"When I say something is unfair to me, but it's fair for you, what does that make it? When I meditate, it all gets clear. And if you listen, you will really hear. I am not alone. I am enough. It can be scary to feel like you're all on your own, especially in the face of prejudice. But always remember: you are not alone. Inspired by the Alphabet Rockers' empowering song "Not Alone," this uplifting picture book reassures kids that they belong and encourages them to love their beautiful selves and their identities, use their voices against hate, and step up for one another and have one another's backs no matter what"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

Inspired by the Alphabet Rocker’s empowering song “Not Alone,” this uplifting picture book encourages kids to love themselves, stand up to hate, step up for one another and have each other’s backs, no matter what. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

"Exuberantly affirming and infectiously joyful." –Kirkus Reviews

Empower kids to love themselves, stand up for what's right, and have each others' backs with this inspiring and inclusive picture book from the Grammy Award–winning Alphabet Rockers

It can be scary to feel like you're all on your own, especially in the face of prejudice and injustice. But always remember: you are not alone! With uplifting text and colorful art, You Are Not Alone shows readers that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong.

This empowering children's book is the perfect inspirational gift for Valentine's Day, back-to-school, birthdays, or holiday stocking stuffers. Featuring a heartfelt message and stunning illustrations, this special story makes for a read-aloud that parents, caregivers, and children will want to return to again and again.

Why readers love You Are Not Alone:

• Perfect for teaching empathy and inclusion for ages 4-7—both in the classroom and at home
• Characters with diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences will resonate with readers
• Encourages conversations about what it means to be an ally
• Inspires kids to use their voices to support and celebrate each other

If you feel it in your heart and you're ready to take part,

say I'm not alone—I'M NOT ALONE!

Booklist Reviews

Here hip-hop group Alphabet Rockers extend their song Not Alone (part of their Love album, which was nominated for a Best Children's Album Grammy in 2019) into book format, with a diverse group of kids showcasing their experiences and the need for everyone to listen and raise their voices in protest or support. The narrators, all of whom seem to be teen or preteen, representing a variety of races and genders and including visibly disabled characters (a child with a prosthetic arm, another using a wheelchair), present vignettes of being excluded or misunderstood, underscoring their stories with questions of their own: Have you ever felt people didn't get you? Have you ever felt you couldn't share your true feelings? The bold, full-color illustrations start with depictions of actual posters (like Black Lives Matter) and then continue with a largely poster-art format that perfectly fits the theme of activism. Although the song format leads to a repetitious feeling in the back half, the overall message still hits home. Preschool-Grade 2. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

The founders of the Grammy nominated hip-hop children's music collective Alphabet Rockers encourage kids to celebrate who they are and tell their stories. In first-person narratives, six diverse young people take turns sharing their experiences of prejudice; their identity struggles; and their desire to be seen, understood, and respected. "No one says my name right at school," an Indian girl reveals sadly as the artwork shows her being taunted by classmates. On a double-page spread showing a Black boy being racially profiled by a White storeowner, the text reads "You don't know me, / but I need you to know that / I don't always feel safe here." Despite being made to feel like they don't belong, the characters are making positive contributions to the world. "I'm making music that sends a signal to kids everywhere that / there is no limit to being you," says an Asian girl with a prosthetic hand who is a DJ. "When I help the community, / I MAKE THE PLANET BETTER / FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS / TO COME," declares a Native American girl who is a land and water protector. A White nonbinary kid welcomes questions, acknowledging that some can hurt: "I have a friend who loves me for me. / Doesn't ask about my body parts, / but does want to know what / it is like being nonbinary." A biracial boy contemplates the starry night sky and reminds the reader that "I've always been here. Shining." Evans' digital illustrations present the kids cartoonishly, with large, glowing eyes and differentiated skin tones. The text—which might be imaginatively enhanced via spoken word or rap—sometimes reads choppily. The kids' engaging stories build to an empathic, call-and-response coda: "If you feel it in your heart and you're ready to take part, / say I'm not alone—I'M NOT ALONE." Exuberantly affirming and infectiously joyful. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-10) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Employing the refrain "You are not alone," Grammy nominees the Alphabet Rockers offer a lyrical exploration of solidarity. The book begins by following a short-haired Black child: "You don't know me,/ but I wonder if you look at your/ skin the way I look at mine./ You don't know me,/ but I need you to know that/ I don't always feel safe here." The child invites readers to get to know them, highlighting using one's voice to both speak one's truth and amplify others'. Subsequent pages explore other frequently marginalized experiences from the first-person perspective, as Evans's warm digital art portrays bright, inclusive spreads: a cued–South Asian child with a braid says no one pronounces their name correctly; a light-skinned, black-haired child DJ with a prosthetic arm speaks about their music and limitless possibilities; a Native child asks readers to uplift Indigenous land acknowledgment; a light-skinned child speaks about being nonbinary; and more, as each child offers an example of a friend's support. If the book skews long, its earnest advocacy and heartening message is clear. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)