backgrounds, where we live, or what we do, we can all find something that brings us together and reminds us that we are all one big community in this world.

[Charessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Two Lions for the eGalley to review!

I loved the message of this story and the art is just beautiful. I truly enjoyed looking at it as well as reading it. However, as much as the book is supposed to show how we are all One with each other in spite of our differences, the only differences I can see between all the people on the pages are skin color, ethnicity, and religion. Not a single character is disabled. While homosexuality is shown, not a single character is gender nonconforming. I get that not every story can have every single identity, but this is the very point of this book so I feel it missed the mark a bit, especially when it comes to having no one visibly disabled.

Regardless, this is a lovely book with a great message.

[Brittnay Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My family adored this book, particularly my toddler. She’s 3. The vibrant illustrations kept her engaged. I have read this book numerous times and what I found difficult while reading to my children was that my youngest didn’t comprehend the actual story. The storyline was too complex for her. She didn’t understand the meaning of the book. She struggled to listen intently as the pages were turned because of the advanced descriptions. The moral of the story was fantastic though. If I hadn’t have had to stop to explain to her what the book was about I would have rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about the coming together of all the people, earth and sky, rivers and trees and ideas we experience everyday and embrace in this book as part of our world and our experience and becomes our experience in a lantern festival.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed from an ARC, courtesy of Publisher Spotlight.

Using short, poetic phrases, this is a celebration of humanity. Kramer's text is broken up into short sentences, starting with one sentence for every two-page spread for the first few pages. When she adds the phrase "Together we play", the text becomes a little more complex in content. This concept of humanity being one is very massive and complicated. The comparisons and analogies are a bit lofty for youngest readers and their meaning may be lost on them without guidance and discussion with an adult.

Lovely illustrations were created digitally by Raissa Figueroa and Niña Mata are bright, bold, and lively. They feature a diverse cast supporting the two girls in the story, one presents as Asian and lives with her mother in the city and the other as Black and lives with her two fathers, not in the city. The two intersect one evening at a public event, where they make paper lanterns together.

Recommended for PreSchool - PreK.

[J.D. Holman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading at the book fair!

The illustrations in this book are very lovely. They are far more important to the story than the text, which could really be ignored. Great for a beginning reader who can just look at the images and make up their own story.

The text is just feel-good mush, done better in books like All Are Welcome.

Content warning: the diversity (racial, family types, cultures) and feelings of being a part of a welcoming community are sure to get this banned in Florida schools, if it hasn't been already.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book with a nice theme of inclusiveness and connectivity which is communicated in an age-appropriate way through lyrical text and vibrant illustrations. The story interweaves two separate girls who eventually meet up through a chance encounter. One girl lives with her mom in the city and one girl lives with her two dads by the beach. It's a nice book to read aloud with a heartwarming ending, and there is a lot to enjoy in the illustrations.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via the publisher. Opinions are my own.

[Selena Ayala · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We Are One" is aimed at children ages 4-8 years, so you could read this to preschoolers all the way up to second graders. The themes within this book are unity amid diversity, inclusion, acceptance, community, and belonging. The books message is about how even though we are all individual, we are all connected to one other. I would use this book in my library because it promotes inclusivity and helps with encouraging empathy. The illustrations are colorful and very detailed helping the readers be engaged.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is essentially a mantra repeated over an over to remind each of us that we aren't as separate as we feel and think we are. We are really one. Reciting it over and over can help get that across.

The artwork is lovely and it's basically this idea. We compliment each other and we are one. I often forget this basic and important idea so it's great to be reminded that we are one. Looking around the world right now, that's a scary thought to have.

[Susan Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that gently guided us on how to be one
It is inclusive in its message and the illustrations. Everyone may be able
To find themselves in this book and feel a part of it

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this lyric and lovely book reminding us that we are all one

I read a digital advanced reader's copy, courtesy of the publisher

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet book emphasizing h0w connected we are to others. These two girls come from different locations but connect together. Lovely illustrations.

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s more than a four. We are one! Yes it’s true.

[Bexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures are gorgeous, there is a lot of diversity, but the writing didn't really work for me. It wasn't bad, it just felt forced in places.

[Bookworm4Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice story about how two young girls see all the ways that they are the same

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are One is an uplifting book about how we are all connected to each other and our environment. The illustrations show the beauty of the world around us and reminds us to appreciate and cherish it.

[Y.Poston]

a beautiful encouragement to remember
we are all connected

[Alexis Abbott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is filled with the joys of growing up and how to navigate life around it. Children should feel connected and validated by this book.

[Sheli · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting tale of unity in our world with bright, engaging illustrations. Great read-aloud.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just bought this at my schools book fair.
A fun book to show kids that there are many differences in this world, but together we can do great things!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story of togetherness. A gift from JHMS PTO.

[elstaffe]

For me, the art (and dialogue between the two artists) was the highlight of this book

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gorgeous combined illustrations by Raissa Figueroa and Nina Mata jumped out at me as soon as I picked up the book. It's fascinating the way the two families are portrayed by the different illustrators and then come together. I don't know how they integrated the two styles so seamlessly but they do so beautifully. The illustrations follow the experiences of two girls getting ready for and traveling to a lantern festival with their families. One girl goes with her mother and dog, the other girl goes with her two dads and brother. The text is a poem about the connections we all share: "You and me and all around us... All that we see, touch, hear ... we are one". Using a variety of different comparisons such as waves and seashells, harmony and chorus, spark and idea, the author shows how despite our differences we can come together to create beautiful things. The two girls and their families meet at the festival where they build and release a lantern together. The imagery is beautiful but abstract enough that some young readers may need some help understanding it. This would be a great book for children to read together with someone.