Review by Booklist Review
"The story starts with one." In this case, one blonde-haired child (a girl, according to the publisher, though gender is open to interpretation in the story) with pink socks and blue boots readies to go outside. Hand-drawn pictures of nature and space on the walls and a community flyer hint at her mission. First, she tells a big brother about the big bang, galaxies, and stars, which convinces him to join her. As they head into the neighborhood, more kids join them as the girl explains the sun and its planets. Traveling still further into a forest, she continues with the earth, its continents, terrain, millions of species, and billions of humans. Soft illustrations contrast the earth-toned colors of the kids' surroundings with giant light-filled thought bubbles that depict the girl's descriptions. When the kids arrive at a tree-planting event, the text emphasizes that Earth is our one and only planet and that one person can make a difference. Hopkinson leaves readers with a successful blend of conservation with earth and space science.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"One. Only one" begins Hopkinson's enumeration of facts about Earth and the universe, as relayed by an information-spouting child narrator with tan skin. In acrylic, ink, and digital art that employs myriad textures, Groenink visualizes the narrator and a group of kids with varying skin tones walking through a wood to join a tree-planting event. Along the way, the child reveals top-down details about the big bang, describing how "one tiny speck" became a universe filled with stars, galaxies, and planets, including Earth and its inhabitants. Each of these components receives its own factual treatment, usually including definitions and numerical details ("The Milky Way contains at least a hundred billion stars"), plus visuals shown in conversation bubbles. Though the narrator's documentarian-style monologue seems at odds with the inclusion of a substantial cast, the book's tour guide vibe successfully imparts a host of information while centering themes about conservation on a single planet: "One. Only one." Ages 4--8. (Apr.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--This informative picture book starts with a blonde gender-neutral child (likely a girl, as the book is dedicated to Greta Thunberg) telling a blonde sibling about one speck that exploded to create our universe. They travel outside where they are joined by a few other children, of more diverse backgrounds, as the child explains about the stars and planets in our galaxy and then about the atmosphere, terrain, and millions of species on Earth. The Earth is described as "our one and only planet to care for, love and preserve" and the closing pages show the child, along with other children and adults, planting a tree. Simple text clearly informs young readers about earth and space science as well as environmental conservation. The illustrations perfectly match the text and help define new terms such as how some galaxies have names that match their shape (Cartwheel, Sunflower, Sombrero, Tadpole). The artwork has soft strokes yet vibrantly brings to life our marvelous universe. Hopkinson has taken complex science and presented it in a way that even the youngest of readers will understand. VERDICT This book is important to add to all collections because of its comprehensive look at the universe and message about the importance of protecting the planet.--Heidi Dechief
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
