Kathy Wolff

Diverse families consciously enjoy what and whom they depend upon.

In a series of spreads that move from natural, outdoor settings to indoor, shared spaces, adults and children appreciate one another as well as the resources that make their bodies, minds, and spirits grow. The first in each pair of spreads describes, without naming, a resource in four and a half lines of rhythmic, rhyming verse ending with “all we need….” The following spread fulfills the promise of the page turn with few, satisfying words (“…is air”). From water and a home to food and loved ones, each pair of spreads honors something precious that might be taken for granted. Children playing and learning in a public park and a parent and children biking home over quite a distance make this not only a facilitated meditation on mindfulness and gratitude, but also a love song to the Earth that supports life. The serene, colorful pictures turn the poetic text into a narrative, as the characters go home, make food, and come together again in a large community gathering once all needs are met, because “the only need left… / …is to share.” The lyrical text is a delight to read aloud, and the layout invites young readers to participate by guessing the word to be found on the next page—and, inevitably, memorizing them after the multiple reads that are bound to happen with this mesmerizing book.

All we need…is to read (this book!). (Picture book. 3-8)… (mer)