All summer I’ll be sharing books for kids of all ages on topics that will interest them or offer them a new interest to learn about. Most of the time these will be nonfiction books, but sometimes we can learn from fictional stories too. I frequently learn from books sent during a historical period because usually the fictional story is based on real events.
So, I hope you will stay tuned to these posts. They will always have Summer Read-to-Learn in the title and in the tags. There will be books from some of my favorite publishers like National Geographic, Phaidon, Chronicle Kids, Prestel, and many others.
To see all the posts from my Summer Read-to-Learn series, click HERE.
WE ARE ONE
By: Jackie Azua Kramer
Illustrated by: Raissa Figueroa and Niña Mata
Published: May 16, 2023
Publisher: Two Lions
Fiction
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.
Jackie Azúa Kramer is the author of many books, including The Boy and the Gorilla, illustrated by Cindy Derby; I Wish You Knew, illustrated by Magdalena Mora; and The Green Umbrella, illustrated by Maral Sassouni. Her books have been named a Best of the Best Book by the Chicago Public Library and to Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year list. Jackie lives with her family in New York. Visit her at www.jackieazuakramer.com.
Niña Mata has illustrated many children’s books, including New York Times bestsellers She’s Got This by Laurie Hernandez and I Promise by LeBron James, and the Ty’s Travels series by Kelly Starling Lyons, for which she became a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award honoree. Niña lives in New Jersey with her family. Find her online at www.ninamata.com.
Raissa Figueroa is the illustrator of a number of children’s books, including We Wait for the Sun by Katie McCabe and Dovey Roundtree, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; as well as the Oona series, written by Kelly DiPucchio; and Princess Unlimited by Jacob Sager Weinstein. She lives in California. You can visit her at www.rizzyfig.com.
To purchase a copy of WE ARE ONE, click the photo below:
Other posts you might like:
Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Children's books, Diversity, fiction, Jackie Azúa Kramer, Niña Mata, Raissa Figueroa, Summer Read-to-Learn