Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    Thoughts on Back-to-School and All of Us

    Bianca SchulzeBy Bianca Schulze3 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Best Kids Stories Picture Books Social Emotional
    Thoughts-on-Back-to-School-and-All-of-Us
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Carin Berger | The Children’s Book Review

    Will I fit in? Do I have a place? Will I make friends? Will I be okay?

    I have been thinking a lot about childhood and the back-to-school season, because, in a matter of days, my daughter will be packing her bags and traveling across the country to start her school year at a college in California. The thing is, this specific moment doesn’t feel that much different to me than the very first day of kindergarten so long ago. As I watch her prepare for the new year, full of hope and excitement, uncertainty and worry, I recognize the emotional stew she is experiencing and I see both the loveliness and difficulty of this point in time.

    GRE-012.ALL-OF-US-STORMY-PAST-SMALL
    Illustration from ALL OF US by Carin Berger

    Childhood is full of transitions and that is what gives it beauty. But change often brings uncertainty. The questions that often flood us are, perhaps, more pronounced at the start of the new school year: Will I fit in? Do I have a place? Will I make friends? Will I be okay? And yet these universal worries are not exclusive to back-to-school. Today, in our country, we are living in uniquely discordant and fraught times. Just like adults, kids are deeply affected by the divisive issues that are roiling our country, such as race, gender, poverty, and inequality. And, of course, they also struggle with feelings of loneliness, sadness and loss. So how do we help our kids navigate these feelings? How do we reassure them as they enter new situations? And, really, since we all have these feelings, how do we reassure all of us?

    GRE-012.ALL-OF-US-LOVE-WINS-SMALL
    Illustration from ALL OF US by Carin Berger

    These were the issues that I was wrestling with when I wrote my newest book, All of Us. I wanted to both broadly acknowledge the challenges that we all face, and offer, as an antidote, a positive message celebrating the power of hope, community and love. I wanted to reassure kids and their families that we, as a community, are here, as steady as stone, loving them, welcoming them, accepting them for exactly who they are. I wanted to reinforce the idea that in times of uncertainty and crisis, we are strongest when we all stand together. I hope as we enter another school year that we can welcome all of our children by making sure that they know that each one of them is needed, respected, and loved – that there is an important place in our communities for all of us.

    —

    ALL-OF-US-COVER-SMALLAll of Us

    Written and Illustrated by Carin Berger

    Publisher’s Synopsis: Acclaimed and award-winning picture book creator Carin Berger shares a moving story of community, empathy, and the power of love.

    With a universal message and stunning paper collage art, this striking book is just right for fans of Matt de la Peña’s Love and Emily Winfield Martin’s The Wonderful Things You Will Be.

    Award-winning illustrator Carin Berger’s beautiful and timely picture book celebrates the power of community, family, and most of all, love. Her beautiful collage art and lyrical text offer a message of hope in the face of adversity.

    All of Us is ideal for family sharing as well as year-round giving and is for fans of Nancy’s Tillman’s Wherever You Are and Alison McGhee’s Someday.

    Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Greenwillow Books | May 2018 | ISBN-13: 978-0062694133

    Available Here
    Text, logo
    Buy on Amazon
    Logo

    What to Read Next:

    1. Just Be Yourself, Dragon, by Bianca Schulze | Book Review
    2. Bianca Schulze Discusses Just Be Yourself, Dragon!
    3. Speed Interview with Jackie Azúa Kramer, Author of I Wish You Knew
    4. This Is a School, by John Schu | Book Review

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Back-to-School Carin Berger Community Community Relationships Diversity Empathy Greenwillow Books Hope Love Picture Book School
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleJolly’s Christmas, by Ken Robb | Dedicated Review
    Next Article Celebrate the holidays with Santa Bruce! Enter the Mother Bruce Series Spotlight
    Bianca Schulze
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)
    • LinkedIn

    Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

    3 Comments

    1. Sunnymay on October 6, 2018 12:14 pm

      My 6 year old grandson lives in Boston and his school has many kids with English as a Second Language. He would enjoy this book and would share it with his newborn brother. When my kids were growing up, their elementary school had kids from all over the world. There was an ESL teacher to help them bridge the transition to learning English. We had International Night and hand up a flag for each classroom’s country. The food,art, music, dancing and crafts were an experience. The kids had “Passports” where they got a stamp for every country where they stopped. Sharing cultures of other countries was a heartwarming event.

      Reply
      • Bianca Schulze on October 8, 2018 11:56 am

        International night sounds amazing!

        Reply
    2. Bianca Schulze on October 8, 2018 11:57 am

      Congratulations to lucky giveaway winner Robert R. (FL)! Your prize will be on the way soon. Enjoy!

      Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • 5 Award-Winning Teen Audiobooks for Ages 12 and Up
    • The Chubby Bubbies: Trip to the Museum | Dedicated Review
    • Flora and the Jazzers, by Astrid Sheckels | Dedicated Review
    • SCREECH: His Hunt for a Home | Dedicated Review
    • Interview with P. E. Shadrick, Author of ‘Elephants DO Forget’
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.