We love inclusive books that include characters from all walks of life and this is one we will definitely be adding to our son's library. So vibrant and fun!

A lovely read aloud! It has a charming rhyme scheme and beautiful, diverse illustrations. Recommended to support kids in accepting differences in others and themselves with gentle, memorable messaging.

Wow! Every part of this book is beautiful, from the lyrical text and lovely artwork to the powerful message and important themes. I really love the diversity and representation here. It's also amazing how so much is covered in a succinct few lines e.g. immigration, race, gender identity, physical appearance etc.

A wonderful read about acceptance and celebrating our differences.

This is a very cute and lovely book that encourages inclusion. I love the wide variety of skin tones included in this book and the lack of food metaphors to describe darker skin tones. I also love that this book includes diversity on multiple axes including gender, race, religion, ethnicity, size, and ability. The illustrations are not too complex but are still absolutely gorgeous. I also love that it encourages accepting and acknowledging not only our similarities but are differences rather than just promoting a harmful colorblind approach. It's overall simple and sweet and definitely not only a good choice for marginalized kids who might not otherwise feel included in books and may be facing real life rejection and isolation from their peers but also kids from non-marginalized backgrounds who might not be otherwise exposed to other kids with diverse backgrounds.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. I love the message of the book. And the pictures are beautiful.

This children's book uses playful rhyme and colorful images to celebrate the strength of diversity. I especially enjoy all the types of difference it embraces, from choosing what toys and activities you like without considering gender norms to considering the advantages of being very tall or very short.⁠
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It would be great for a child questioning his or her differences or trying to understand the differences of a classmate, neighbor, or friend.

I can't wait to get this in my classroom! This is a lovely ode to all of our wonderful differences as humans and why they make us special and perfect just the way we are. The message is fantastic and so necessary---there is room for everyone and everyone has something to contribute!

The rhyming structure works well and makes this a lyrical read. The illustrations are vivid and full of lively detail. I appreciated the wide variety of people depicted on the page. There was a lovely mix of gender expressions, ethnicities, races, abilities, and even a bit of body diversity, which will make it easier for kids to see themselves on the page. This would be an excellent circle time book and a great addition to pre-K school and classroom libraries.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

This is a book we all need. Parents and children alike. Full of lush and saturated illustrations it is a book I wish I had as a child.

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Encouraging message to celebrate each child's uniqueness as well as their connections to others. The rhythmic text offers a window for readers to look at a wide variety of life choices - quiet or loud, sports or arts, etc. They are invited to share what they value as well and to try new and different things. The illustrations support the text and further encourage readers to celebrate who they are.

This book has a lot of good points but I don’t know that youngsters would understand them all. The figurative language is very good and powerful. I just hope they would get the message.

I was actually very excited to read this book because my work focuses heavily in DEI and education. The art is absolutely wonderful - vivid and playful. It was very inclusive but I was disappointed because there were some times I felt the art and text leaned into stereotypes: the loud Latina, the tall Black basketball player, the short Asian girl, the little girl with cancer in a scarf, representing transgender identification with a man in a tutu.

There isn't really a story or sequence in the photos. Sometimes the lines feel random for the sake of the rhyme or don't match the art. Black and White were also the only races explicitly mentioned, which didn't feel representative. Importantly, when you capitalize one race, it's best to do so for all, to avoid creating even more unnecessary differences between races with language usage. If this were just a picture book without text - snapshots of our diverse world or the city - I'd be more likely to buy it for children.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books for a free digital copy.

A vibrant and bold take on fitting in, finding your place, and embracing who you are. Overall I think it's a book with a great message.

Wow, this book was really amazing. It was short and sweet, with beautiful illustrations that touched on the diversity of people on this Earth and that we all belong here. It brought up gender, race, background, locality, mental health, and so many other things that can differentiate humans. But it explained why everything is okay and makes us who we are. Quite remarkable.

Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are purely my own and not affiliated with any brand.

I adored this book! Laura Purdie Salas did an excellent job with her writing. There were so many lines that I want on a poster or a throw pillow. It was such an empowering story. Carlos Velez Aguilera's illustration were amazing. I loved the art in this book and it worked with the story seamlessly. I appreciated all the diversity in this story. I can't wait to purchase this book!

This beautiful children’s story takes you on a poetic adventure in embracing the things that make us unique. I love that the author included more diversity than just skin tone in this wonderfully done book. The illustrations represent people from many ethnic backgrounds, abilities, sizes, and other characteristics that make each of us who we are.

As the mother of a child with a facial port wine birthmark I love seeing authors promote diversity through children’s literature. I hope one day we will see characters with facial birthmarks as well.

The writing is catchy and flows so well. I really loved the illustrations and felt they compliment the story perfectly. This book belongs in every classroom and library worldwide.

I think there are many children out there who may feel like they don't belong for whatever reason. But this book, We Belong, is a beautiful and affirming book which I hope can help children see that they do belong. Told in rhyming verse coupled with some of the most beautiful illustrations I've ever seen in a children's book, the message is clear: no matter who you are, what you look like, what you're like, where you come from, or what you can do . . . you belong. I think this book is perfect for kindergarten or even lower elementary teachers to have in their classrooms.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a well written storybook with lyrical passages and beautiful illustrated pictures of kids from all walks of life. It is a wonderful celebration of our differences. Really enjoy it!

5 ⭐️ // It is one of my goals in life to ensure others feel welcome, so I was immediately drawn to the title, We Belong. I enjoyed reading this children’s book as it simplifies appreciating each person for who they are. Also, the author points out the importance of different emotions and how it connects us to others.

It really should be simple - to celebrate our differences and similarities, so this story can be an important lesson for both the adult reader and the children listening.

Not only did the graphics show representation for different ethnicities and religions, but there were individuals with disabilities as well. Overall, I was very impressed by the illustrations and how they tied into the writing.

I would happily purchase this book for my friends and family who are teachers or parents. Additionally, I can see myself reading this story to my future kids before bed.

Thank you for providing me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, NetGalley.

Great illustrations, rhyming verses and overall storyline make this a winner! We Belong is done very well and easy to read. I highly recommend this book.

We Belong is a short, rhyming book about all the differences you'll see within your peers and why it's ok for you to be you and them to be them regardless of what's alike and what's different. Great resource for teaching young children about inclusion.