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Table of Contents
About The Book
A Golden Kite Award Winner for Picture Book Text
A walk through their bustling city neighborhood brings a girl and her grandfather closer together in this gentle, contemplative picture book that’s “a reminder of the importance of being in the world with unhurried attention and open hearts” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
A child and her grandfather step out of their brownstone and take a walk around their lively city. Together, they practice looking closely. They delight in the world that they see, taste, touch, feel, and hear. Whether learning a yellow bird’s song, tasting a street vendor’s mango slices, or listening to the thumping music from passing cars, they find small wonders in every moment they share—and together, always, they go slow.
Simple yet poetic, We Go Slow is a breathtaking invitation to everyday wonder from acclaimed picture book creators Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and Aaron Becker.
A walk through their bustling city neighborhood brings a girl and her grandfather closer together in this gentle, contemplative picture book that’s “a reminder of the importance of being in the world with unhurried attention and open hearts” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
A child and her grandfather step out of their brownstone and take a walk around their lively city. Together, they practice looking closely. They delight in the world that they see, taste, touch, feel, and hear. Whether learning a yellow bird’s song, tasting a street vendor’s mango slices, or listening to the thumping music from passing cars, they find small wonders in every moment they share—and together, always, they go slow.
Simple yet poetic, We Go Slow is a breathtaking invitation to everyday wonder from acclaimed picture book creators Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and Aaron Becker.
About The Author
Photograph by Dominique Sindayiganza
Ezra Jack Keats Honor winner Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie is an interdisciplinary artist and PhD candidate at Brown University. In addition to her award-winning picture book Layla’s Happiness, she has authored several collections of poetry and has performed poetry and taught in the United States, Namibia, the Netherlands, Belgium, and England. She was born and raised in Queens, New York, and her journeys across the borough inspired the writing of her picture book We Go Slow. She now resides in Rhode Island and is the mother of three galaxies who look like daughters. Visit her online at EkereTallie.com.
About The Illustrator
Photograph by Darci Palmquist
Caldecott Honor winner Aaron Becker is the New York Times bestselling author of the Journey trilogy and other award-winning books for children young and old, including The Last Zookeeper, The Tree and the River, and A Stone for Sascha. When he’s not home with his wife and two daughters, he can be found creating something new in his backyard studio in western Massachusetts. Visit him online at StoryBreathing.com.
Why We Love It
“In a busy, chaotic world, We Go Slow is a balm: an invitation to linger longer, look closer, and breathe deeper. Every time I revisit its pages, I find myself just as enchanted by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie’s charming prose and Aaron Becker’s luminous watercolors as I did on my very first read—but the real magic lies in sharing this book with others and watching as their eyes inevitably light up with wonder and joy. We Go Slow is a gift I wish for you, and for all the ones you love.”
—Feather F., Editor, on We Go Slow
Product Details
- Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (August 26, 2025)
- Length: 32 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665950619
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
“Tallie’s poetic text celebrates the textured details of an urban neighborhood and the pleasure of sharing those details with someone else . . . The palette, heavy on mauves and soft shades of blue, conveys the warmth and safety of the small, shared adventure.”
– Horn Book
★ “Via spare, poetic language as well as watercolor and pencil illustrations that take hazy, desaturated hues, Tallie and Becker celebrate the time shared between a child and caretaker as they together meander through a metropolitan neighborhood. . . . Whether viewed as a depiction of mindfulness in practice or the quiet joys of together time, this tender story is a reminder of the importance of being in the world with unhurried attention and open hearts.”
– Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A multigenerational morning walk reveals small delights in a bustling neighborhood. . . . A mix of spot artwork and full-page spreads in violet undertones keeps the focus on the duo and their discoveries, while Tallie’s unexpected word combinations like 'a shy sunflower' and 'a squiggly rainbow' help sustain a childlike wonder and evoke pleasing imagery bolstered by Caldecott Medalist Becker’s rough-edged, slightly unfinished watercolor and colored pencil depictions. A mindful pick for urban amblers.”
– Kirkus Reviews
"The calm, quiet descriptions present a soothing antidote to the bustle of many people’s lives . . . Becker uses soft watercolor and colored pencil to create illustrations that expand on the details of the day and further develop the peaceful pace the girl and man employ. . . . Going slowly allows them to fully experience the details of life around them."
– Booklist
Awards and Honors
- ALA Notable Children's Books
- The Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration
- NCTE Charlotte Huck Outstanding Fiction Recommended Title
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): We Go Slow
Fixed Layout eBook 9781665950619
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Author Photo (jpg): Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie Photograph by Dominique Sindayiganza(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
