One Today

Gr 1–5—This visual representation of the poem that Blanco wrote in honor of President Barack Obama's second inauguration is a lyrical celebration of the vastness of our country, our world, and our diversity. Best known for his "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic) series, Pilkey turns his painterly skills to an impressionistic portrayal of the images evoked in Blanco's words: children at play, bustling trucks, and people farming, gazing at the sky, giving thanks, and living in hope. Children may not comprehend all the details of the incredibly rich text ("the last floor on the Freedom Tower/jutting into a sky that yields to our resilience"), but with the help of a teacher, parent, or librarian, readers will understand the overall message and perhaps be comforted by the certainties described in what may seem a very uncertain world.