One Can Be

by Pat Zietlow Miller, Annie Cron (Illustrator)

Overview

An ode to introverts and quiet leaders.

Sometimes you need to be alone—to think and breathe. Other times you need to be with friends—those you know and those you've only just met. And sometimes everyone works together to create something wonderful.

What can one person do all alone? Quite a lot, actually. Even so, there are times it helps to work with others. With spare, lyrical text, bestselling author Pat Zietlow Miller celebrates the power of being alone—and of coming together with others—centered on the love of reading and creating community around books. This is a book about trusting yourself and your ideas, seeing a need, and connecting with others to meet it.

Perfect for introverts, quiet leaders, and anyone who loves books and little libraries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506499932
Publisher:	Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
Publication date:	09/02/2025
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Pat Zietlow Miller is the author of more than twenty picture books. Sophie's Squash won the Golden Kite Award, an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor, and a Charlotte Zolotow Honor. Be Kind was a New York Times bestseller, and In Our Garden is a two-time Dolly Parton Imagination Library selection. Pat has one wonderful husband, two delightful daughters, and two pampered cats. She lives in Wisconsin.

Annie Cron has been drawing for as long she can remember. Inspired by the whimsical details of daily life and the power of pictures to make new worlds feel familiar, Annie loves telling stories through her art. She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her husband and their two whip-smart, wily daughters.

Editorial Reviews

"A simple picture book about the beauty of being alone and the power that comes from depending on others and working together." —School Library Journal

"An empathetic tale that proves anyone can make a difference." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2025-05-30
Making a change for the better often starts with a single person.

A brown-skinned child with hair in a bun enjoys spending time alone reading books, painting, and generally being solitary. (“One. / Alone. / No one else nearby. // One. / Needs peace. / Sometimes.”) After recharging in the garden (a place where “one can breathe. / And grow”), the youngster is drawn to a group of diverse kids playing at the park across the street and hesitantly decides to forge new connections. The young people bond, and soon the child shares plans to build a Little Free Library in the neighborhood. The protagonist’s solo efforts haven’t panned out, but with a little elbow grease and teamwork, everyone works together to make their community a better place. Zietlow Miller has crafted a sensitive tale that depicts a young introvert striking a balance between finding time for solitude and reaching out to others. The use of short, staccato sentences gives readers an opportunity to slow down and sit with the words, which ably capture the protagonist’s quiet yet determined voice. Cron’s retro-style illustrations, with their bright, washed-out pinks and greens and some spreads set against stark white backgrounds, convey feelings of serenity and optimism.

An empathetic tale that proves anyone can make a difference.(Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews