Awe!

4.0

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Author(s)

Chana Stiefel

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Susan Gal

Publisher

Scholastic

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

March 03, 2026

ISBN

978-1546150350

Buy This Book

This soul-stirring exploration of that mysterious feeling, awe, is perfect for celebrating big moments or the small wonders in every day. Will appeal to fans of All the World and In Every Life.

★ "This title stands out for its focus on one [feeling] that few other stories have considered: awe." ― Kirkus Reviews

Introducing A. W. E., anAwesomeWondrousEmpoweringemotion!When chills travel down your spine,and sudden tears surprise your eyes.When your heart exclaims, “Ooh! Ahh! Whoaaa!”That’s when you knowyou’ve found AWE.

This breathtaking journey will take you to the Grand Canyon and the deepest reaches of the sea. It will invite you to share moments of giving and to feel the joy of family and community. It will lift you to the highest heights and make your spirit soar.

Experiencing awe has been scientifically proven to spark wonder, improve thinking, and open us up to new ideas. For children living through these turbulent times, Awe! is the perfect book to foster positivity, comfort, joy, and empowerment.

Editor review

1 review

Inspirational and Beautiful

March 09, 2026 (Updated: June 07, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

3.0

Characters

3.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

This exuberant picture book introduces children to the concept of AWE: an Awesome, Wonderous, Empowering emotion. Not the "aww" of cute little kittens, but the larger feeling one might get from a whale emerging from the sea, a desert vista at sunset, the Northern Lights, fireworks, or the majesty of the deepest ocean. Awe brings delight in things as small as sea turtles or as large as skyscrapers. It can be tied to spiritual ceremonies or everyday kindnesses. Awe can inspire people to help others and to create, and makes your heart exclaim. an authors' note at the end explains some of the science behind this powerful emotion.

Good Points

The artwork is the real draw here, with pencil, ink and watercolor illustrations rich in layered color. The beginning of the book has a seascape that blends the blues and greens of the waters with a bright yellow of a setting sun and is quite spectacular. There are two fold out pages of a canyon at sunset that makes the scene so large it definitely plays up the words "open ended". It might be easy to miss these if the pages are tucked in tightly. The illustrations have a tiny bit of a 1970s feel to them because of the color and something about the children's faces. Ms. Gal (New Shoes for Leo, Day by Day) has a way with drawing cats and should definitely come out with more books like Dear Stray!

The text is in poetic language that occasionally rhymes, although the rhythm is far from predictable, just like awe itself. This would be a good read aloud to start the day in an elementary classroom on an upbeat note, along with titles like Smith and Hanson's Zenguin, Forman's Light, or Hess and Phumiruk's Quiet is Strength.