A Book To Inspire Action In Children

Start With ONE

Clearly defined in the title - I Am One: A Book Of Action - Susan Verde expresses the books intent to inspire action. Throughout the book, she instills confidence in her readers' ability to create change. 

The author transforms the overwhelming "big picture" change - that many children feel powerless to achieve - into a more attainable "little picture" option: start with ONE. 

The power ONE person has to impact another with ONE word. The healing power of ONE touch. The ripple effect of ONE action. The joy or strength in ONE connection. Verde removes the overwhelming complexity to bring about change by repeatedly drawing her readers’ attention to the power of ONE. 

The author ends the book with an empowering message: One person's small start is enough to trigger a collective action.​​

I am one. And I can take action. We are each one. And we can take action.

A Vibrant Journey To Collective Action

Peter Reynolds is an author and illustrator who brings  I Am One: A Book of Action to life with soft lines and vibrant colors. With each page, he escorts the viewer deeper into a relationship with the main character. 

Reynolds' illustrations depict the journey of one child taking repeated actions to culminate in a collective movement. This visual representation of the story deepens the textual message. While the author does not draw the reader's attention to a main character, the illustrator does. 
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The juxtaposition of Verde's feasible approach to action with the evolution of Reynolds' more complex illustrations impact the reader in two ways:

1. Instill the reader with confidence to act.
   
2. Paint a picture for the reader of what their actions could create.
   

There is no doubt the illustrations and the text in this book could stand on their own; however, the potential impact they have together is more than either could have achieved solitarily. 

The collaborative effort of the book itself is a tangible example of the story’s main idea. ONE idea, ONE word, and ONE stroke have developed into ONE book. 

While the author and illustrator may humbly question the impact this book has or will have to create a movement. I would argue, it has and it will. 
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I Am One: A Book Of Action simplifies a complex and substantial message for young readers. The harmony of Verdes' words and Reynolds' illustrations engage young readers and inspire them to believe they too can be ONE of action.

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Written by: Michelle Goldshlag, CEO Cultured Kids