Here We Are
Notes for Living on Planet Earth
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4.5 • 22 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
#1 New York Times bestseller
A TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year
A NPR Best Book of 2017
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2017
"Moments of human intimacy jostle with scenes that inspire cosmic awe, and the broad diversity of Jeffers's candy-colored humans...underscores the twin messages that 'You're never alone on Earth' and that we're all in this together."--Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
"A true work of art."--BuzzFeed
Oliver Jeffers, arguably the most influential creator of picture books today, offers a rare personal look inside his own hopes and wishes for his child--and in doing so gifts children and parents everywhere with a gently sweet and humorous missive about our world and those who call it home.
Insightfully sweet, with a gentle humor and poignancy, here is Oliver Jeffers' user's guide to life on Earth. He created it specially for his son, yet with a universality that embraces all children and their parents. Be it a complex view of our planet's terrain (bumpy, sharp, wet), a deep look at our place in space (it’s big), or a guide to all of humanity (don’t be fooled, we are all people), Oliver's signature wit and humor combine with a value system of kindness and tolerance to create a must-have book for parents.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
When his first child was born, artist and children’s book author Oliver Jeffers wrote Here We Are, an utterly charming introduction to life on planet Earth. His is a surprisingly comprehensive survey, covering land, sea, and air, as well as the structures of the human body and a quick overview of the diversity of both the animal kingdom and humanity. The best part for parents is the tiny Easter egg jokes Jeffers sprinkles throughout his witty paintings and illustrations. (In one picture, Jeffers and his wife lie in bed asleep at night while their child is awake…and holding a hammer.) We love Jeffers’ thoughtful text, diverse and inclusive drawings, and conversational tone. Here We Are has all the makings of a wonderful bedtime story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"These are the things I think you need to know," writes Jeffers (A Child of Books), dedicating this contemplative and heartfelt book to his young son. Each spread highlights aspects of this planet or life on it: the solar system, people and animals, the way time can seem to move slowly or quickly. "Use your time well," he advises. "It will be gone before you know it." Throughout, Jeffers channels the voice of an adult who knows things but perhaps still struggles to find the right words to explain them: "Generally how it works is that when the sun is out, it is daytime, and we do stuff." After discussing land, sea, and sky, he admits that the sky "can get pretty complicated" (dotted lines separate the "air we breathe" from the "stratosthingy" and "outer space," among other labeled celestial and meteorological entities). Moments of human intimacy jostle with scenes that inspire cosmic awe, and the broad diversity of Jeffers's candy-colored humans musicians, hijabis, nuns, explorers, potentates underscores the twin messages that "You're never alone on Earth" and that we're all in this together. Ages 3-7.
