NONFICTION

Before You Were Here: Where We Come From, What We’re Made Of, and How We Got Here

by Scott Westerfeld (text) & illus. by Jessica Lanan
Roaring Brook. Sept. 2024. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781250799326.
COPY ISBN
Gr 1-3–This beautifully written book asks readers to connect with every living and nonliving thing around us. For children who wonder where they “were” before they were born, this story explains it in a gentle and comforting way so that in the end, helping them feel and see the interconnections of all things. Stunning illustrations, created with ink, watercolor, and gouache, tenderly guide readers to consider what it means to be part of the sun, water, soil, and even DNA. An author’s note in the back matter provides simple, thorough answers to any questions still lingering with readers about how they fit in the world, and how the world, piece by piece, fits them.
VERDICT Answering deep questions, this book will encourage meaningful, grounded discussions and will be an important part of the elementary library collection.
Reviewed by Melissa King , Sep 01, 2024

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