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What You Need to Be Warm
During the coldest season, when the world feels scary—what do you remember about being warm? Baked potatoes. Trust. A kettle on the stove. Blankets. A smile. And, most of all, the reassurance that you belong. In his powerful and moving poem, featuring illustrations from thirteen extraordinary artists, bestselling author and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Neil Gaiman draws together many different memories to answer the question, what do you need to be warm?
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
November 7, 2023
As winter approaches, the need to be warm becomes vital. Working in a library, I am often worried for those without a permanent residence and am confronted with how very lucky I am to have four walls and a roof above my head during a snowstorm. Neil Gaiman’s picture book What You Need to Be Warm was born out of a similar concern. Gaiman took to social media to ask people what memories they have of being warmth and was flooded by countless powerful memories. He took these and wove them into a poem around which 13 illustrators have added their art.
The results are beautiful and moving and we are reminded of those who must struggle to find warmth. For this reason, proceeds of the book go to UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, to help provide for those who need warmth in their lives. While the words are just okay here, the art is really spectacular and I love the variety we see as well as the responses from each artist included at the end on their ideas of warmth and what they hoped to capture with their art.
This is a lovely little book worth checking out, and sales go to a good cause!
The results are beautiful and moving and we are reminded of those who must struggle to find warmth. For this reason, proceeds of the book go to UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, to help provide for those who need warmth in their lives. While the words are just okay here, the art is really spectacular and I love the variety we see as well as the responses from each artist included at the end on their ideas of warmth and what they hoped to capture with their art.
This is a lovely little book worth checking out, and sales go to a good cause!
March 29, 2024
برای توجه بیشتر به پناهجویان و اهداف خیرخواهانه منتشر شده
October 3, 2023
The use of page space and layout is so stunning in this graphic poetry book. I could stare at Marie-Alice Harel's illustration for days, and I'm so tempted to frame Benji Davies' two-page spread and hang it on my bedroom wall. This is a beautiful collection, and Gaiman's voice is as charming and concise in poetry as it is in prose. Not only is this book swathed in comforting imagery, but its message is clear and timely, and I sincerely hope it inspires some kindness in those of us who are privileged enough to offer support to refugees and those without homes as winter sets in.
November 28, 2023
What You Need to be Warm is a short poem by Neil Gaiman to raise funds and bring awareness to the struggles of refugees across the globe and what people are reminded of to keep warm.
"Places we slept as children:
they warm us in the memory.
We travel to an inside from the outside."
-Neil Gaiman
"Places we slept as children:
they warm us in the memory.
We travel to an inside from the outside."
-Neil Gaiman
January 9, 2024
Neil Gaiman, popular author and Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency), has written a poem of sorts, reflecting on people who are forced to leave their home due to conflict or persecution, and how they manage to stay warm in the cold weather. A blanket. A radiator. A hot baked potato. A kind word. Beautifully and uniquely illustrated by thirteen different artists. A short but moving read.
December 12, 2023
I need a good book to be warm
I still hate poetry don’t get it twisted
I still hate poetry don’t get it twisted
January 6, 2024
New Year's Day family picture book read-aloud celebration! (Book 2 of 5)
One of those books I can respect for the important work it is doing to bring attention to the plight of refugees and the work of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, but it is still a bland poem that is boring to read.
There are some nice pictures at least, and it is sort of interesting to read how the illustrators chose to create their individual images.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Foreword / Neil Gaiman, writer -- What You Need to Be Warm: A Poem of Welcome / Neil Gaiman, writer; Yuliya Gwilym, Nadine Kaadan, Pam Smy, Daniel Egnéus, Beth Suzanna, Marie-Alice Harel, Petr Horáček, Chris Riddell, Bagram Ibatouilline, Benji Davies, Majid Adin, and Richard Jones, illustrators -- Notes from the Artists / Yuliya Gwilym, Nadine Kaadan, Pam Smy, Daniel Egnéus, Beth Suzanna, Marie-Alice Harel, Petr Horáček, Chris Riddell, Bagram Ibatouilline, Benji Davies, Majid Adin, and Richard Jones, writers -- About UNHCR
One of those books I can respect for the important work it is doing to bring attention to the plight of refugees and the work of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, but it is still a bland poem that is boring to read.
