We Leap Together

K-Gr 2–Two mothers spend a day out and about with their beloved children. One mother/child duo lives in a city with bustling traffic and crowds; the other are humpback whales in the ocean, not very far from the city. The parallel days emphasize the similarities and differences between the two families. When the whales pass long columns of light in the water, the human child is pictured staring up into the long columns of skyscrapers that tower overhead. Descriptive illustrations capture the habitats of both pairs and teem with life, light, and connection. This title could be useful in classrooms working on environmental habitat projects to help students see the parallels between their world and those of other species. It also excels as a tender story of the myriad ways love and connection are shared between a parent and child.