Together

by George Ella Lyon

An illustrated poem about friendship and togetherness.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens

First published September 1, 1989

About the author

George Ella Lyon is a Kentucky author who has published in many genres, including picture books, poetry, juvenile novels, and articles.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite genres of children’s literature is poetry because it tells great stories in just a few lines. "Together" by George Ella Lyon is a very sweet poetry book about two best friends who work together to carry out all of their dreams. Together the girls build a house, make ice cream, battle fire breathing dragons, and ride across the sun, just to name a few of their dreams. The poem written by Lyon is very simple, rhymes, and each line of the poem is short and concise which is great for young readers. Throughout the story the author repeats “let’s put our heads together and dream the same dream,” which is the main idea behind this poem. I really love this message because friends can do anything and go on many adventures if they use their imaginations together and believe in the same dream.

The illustrations in this poetry book are wonderful and extravagant like many of our dreams. The illustrator Vera Rosenberry uses watercolor and ink to create all of the fun dreams that the two best friends envision. I thought that it was great that each line of the poem was followed by its very own illustration because each line depicts a new dream that the girls have. The illustrations are also very colorful which helps bring the girls dreams to life. One of my favorite scenes in the book is when the two best friends are depicted riding in a chariot being pulled by two white horses across a beautiful sunset sky. What a wonderful dream! I would recommend this poetry book as a read aloud for children from kindergarten to second grade because the words in the poem are very simple and the message is easy to understand. I think that the message in this poem will relate very well to young children who together with their best friends can “dream the same dream” and have many fun adventures.

[Risa · Rating 5 out of 5]

From this book, children are able to learn ways to work with other children and peacefully deal with conflicts that occur. Classroom work such as picking up the toys on the floor, and arranging chairs can be shared among the children. By working together and sharing responsibility, they become reliable and responsible. They do the work with a good attitude. By working and reasoning together, they can come up with ideas that will be beneficial to them.

Learning extensions: The teacher will ask the children to pick up the toys on the floor, and put them in their proper place, while the other children arrange the centers and story books.

[Ose Ndebbio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely poem that could prompt talk about friendship, teamwork and sharing responsibilities. It has great rhythm and a refrain "let's put our heads together and dream the same dream."

The poem works without the use of character names. 'You and I' are the only ways the characters are addressed. It downplays the characters and makes the friendship the focal point of the poem.

The illustrations appear to be more about the activities being carried out in consonance, cooperation and fun ways than about the characters as the reader will notice that the illustrations overshadow the characters.

[Caitlin McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a poem by George Ella Lyon. It is about friendship and doing things together. Throughout the book, the author writes that if you do something, I will do the other thing. For example, the first page says "you cut the timber and I'll build the house". This continues throughout the book, and there are various tasks being accomplished by two friends. There are many rhyming words in this poem, so it could be helpful when teacher younger children how to rhyme or how to write rhyming poems. This book also teachers readers to work together to accomplish amazing things. It teaches students that they can work with each other to complete various tasks. You could use this book to teach children the meaning of friendship, group work, and sharing. The illustrations in this book are colorful and fun, which children will enjoy. There are many different colors and details on each page, along with illustrations of people doing each task together. This book is great for children from preschool through second grade.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was in elementary school in the early 2000's, our librarian read this book to me. Very few books impacted me like this one did. So much so that well over a decade after it was read to me, not that I read it myself at the time, I could still remember the repeated line word for word. Let's put our heads together and dream the same dream. It was such an incredibly powerful line that I would repeat it to myself and use it as a motivation to work together with friends, coworkers, classmates, and my very own students.

[Yesenia MR · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are just two characters and they are two girls, one black and one white. This is a book about team work in the format of saying you do something and I'll do something. It has examples of hard work jobs like building a house to fighting the fire of a dragon. There is a line that is repeated in the book and it is, "Let's put our heads together and dream the same dream."
This book would be a good book to teach about how importance of teamwork.

[Max Gaddis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, sad to say I never found a friend like this

[Ammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of J's favorites.

[Cecile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Carly Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful tale of two girls working together. It's compiled of couplets which describe activities the girls can do as a pair and has an "ab" rhyming pattern. The story starts of with the girls doing unrealistic tasks for children, like building a house and catching a mouse, and then goes into more applicable actions that children can do together, like picking up toys or playing games as a team. The book book goes back and forth between realistic children activities and unrealistic activities. This makes the story exciting and adventurous, while also extremely relatable for children. One line is repeated several times throughout the book, "Let's put our heads together and dream the same dream." (Lyon, pg. 12, 13, 20, 21, 28, 29). It's a sweet reminder that people can work as one to help each other's dreams and aspirations come true. This book would be really good to read to kids because of the rhymes, and the delightful illustrations, but also because it teaches the importance of teamwork and the theme of doing things together.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an older book in rhyme by George Ella Lyon that will be wonderful to share with younger primary-aged students. It has the theme of friendship, learning to work together and help one another. Each couplet gives an idea for cooperation, like “I’ll drive the truck if you’ll fight the fire.” and “I’ll plunk the keys if you’ll be the choir.” And the middle and ending read “Let’s put our heads together and dream the same dream.” The exuberant and celebratory illustrations are wonderful, showing two little girls of two different colors have some fun in all kinds of ways, like making ice cream. .

[Toyin Dabiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

From this book, children are able to work with with friends together without fighting. Classroom work like picking toys and arranging chairs can be shared among the children. They become responsible and reliable when they work together. They should do their work with joy and when they reason together with their friends, they will come out with ideas that will be beneficial to them.

Learning extension: Teacher asks some children to pick all the toys on the floor while others arrange the centers and the books on the shelves.

[Oanh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells about two young girls who work together to carry out all of their dream. This book is describes that two girls do everything together and they can do that better when they do it together, they became responsible and reliable when they work together. I think this book that good for young children. I would like to read this book that make children know about the special friendship and the big imaginations. The colorful illustrations are wonderful and extravagant. The used of watercolor and ink to create all of the fun dreams that two best friends envision.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg. Absolutely lovely. Could be interpreted simply as best friends with big imaginations, but could also be given as a Valentine's Day gift to a sweetheart. I got it from a Little Free Library but I have to keep it for awhile before passing it on.
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Needing to get books out of my house, I reread this several times today. I even considered framing some of the pictures. In the end I have decided to give it to a certain lucky young family that I know.

"Let's get together and dream the same dream!"

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains one poem throughout a few pages. It deals with to girls doing everything together and sharing the same dream. It is filled with illustrations of the girls doing the things implied in the verses. I think this poem is really cute and easy to remember and therefore good for young children to read.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darling rhyming picture book about friendship and imagination. I read this to my preschoolers and we made paper doll garlands afterward. They loved it!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book would be best for younger children. I liked that it was all about a special friendship and big imaginations.

[↜ƈɦǟռ☂ɛℓℓɛ↝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★Together by George Ella Lyon

This children's book uses pairing for it's story telling. If you do this and I do that, we'll work together. It's a nice little journey with teamwork.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole book is one poem that describes how two girls do everything together and that they can do better if they do it together. Great message and nicely illustrated book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated and easy to read, this poetic tale tells the story of two friends who try to share the same dream.