There are some nice pictures at least, and it is sort of interesting to read how the illustrators chose to create their individual images.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Foreword / Neil Gaiman, writer -- What You Need to Be Warm: A Poem of Welcome / Neil Gaiman, writer; Yuliya Gwilym, Nadine Kaadan, Pam Smy, Daniel Egnéus, Beth Suzanna, Marie-Alice Harel, Petr Horáček, Chris Riddell, Bagram Ibatouilline, Benji Davies, Majid Adin, and Richard Jones, illustrators -- Notes from the Artists / Yuliya Gwilym, Nadine Kaadan, Pam Smy, Daniel Egnéus, Beth Suzanna, Marie-Alice Harel, Petr Horáček, Chris Riddell, Bagram Ibatouilline, Benji Davies, Majid Adin, and Richard Jones, writers -- About UNHCR
December 1, 2023
"cometimes it only takes a stranger, in a dark place
to hold out a badly knitted scarf,
to offer a kind word"
to hold out a badly knitted scarf,
to offer a kind word"
January 9, 2024
Wow, this was touching.
Neil Gaiman had woven a beautiful poem, containing the answers of refugees to the question "what you need to be warm".
Every verse is beautifully illustrated by artists (some of them once had been refugees themselves), emphasizig the meaning of that wholesome and heartwarmin project: Kindness. Humanity - "you have the right to be here".❤️
Neil Gaiman had woven a beautiful poem, containing the answers of refugees to the question "what you need to be warm".
Every verse is beautifully illustrated by artists (some of them once had been refugees themselves), emphasizig the meaning of that wholesome and heartwarmin project: Kindness. Humanity - "you have the right to be here".❤️
November 2, 2023
'A powerful poem of welcome from award winning-author and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Neil Gaiman, with illustrations from thirteen extraordinary artists'
'What you need to be warm' takes thousands of people's ideas of what it means to be warm and wraps them up into a beautiful, powerful and cohesive poem. That paired with the gorgeous illustrations from each artist makes this one special little book.
This poem made me feel thankful that, even when I was homeless, I still had a place to go back to. The thought of being outside in the cold with nothing to call your own is heartbreaking, and a situation that no-one deserves to be in.
As well as the above, each purchase of this book donates money to the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, who help protect and support refugees around the world.
'What you need to be warm' takes thousands of people's ideas of what it means to be warm and wraps them up into a beautiful, powerful and cohesive poem. That paired with the gorgeous illustrations from each artist makes this one special little book.
This poem made me feel thankful that, even when I was homeless, I still had a place to go back to. The thought of being outside in the cold with nothing to call your own is heartbreaking, and a situation that no-one deserves to be in.
As well as the above, each purchase of this book donates money to the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, who help protect and support refugees around the world.
December 27, 2023
I know nothing about poetry,… but I do know that this was beautifully written and illustrated. It was wonderful.
The poem “What you need to be warm” by Neil Gaiman is a poem written from responses by his Twitter followers about what reminds them of warmth and is made with the intention to help support the work of UNHCR, a refugee agency.
A short poem is not to be underestimated, and this proves exactly that.
“Breath-ice on the inside of windows, to be scratched off with a fingernail, melted with a whole hand”
The poem “What you need to be warm” by Neil Gaiman is a poem written from responses by his Twitter followers about what reminds them of warmth and is made with the intention to help support the work of UNHCR, a refugee agency.
A short poem is not to be underestimated, and this proves exactly that.
“Breath-ice on the inside of windows, to be scratched off with a fingernail, melted with a whole hand”
April 23, 2024
Gorgeous illustrations and a beautiful message.
March 13, 2024
Un libro objeto maravilloso, si el ebook estuvo hermoso, no quiero saber lo que debe ser tener el ejemplar entre manos (bueno, si quiero saber, probablemente lo compre en algún momento para sumarlo a mis ediciones especiales de Neil Gaiman y colaborar con la causa para la que fue publicado)
No soy muy fan de la poesía y no siempre me llega al corazón o toca alguna fibra, pero debo confesar que en este caso fue totalmente diferente. Con la simpleza que caracteriza a Neil Gaiman, la ayuda de los usuarios de Twitter y el excelente trabajo que han hecho los ilustradores crearon un poema precioso que logra transmitir toda la calidez que uno necesita para comprender lo afortunado que es si sabe gozar de la simpleza de la vida, los actos, etc.
Gracias Neil Gaiman, por todo lo que nos das.
No soy muy fan de la poesía y no siempre me llega al corazón o toca alguna fibra, pero debo confesar que en este caso fue totalmente diferente. Con la simpleza que caracteriza a Neil Gaiman, la ayuda de los usuarios de Twitter y el excelente trabajo que han hecho los ilustradores crearon un poema precioso que logra transmitir toda la calidez que uno necesita para comprender lo afortunado que es si sabe gozar de la simpleza de la vida, los actos, etc.
