WE ALL BELONG

Seven animals celebrate their physical similarities and differences.

When a lonely mule comes upon a pair of familiar-looking ears, she makes a new friend—and is introduced to several other animal pals, each with some physical similarity to another in the group. Mule and Rabbit notice their long ears, Beaver and Duck realize that they both have webbed feet, and Deer and Fox compare their slender snouts. The group members happily agree that they are similar in some ways and different in others, but that’s when Bear shows up. Bear doesn’t have anything in common with the other animals, and most of them are quick to tell him so. Bear turns to leave, but that’s when Mule points out that no one else has hooves like hers; soon, the friends realize that everyone has a unique feature that’s worth celebrating, Bear included. Marino’s direct, slightly silly, dialogue-driven text is packed with conversation starters, making for the perfect read-aloud, with plenty of opportunities for participation. The illustrations reinforce the physical features of the lovable critters, giving our subjects lots of detail with plenty of white space across spreads. Marino emphasizes the repeated words similar and different, encouraging young readers to brainstorm what they know, notice, and wonder about the animal cohort.

Sure to jumpstart a constructive discussion about delighting in one another’s differences.