Here and Now

by Julia Denos, E. B. Goodale (Illustrator)

Overview

From the team behind Ezra Jack Keats Honor winner Windows comes Here and Now. At turns wise and playful, this accessible, beautifully illustrated read soothes like a modern Goodnight Moon. 

Here and now . . .

You may be reading a book. But somewhere, a phone is ringing, a baby is growing, and the earth is spinning in space. Even you are changing and growing in remarkable ways.

Explore the joy of mindfulness, the wonder of our existence, and the marvel of our ever-connected world with this stunning padded board book. 

  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328465641
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD470L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Julia Denos is the author of the multi-awarded picture book Windows, as well as Here and Now, both illustrated by E.B. Goodale, and is author/illustrator of Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color, her author/illustrator debut, which was a 2016 ALA Notable selection. She is the illustrator of Margaret Cardillo's Just Being Audrey and Just Being Jackie, as well as I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn. Inspired by her love of nature, words, and watercolor, she lives and works in coastal Massachusetts. 
www.juliadenos.com
Instagram: @juliadenos

E. B. Goodale is the author/illustrator of Under the Lilacs, her debut, which was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Spring 2020. She has also illustrated several other picture books including Windowsand Here and Now, both by author Julia Denos. Visit her at www.ebgoodale.com, on Twitter: @ebgoodale and on Instagram: @ebgoodale

Editorial Reviews

Being in the moment—also known as mindfulness—is a useful concept for today's frazzled, overscheduled kids. But it's best conveyed without those adult-friendly buzzwords, as in this lovely and profound second collaboration…from Denos and Goodale.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

? "Readers will find themselves returning for a thoughtful moment again and again." —Kirkus, STARRED review "Evocative.... robust.... playful.... a kid-centered take on mindfulness that should encourage budding philosophers, scientists, and questioners."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books?, STARRED review "Meditation meets noticing in this contemplative picture book....A well-considered work about taking in the present moment."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review "A unique glimpse of what can be appreciated separate from what we see in front of us, and a topic worthy of a follow-up lesson."—School Library Journal —

From the Publisher

★ 2019-05-26
Following Windows (2017), Denos and Goodale reteam to offer a guided meditation through reading.

The inviting cover shows a little black child touching the reflection in a stream as creatures fly about and the moon rises behind into a starlit sky. The first spread is white space with two pairs of hands positioned as if holding the book. "Right here, right now, / you are reading this book." The simple text continues to bring awareness to the present moment: the placement of the book, the position of the reader's body, the floor and Earth beneath us, the spinning of the Earth in space. Next, the reader is invited to imagine how "many, many things are happening" while they read this book—rain is forming, a phone somewhere is ringing, an "idea is blooming." Finally, the text circles back to the reader: "Right here, right now, / YOU are becoming." The ink and watercolor images complement the text beautifully, with close-ups and panoramic views shifting to cozy vignettes, all emphasizing the focus on emotional connection between characters. The illustration accompanying "Unseen work is being done" shows two people, the black child from the cover and an Asian-presenting older figure, embracing in the field. These characters, followed intermittently throughout, are reading their own copy of Here and Now, which allows several opportunities for playfulness in the pictures, which tell their own story.

Readers will find themselves returning for a thoughtful moment again and again. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-12)

Kirkus Reviews