I Am Human: A Book of Empathy

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Author(s)

Susan Verde

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher

Abrams Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

October 02, 2018

ISBN

978-1419731655

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From the picture book dream team behind I Am Yoga and I Am Peace comes the third book in their wellness series: I Am Human. A hopeful meditation on all the great (and challenging) parts of being human, I Am Human shows that it’s okay to make mistakes while also emphasizing the power of good choices by offering a kind word or smile or by saying “I’m sorry.” At its heart, this picture book is a celebration of empathy and compassion that lifts up the flawed fullness of humanity and encourages children to see themselves as part of one big imperfect family—millions strong.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

A gentle exploration of what it is to be human

August 01, 2019

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

N/A

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

I AM HUMAN is a picture book written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter Reynolds that gently explores what it is to be human--both the good and the bad--and ways to learn and grow as a result of challenges and mistakes. The text is comprised of simple sentences, but some of the vocabulary is beyond what's typical in picture books, and that offers an opportunity for learning beyond the life lessons in the pages. The illustrations by Peter Reynolds are in his clearly identifiable style with diverse, expressive characters, and they match the writing in the simplicity and in their depth.

The Author's Note at the back offers an example of a "loving-kindness meditation" that would be a helpful practice for everyone to adopt, but the book itself can serve as a meditation. Although it's a picture book, I AM HUMAN should have broad appeal and applications; in fact, I'll be giving a copy to my 20-year-old daughter!

There are many wonderful lessons sprinkled through the pages of I AM HUMAN, but I think my favorite is "A bad day can become a GREAT day with kindness." I think every reader will be able to take something positive away from this book.

Many thanks to the publisher and YA Books Central for a copy of I AM HUMAN in exchange for my honest review.

Good Points

Many teaching/learning opportunities

Diverse and expressive characters