The History of We: Journaling with Legacy, Connection, and Hope
Nikkolas Smith’s The History of We is a breathtaking picture book that explores humanity’s collective story from our earliest beginnings to the present moment and our shared responsibility to create a more compassionate world. Through his poetic text and powerful illustrations, Smith shows how we are all part of something bigger: a global community bound by love, struggle, and hope.
For writers, The History of We offers a reminder that personal stories connect to a much larger narrative. For journalers, it’s an invitation to reflect on identity, ancestry, and legacy—to ask: Where do I come from? What stories do I carry? What part of the “we” am I helping to write? It is also a picture book with a strong reminder about the danger of single stories. On how we can avoid making generalizations and assumptions in order to really take the time to get to know the multiple points of views that exist within a community, culture, and world around us.
In this post, you can find…
Tips for using this book as a mentor text for writing
Ways to use the book with preschoolers, grades k-5, grades 6-8, grades 9-12, and for disciplinary literacy projects
Journaling prompts linked to the book (including nature journaling)
One grammar exercise to access grammar instruction