A tender and compassionate exploration of the shared experiences that
bring us all together, be they sweet, painful, or both.
On a morning brimming with possibilities, a gentle narrator muses on
everything the day might bring, from work to play to all the little
moments in between, like watching clouds and seeing something grow. From
small beginnings, the pages begin to hint at life's larger crescendo
moments: days so hard we struggle to bear it, and others that feel
exactly right.
Then day inevitably turns to night, and for a while, "we are all just
hearts beating in the darkness." This quiet space invites us to be fully
present in the moment, feeling whatever we feel; each of us vital,
connected, "the same, but exactly different." As a bright new dawn
starts the cycle anew, that truth is a strong and steady pulse beneath
the bustle of another busy morning.
In a story that embraces life's highs and lows, Julie Fogliano
masterfully combines simple, lyrical text with highly nuanced themes to
create a reassuring and hopeful meditation on solidarity and
perseverance. Impressionistic pastel and colored-pencil illustrations by
Cátia Chien accompany the soulful text. All the Beating Hearts reminds
us that through all of life's ups and downs, there will always be light
after darkness, and most importantly, we have each other--these other
beating hearts.