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.

An NCTE Notable Poetry Book