OMG…If ever there was a picture book designed for Indie bookstores, this is it. It’s perfect for story time read alouds in that the message is that “story” is as old as mankind. Yaccarino shows that humans have told stories in many ways–around campfires, on cave walls, in plays, in books for rich people and then libraries for all people…and today even today on our smart phones. But the story doesn’t stop there. It closes with modern day campers listening to a story at night under stars just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago. Just lovely.
So far the book has gotten predictable raves. I hope it finds a place on bookstore and library shelves for many years to come.
“In understated words and bold cartoons, Yaccarino traces storytelling from humanity’s earliest days to the present. Writing in the voice of story itself, he portrays evolving methods of conveying stories, printed and otherwise, while illuminating the pivotal roles they have played across eras and cultures….Yaccarino’s sparse narrative avoids historical specifics while including enough details to make explicit the numerous ways stories can be told, including hieroglyphics, medieval tapestries, theater, radio, film, and other technologies….Yaccarino’s global scope, as well as a contemporary campfire scene that brings the book full circle, cements the idea that the stories we share are a profound source of human connection.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Yaccarino gives voice to the many ways that humans have preserved, shared, and recorded their history through words and images…a good introduction to stories, books, and reading.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Dan Yaccarino has done it again! I Am a Story is both beautifully illustrated and perfectly sparse in its language about centuries of storytelling. All through the book Yaccarino depicts adults around the world and through time passing along and sharing stories with children. This is a quietly powerful book that I have a feeling will soon become a classic. I, for one, cannot wait to read it at story time!”
— Claire Dingle, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH
Advance Readers Edition 