Gracias Neil Gaiman, por todo lo que nos das.
February 2, 2024
I liked the art and obviously the intention is beautiful, but the poem was bland and required zero skill.
December 2, 2023
3.5 stars - the poem didn’t completely work for me but the illustrations are beautiful and moving.
October 26, 2023
I rarely give a 5 star review. This book bought tears to my eyes. Brilliantly written, amazingly executed. I will be reading this to young children over Christmas to make them realise that they're lucky to have what they have.
I am also hoping the parents over Christmas will have a deeper understanding of the pain people are going through whilst theyre out enjoying themselves.
Brilliantly moving poem.
All of your poems are.
Thank you for raising awareness of such negativity in the world. Hopefully soon, a light will shine for everyone and it'll end.
I am also hoping the parents over Christmas will have a deeper understanding of the pain people are going through whilst theyre out enjoying themselves.
Brilliantly moving poem.
All of your poems are.
Thank you for raising awareness of such negativity in the world. Hopefully soon, a light will shine for everyone and it'll end.
January 24, 2024
“There is a huge abyss within every mind. When we belong, we have an outside mooring to prevent us from falling into ourselves,” the late, great Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue wrote as he channeled ancient Celtic wisdom on belonging. But given this mooring is already difficult enough a triumph in the privacy of each personhood, given the abyss already gapes fathomless enough in each inner world, what happens when the outside world — a world in which, as Toni Morrison poignantly put it, “walls and weapons feature as prominently now as they once did in medieval times” — begins to politicize and barricade belonging? A century and a half after Walt Whitman wrote, in the middle of a civil war, that “every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you,” Neil Gaiman takes up the question of our shared belonging in a project of uncommon originality.
As an ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, he has been lending his voice to the catastrophe of inhumanity we call a “refugee crisis” since its dark dawn. One of the most beloved storytellers of our time, in recent years he has been turning his talents increasingly toward poetry. In 2019, as the cold season drew near and UNHCR launched its winter emergency appeal to help Syrian refugee families survive their eighth below-freezing winter away from home, he invited his sizable Twitter following to share memories and meanings of warmth. Fully aware of the general mediocrity of crowdsourced art, he approached the challenge with an artist’s soaring ability to see the larger pattern tessellated from the constituent parts. Out of the nearly one thousand responses from around the world, out of their cumulative 25,000 words, out of the cabinet of commonplaces — boiling kettles, burning stoves, grandmother-knitted scarves — he wrests something entirely original and beautiful and alive: the sensitive insight that memories of warmth spring not from a quantity of temperature but from a contrast in quality of feeling against the cold — a contrast most memorably kindled by the small kindnesses that make us human. https://www.themarginalian.org/2020/0...
As an ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, he has been lending his voice to the catastrophe of inhumanity we call a “refugee crisis” since its dark dawn. One of the most beloved storytellers of our time, in recent years he has been turning his talents increasingly toward poetry. In 2019, as the cold season drew near and UNHCR launched its winter emergency appeal to help Syrian refugee families survive their eighth below-freezing winter away from home, he invited his sizable Twitter following to share memories and meanings of warmth. Fully aware of the general mediocrity of crowdsourced art, he approached the challenge with an artist’s soaring ability to see the larger pattern tessellated from the constituent parts. Out of the nearly one thousand responses from around the world, out of their cumulative 25,000 words, out of the cabinet of commonplaces — boiling kettles, burning stoves, grandmother-knitted scarves — he wrests something entirely original and beautiful and alive: the sensitive insight that memories of warmth spring not from a quantity of temperature but from a contrast in quality of feeling against the cold — a contrast most memorably kindled by the small kindnesses that make us human. https://www.themarginalian.org/2020/0...
January 7, 2024
As the winter starts to bite a little more now, the consideration of what you need to be warm is more important than ever. In the small town that I live, we have recently had floods, which have left some people facing a miserable start to 2024, as they try to remedy the damage that the water bought with it. Looking at international situations, with the war in Ukraine still on-going, as well as the conflicts in Gaza, it humbles me to think that I have a place of safety, a place of warmth. But this is not just physical; I have my family and friends who also have their places of safety and warmth.
Gaiman first began this book by asking his followers what they considered they needed to be warm. He received thousands of replies, and from those he put this together; a sort of poem about warmth and safety. Thirteen artists have then provided their own interpretation to accompany the words. The project was put together, with proceeds from the book going towards the UN Refugee Agency. At the end of the book, each artist has provided a small section explaining how they took their inspiration. Each illustration features just black and white, with flashes of orange. A simple book, but such a poignant one for the times that we are living in.
