ALA Booklist (Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

Parents and their little ones will love this disarmingly simple poem about the power of love and community to vanquish fear and darkness. Imprinted sparingly on each page, the words are as bold as they are gentle, assuring the reader that through "the hazy future /or the stormy past / . . . we are stronger together / than we are alone." Berger's message is gorgeously emphasized by collage illustrations that capture the essence of the words, sometimes literally, sometimes metaphorically. The final spread, where "love wins," depicts an array of people, holding hands, embracing, and being surrounded by confetti hearts that fill the space between them. Young readers will be enticed to seek themselves and their loved ones in the medley of people d they will probably find them. Thematically, this inclusive picture book can be paired with Wade Bradford's Around the World in a Bathtub (2017), Nikki Giovanni's I Am Loved (2018), and Matt de la Peña's Love (2018).

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Berger's appealing collage art shows a boy trying to fly a kite and a girl trying to cross a stream "When the winds are wild / And the path unclear." Though some young readers may want more of a story about the two kids, the book's ultimate message about the power of love, community, and togetherness is nevertheless admirable and timely.

Kirkus Reviews

Cut-paper collages encourage readers to remember that "love wins," even during painful, confusing times. Berger populates this buoying book with people of all hues, genders, and love configurations: same-sex couples, adoptive parents, old partners, young lovebirds, interracial couples, children, lots of pets. They stand together, aligned in a powerful, peaceful phalanx (many holding LOVE banners and posters) on the final pages—three double-page spreads of little people in long, long lines. Studying the artwork's embedded ephemera (handwritten letters, grid papers, old catalogs, and clippings) evokes thoughts about how humans can connect across time. Between the book's rallying beginning and end, succinct, powerful illustrations depict the worry and sadness that surface in both a small child's life and the grown-up world. A brown-skinned girl tries (literally) to lift a heavy heart (shape) off the ground; a dragon hovers in an enveloping dark sky; fog makes a path forward hard to see. Berger reminds readers that there are helpers, always, "steady as stone," with a palm outstretched, open, offering a smooth rock. Accompanying a picture of a handshake (one dark-skinned and another light-skinned), she asserts "we are stronger together." Adults might hear echoes of a recent campaign, but children will see only the linking of hands atop a fertile green backdrop and recognize an empowering affirmation.An earnest, moving expression of what the world needs now—and what children have always needed: love, sweet love. (Picture book. 2-10)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Berger-s (Good Night! Good Night!) story is really an anthem, with a text that may remind some readers of -Bridge Over Troubled Water.- -When your heart is heavy and your step unsure,- she writes, -Know that I am here, as steady as stone.- But this isn-t just one-to-one encouragement: Berger goes on to imagine a global community where -we are stronger together- and -love wins.- Each line gets its own posterlike treatment, with newsprint and a variety of ornate paper accents showcasing Berger-s considerable skill as a collagist. A few pictures don-t rise above the sentiment of the prose and utilize more generic motifs: one image shows multicultural, hand-holding characters literally encircling the earth. But many illustrations are striking and poignant, combining realistic, fantastical, and metaphorical elements. The image paired with -steady as a stone- shows a hand and sleeve cut from the pages of vintage business correspondence; nestled in the hand is an oval shape. Its dimensionality conveyed through blue-gray gradient surface, it exudes an almost magical calm. Ages 4-8. (May)

School Library Journal (Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

PreS-Gr 1 A delightful meditation on love and community. The prose reads like a song, and the story is simple and universal. In elongated rhyming verse ("When your heart is heavy/And your step unsure/When the winds are wild/And your path unclear"), the narrator reassures readers of their steadfast love through even the darkest times, and shares with them the hope for a bright future. The narrative is accompanied by collage illustrations made with paper and print ephemera. Some spreads are filled with complex, multicolored, layered patterns and colors, while other return to minimalistic designs with only a few simple shapes. Each line of text is paired beautifully with an illustration and the pacing throughout is thoughtful and cumulative. On the final pages, the message, "For love wins," is accompanied by a line of people of varying ages, races, and religions holding hands. As the art builds to a joyful and bright finish, the book ends with the powerful and enduring words, "Love will never fail." VERDICT Useful as a soothing bedtime selection or as a short read-aloud. Perfect for sharing on Valentine's Day and every day. Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library