We Are One

May 24, 2021
Combining rhyming lines with context beneath, this counting picture book offers a summation of things that exist in the world. “One can be one thing/ all on its own—one star,/ one stream,/ one stick,/ one stone,” Hood begins. Text along the bottom of the page reads, “The idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts is often credited to Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher.” The book proceeds to detail all manner of things in numbers from one to 10—three-lined haiku, five-act plays, six-sided snowflakes. Textural digital illustrations by Yan follow a peach-skinned figure in a yellow outfit through the pages, which feature an anthropomorphic cast of animals. The scope is somewhat overwhelming, lacking in unified subject matter, but trivia-minded children will surely find tidbits to enjoy. Back matter includes sources and resources and “some other things that come in groups.” Ages 3–7.

August 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 2-This rhyming book travels the world through numbers, with examples as varied as the five acts of Shakespeare's plays to the nine innings in baseball. At the heart of the narrative is the Aristotelian ideal that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, born out both through the primary rhyming text and the prose narrative with factual tidbits that run across the bottom of each page as the story progresses. With a blend of animal characters and humans who are dressed like stars, the illustrations play with the presence of light throughout the story, enforcing the idea in the book that "we're a vast constellation." The colorful, gentle illustrations are perfectly suited to the text, and the book feels very much like a bedtime read that can grow with a curious child. VERDICT A lovely addition to home libraries and library collections for young readers.-Jen McConnel, Longwood Univ., Virginia

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2021
An engaging look at the component numbers in just about everything. Hood uses simple rhymed couplets pitched to offer examples of single units composed of one to 10 separate parts. For instance, the number of acts found in each of Shakespeare's plays, the number of dot positions in a Braille cell, and the colors of the rainbow are used for five, six, and seven. Yan's bright, full-page illustrations in cartoon-animation style star a small, dark-haired, pale-skinned child with a diverse supporting cast of child and animal characters and give energy to every spread. A yellow panel runs across the bottom of all the pages with a longer explanatory text that includes details and further examples. "One sandwich requires two slices of bread. / Two vows make one marriage when friends want to wed," reads the primary text. In the panel below, Hood quotes Justice Anthony Kennedy's words in Obergefell v. Hodges: "In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were." Though some of the references are likely to be new to the audience, the illustrations provide sufficient context to carry the meaning if not all the nuances. Backmatter includes sources for the facts as well as child-friendly sources for more information; happily, there's also a collection of more examples for each of the first 10 integers, including the names of shapes for triangles through decagons. Immensely satisfying for young lovers of numbers and fascinating for everyone. (Informational picture book. 3-8)

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January 1, 2022
Math meets philosophy, as Hood views numbers, specifically groups of one to ten, through a unique and thought-provoking lens: the Aristotelian concept that the whole can be greater -- more useful, more remarkable, more valuable -- than its individual components. "One can be one thing / all on its own -- / one star, / one stream, / one stick, / one stone. / But those on their toes, those using their smarts, / know one can be more than the sum of its parts." Take, for instance, "one stick." When combined with other sticks, what can it be? More than just a woodpile, as Hood explains. It can be a campfire, a nest, or even a dam. Upbeat rhyming couplets offer more examples of other numeric groupings: two pieces of bread make a sandwich; two vows, a marriage. Three lines make up a haiku; three letters, the word you. At the bottom of each page, tidbits in prose provide helpful explanations, related trivia, and meaningful extras. Textured and whimsical, Yan's digital illustrations feature a young girl dressed as a golden-yellow star who, ultimately, is joined by a diverse "constellation" of other star-children to celebrate the oneness of humanity. Sources, websites (including a kid-friendly list), and examples of other numeric groups are appended. Tanya D. Auger

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
Math meets philosophy, as Hood views numbers, specifically groups of one to ten, through a unique and thought-provoking lens: the Aristotelian concept that the whole can be greater -- more useful, more remarkable, more valuable -- than its individual components. "One can be one thing / all on its own -- / one star, / one stream, / one stick, / one stone. / But those on their toes, those using their smarts, / know one can be more than the sum of its parts." Take, for instance, "one stick." When combined with other sticks, what can it be? More than just a woodpile, as Hood explains. It can be a campfire, a nest, or even a dam. Upbeat rhyming couplets offer more examples of other numeric groupings: two pieces of bread make a sandwich; two vows, a marriage. Three lines make up a haiku; three letters, the word you. At the bottom of each page, tidbits in prose provide helpful explanations, related trivia, and meaningful extras. Textured and whimsical, Yan's digital illustrations feature a young girl dressed as a golden-yellow star who, ultimately, is joined by a diverse "constellation" of other star-children to celebrate the oneness of humanity. Sources, websites (including a kid-friendly list), and examples of other numeric groups are appended.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)