Gaiman first began this book by asking his followers what they considered they needed to be warm. He received thousands of replies, and from those he put this together; a sort of poem about warmth and safety. Thirteen artists have then provided their own interpretation to accompany the words. The project was put together, with proceeds from the book going towards the UN Refugee Agency. At the end of the book, each artist has provided a small section explaining how they took their inspiration. Each illustration features just black and white, with flashes of orange. A simple book, but such a poignant one for the times that we are living in.
November 10, 2023
This book creates thoughts and asks you to think about it.
It's got great illustrations and each word is on point
Personal bonus points: I've listened to a lot of Neil Gaiman's audio books. So my inner voice read this book to me in his tone.
It's got great illustrations and each word is on point
Personal bonus points: I've listened to a lot of Neil Gaiman's audio books. So my inner voice read this book to me in his tone.
April 11, 2024
این کتاب برای حمایت از پناهندگان و قربانیهای جنگ نوشته شده. درآمد حاصل ازش خرج بهتر کردن وضعیت کسایی میشه که توی جنگ خونههاشون رو از دست دادن.
برای اولین بار در عمرم عذاب وجدان گرفتم که چرا دزدکی کتاب خوندم:)))
I think we have enough scarves to warm everyone. What we need are more kind words.
(Not a quote from the book but from one of the illustrators!)
برای اولین بار در عمرم عذاب وجدان گرفتم که چرا دزدکی کتاب خوندم:)))
I think we have enough scarves to warm everyone. What we need are more kind words.
(Not a quote from the book but from one of the illustrators!)
December 19, 2023
Mais uma bonita surpresa 🩵
February 13, 2024
Un pequeño poema de Neil Gaiman tejido a partir de las respuestas de sus seguidores de Twitter sobre lo que les recuerda la calidez. Lo mejor es que cada verso fue bellamente ilustrado por diferentes artistas (y leer cómo trabajaron), así como el carácter benéfico del libro, por que al final el poema se queda en poca cosa.
September 16, 2024
ೃ⁀➷ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✎… staying warm in winter is hard, especially when we are reminded of those who are less fortunate and struggle during winter. this powerful, moving graphic poetry sheds a light on the difficulties of seeking warmth in the colder seasons and the consequences it can bring on others.
though short, i found this so deeply emotional - the words and visuals blended together so well, and painted a powerful picture. the emphasis on comfort and specific phrases like ‘a kind word’ really struck me too!
poetry truly has no barriers, and this goes to show how crucial it is in spreading important messages! ♡
✎… staying warm in winter is hard, especially when we are reminded of those who are less fortunate and struggle during winter. this powerful, moving graphic poetry sheds a light on the difficulties of seeking warmth in the colder seasons and the consequences it can bring on others.
though short, i found this so deeply emotional - the words and visuals blended together so well, and painted a powerful picture. the emphasis on comfort and specific phrases like ‘a kind word’ really struck me too!
poetry truly has no barriers, and this goes to show how crucial it is in spreading important messages! ♡
November 2, 2023
Gorgeous illustrations! The poetry delivers a timely message which will hopefully inspire empathy and kindness not only in the winter but all year round as well.
Read
January 16, 2024Literally just read this whilst browsing in the library. Really lovely poetry about refugees and feeling warm and safe and welcome when things are scary around you. The artwork is stunning!
November 1, 2023
These illustrations and specifically the stories behind the illustrations are so incredibly beautiful and thoughtful 🫶
March 7, 2024
I was extremely crabby when I began this book. I am now less crabby. Cozy words, combined with pictures of dogs, cats, dragons, and mermaids brought a lot of necessary joy into a couple minutes of my day. My only critique is that it was very short and over too quickly.
October 25, 2023
Short but mighty!
A clear message, churning, and cutting straight to the heart, albeit a bit too concise. It left me yearning for more. The illustrations are simply gorgeous!
A clear message, churning, and cutting straight to the heart, albeit a bit too concise. It left me yearning for more. The illustrations are simply gorgeous!
December 1, 2023
The concepts may be a little overwhelming for the youngest listeners, but for slightly older kids, this hopeful poem and beautiful illustrations help put big concepts like refugees, war, and homelessness into words that we can all understand--a need for comfort, for warmth, for a place to belong.
November 6, 2023
Lovely children’s book with a variety of beautiful illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews