Here and There by
Tamara Ellis Smith, illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi. PICTURE BOOK. Barefoot,
2019. $17. 9781782857419
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Ivan loved climbing trees and singing like the birds he
loved so much. He wanted to stay HERE at his mom’s house, but had to go THERE,
to his dad’s new place. Once there, he sat still and quiet, not wanting to be
there, until his dad started playing his guitar. One song pulled at his hands
and tugged at both his feet, and soon he was singing with the joyous sounds of
his beloved birds.
Ostensibly about learning how to be yourself even when you must split
your time between parents, this story is also a celebration of birds. The
author infuses descriptions of Ivan with bird references, and his lyrics for
his dad’s guitar tune are based on different bird calls. The author’s inclusion
of a list of bird calls on the last page helps clarify this reference. This
would be a good purchase to address divorce and changing living conditions, as
well as to reflect on our feathered neighbors.
P.K. Foster, MLS, elementary school teacher-librarian
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