Title: We Are Brothers
Author(s): Yves Nadon
Illustrator/Photographer: Jean Claverie
Publisher and Year: Creative Editions; 2018
Number of Pages: 29
Tags: Adventure, Diversity, Family, Fiction, Picture Book, K-5, Sarah Luce
Genre: Fiction
Descriptive Annotation:
We Are Brothers tells the story of two brothers and their adventures of cliff diving. The younger brother is scared to jump into the water for the first time but his brother encourages him to try it. Eventually he tries and succeeds and then the brothers have fun jumping into the water together. Throughout the story, the brothers are compared to cats, birds, and fish multiple times as they climb, jump, and swim. Students need to have a good concept of metaphors to fully understand the book.
Classroom Application:
This text could be used to teach the concept of a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset. The younger brother begins the story with a fixed mindset, saying that he has always been too scared to try. However, as the story progresses, the brother gains confidence in himself and achieves a growth mindset when he takes the leap and jumps into the water.
Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis:
This story features two brothers who are African-American. The book portrays them as children enjoying themselves and having fun, but also, in a larger sense, as people who are trying to see what they can do and who they can become. The author even uses the setting to further the idea that they can do anything, saying, “The tree branch feels warm and rugged, familiar and encouraging, even” (page 8). The story and language used is empowering, with the siblings helping one another out. The younger brother notices that his brother is there to support him, saying, “I can see my brother’s eyes, just above the water, believing in me” (page 14). I would introduce this book by asking students if they have ever overcome a fear of theirs, sharing that we are going to read a book that tells the story of when a little boy overcame his fear.
Illustration:
