Gather Round

PreS-Gr 2–In Covell’s follow-up to his debut, Run Wild, the narrator invites readers to “Gather rocks./ Rocks all around./ Let’s make a fire/ before the sun goes down.” In a spare outdoor setting a young girl and her male caregiver, both depicted with tan skin and straight black hair, gather those rocks to start a campfire. The fire soon cooks some food to share with adult/child dyads who approach: a brown-skinned woman with a single child with short curly hair, and then a darker brown-hued man with a girl of similar coloring. A celebration of the magic of campfires and outdoor adventures, sharing with strangers who become new friends, and the comfort of connection, this lovely story offers some representation and inclusion for single-caregiver families and only children in a story many will be able to see themselves in. Simple rhyming language and the glow of the bright orange campfire and bioluminescent insects will draw young readers into this rhythmic story digitally illustrated with beautiful texture that combines the effects of cut-paper collage, pencils, and charcoal in a palette of gray, brown, and purple. A short endnote addresses young readers directly to inform them that campfires are “just like you,” extending the metaphor to draw out the ways humans can care for fires with SEL talking points.