⭐ A WHITE RAVENS 2023 SELECTION

⭐ A 2025 BOLOGNA RAGAZZI AWARD (BRAW) AMAZING BOOKSHELF SELECTION (SUSTAINABILITY)

⭐ A 2025 USSBY (U.S.A. national section of IBBY) OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL BOOK

⭐ SELECTED BY UNESCO AS THE OFFICIAL BOOK FOR THE UNESCO INTERNATIONAL DECADE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES (2022–2032):
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/what-makes-us-human

⭐ SELECTED FOR THE 2024 ORIGINAL ART EXHIBIT BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS

⭐ A BEST BOOK OF 2024 IN THE USA, CHINA, JAPAN, PORTUGAL, AND GREECE

⭐ SELECTED FOR THE 2024 "HIGHLIGHTS" CATALOGUE AS A "MUST-READ" BOOK BY EMILIA INSTITUTE (BRAZIL)

⭐ From the author of "People are Weird" (2025), illustrated by Catarina Sobral, and of "FINITO", illustrated by critically acclaimed Polish illustrator Iwona Chmielewska, 'What Makes Us Human' reads as a riddle, in which the first-person narrator of the book (language) does not reveal itself until the very last page.

⭐ Already translated into over 40 languages.

"I have been around for a very long time.
Longer than dogs, toys, or anyone you know.
I am everywhere.

Can you guess what I am?"

BLURBS:

“What Makes Us Human does what the best books do. It brings us together, celebrating our differences and commonalities while engaging the reader with beautiful illustrations and text that challenges and rewards.”
– Sydney Smith, 2024 Hans Christian Andersen winner for Illustration and author/illustrator of Small in the City (a Kate Greenway Medal & Governor General’s winner), Sidewalk Flowers (a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book), and I Talk Like a River (winner of the Premio Andersen for Best Illustrated Book)

“A beautifully illustrated book about our shared humanity. An engaging read and wonderful concept.”
– Felicita Sala, author/illustrator of 'Dark on Light', 'Be a Tree', 'Arno and His Horse', and 'All from a Walnut'

"As you cross time and space and solve a riddle full of beautiful metaphors, an amazing answer awaits at the end to make us look at our existence in a new way.”
– JiHyun Kim, author/illustrator of 'The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky' (a New York Public Library Best Books for Kids, 2022)

“What Makes Us Human, through its journey of searching for the identify of the narrator, opens a vast window to understanding the world and ourselves. 'I' becomes a tree, putting down roots; a river, threading time; it transforms into a beautiful song and into the thunderous sounds of a pouring bombardment. Gradually, 'I' becomes 'You' and morphs into ‘Us.'”
– Hyoeun Kim, author/illustrator of 'I am the Subway' (a New York Times’ Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2021)

"What Makes Us Human is a thoughtfully guided quest for the identity of a narrator both foreign and familiar. Forlati's textural mixed-media illustrations offer a map of meaningful keys and symbols.”
– Ellen Heck, author/illustrator of 'A Is for Bee' (a New York Times’ Best Children’s Book of 2022)

“A splendid achievement by the author and illustrator. They convey a powerful message about language in a simple, moving, and effective way. I'm sure children will love it - and I suspect adults too will appreciate the universal appeal of the way they tell their story.”
– Professor David Crystal, Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Bangor (Wales) and author of 'The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language' and of 'Language Death'