I Am One: A Book of Action

by Susan Verde, Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

Overview

New York Times bestselling author and illustrator!
Companion to I Am Love and I Am Peace
“Attractive . . . makes complex ideas simple and opens doors for optimistic discussion.” ―School Library Journal

Discover the power of activism in this companion to New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love!

“How do I make a difference? It seems like a tall order for one so small. But beautiful things start with just one.” One seed to start a garden, one note to start a melody, one brick to start breaking down walls: Every movement and moment of change starts with purpose, with intention, with one. With me. With you.

On the first page, the main character asks a beautiful bird, “How do I make a difference?” They doubt their ability to make a difference because they are “so small.” However, when the bird gives them a seed, they realize that “beautiful things start with just One.” They can plant a seed and start a garden! They can also start a journey, paint a masterpiece, compose a melody, and break down walls. All these actions start with “one” thing: a first step, a first stroke of paint, a first musical note, and a first brick.

Here is a powerful call to action for young children, encouraging them to raise their voice, extend a hand, and take that one first step to starting something beautiful and moving toward a better world.

Includes a guided meditation and self-reflection activity.

Also available:
I Am Me
I Am Yoga
I Am Peace
I Am Human
I Am Love
I Am Courage
I Am . . . A Box of Goodness!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419742385
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Series:	I Am Books
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	27,796
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 8.35(h) x 0.65(d)
Lexile:	AD450L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

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.


Peter H. Reynolds is the renowned illustrator behind the bestselling Judy Moody, Stink, and I Am series, as well as many other award-winning picture books, including The Dot and Ish. He lives in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

"This attractive title makes complex ideas simple and opens doors for optimistic discussion." —School Library Journal

"Reynolds' loose, color-drenched illustrations radiate calm and peace, enhancing the meditative text's mood."—Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

08/28/2020

K-Gr 3—Verde and Reynolds have found a timely niche for a collaboration that focuses on mindfulness. Dedicated to Greta Thunberg, this title features an adorable Black child with short dreadlocks and a rainbow-colored bird wondering how to make a difference. The answer is clear: One thing at a time. One seed planted, one stroke, one note, one step are all the beginning of something much larger. Verde's single lines of directive prose and Reynolds's charming watercolors with plenty of white space give readers opportunity to linger and ponder what will come after those "firsts." When the child breaks down a wall into its individual bricks, and another child is on the other side along with a friendly dog, the conceit is complete—the bricks become a pathway, relationships are built. The ripple metaphor that is introduced next will be new to young readers, and offers the discussion point that consequences to our actions can be positive. The lesson resonates in a classroom and library environment because there is no real story, just text that guides parents or educators and children through the steps. That this title is part of a series creates an opportunity for a thematic continuum in a social-emotional curriculum. VERDICT Best for shared reading, this attractive title makes complex ideas simple and opens doors for optimistic discussion. Recommended for general purchase.—Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter Sch., Providence

School Library Journal

"Reynolds' loose, color-drenched illustrations radiate calm and peace, enhancing the meditative text's mood."

Horn Book Magazine