Apart, Together by Linda Booth Sweeney and Ariel Rutland

The subtitle of this book is "A book about transformations".

The cover of this book really caught my eye but then I turned to the end papers and WOW! On the front end paper there are balls of wool and a set of knitting needles. Think about the title - apart then together. YES the back end paper shows the almost completed scarf. I love the complex pattern of checks in shades of pink and yellow and two shades of blue. I almost wish the author or illustrator had included the knitting pattern at the back of the book!

The title page has some additional information: "This book also introduces the concept of emergence, a scientific concept described by the adage - 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts'."

So what do you see inside this book. 

Apart, blue is blue and yellow is yellow, but ... 
TOGETHER, they make green!

We seem to be off to a good start. Next a little girl plants some seeds, and she adds water and sunshine. Together they make ... beans. Moving deeper into the garden bees and flowers make ... honey. This illustration is scrumptious - a plate filled with honey crumpets or perhaps it is honeycomb. And there is a sprig of lavender on the page too. 

You can easily guess the things that go together to make a cake but what about a rocket like the one on the cover. Look closely - it is made from Lego. 

Notes from the author webpage: Apart, Together is a rhyming concept book (ages 2-6) about the magic that happens when 1 +1 doesn’t equal 2, but something entirely new! Parents, teachers and librarians will delight in how this book uses familiar object to support abstract thinking in 2-6 year olds (and older). Bold and playful, Apart/Together introduces important concepts such as cause-and-effect, prediction and transformation. Throughout, preschoolers are encouraged to imagine the interconnections that produce change, a building block of early childhood development as well as systems thinking.

Someone recently asked, on a Facebook forum, for suggestions of preschool non fiction books - this one is perfect!

Apart, Together (published 2024) is a debut book for illustrator Ariel Utland. Linda Booth Sweeney is a US author. She has written nine books including The Noisy Puddle: A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons which is a Finalist for the 2024 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award.

Here is an interview with Linda Booth Sweeney and Ariel Rutland where they discuss creating Apart, Together. Linda says of Ariel's art: She’s like a jazz musician except she’s riffing on the color wheel. Her drawings, her fabric, her art is clean, graphic, child-friendly, whimsical, and in many cases, inspired by nature.

A sweet read-aloud for younger readers to help them learn how the individual is part of a greater community; a standout for conveying complex concepts in an accessible format. School Library Journal

Companion book: