Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth

By Author / Illustrator

Oliver Jeffers

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

3+

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN

9780008266165

Format

Hardback

Published

14-11-2017

Synopsis

#1 New York Times Bestseller and #1 TIME Best Book of the Year for 2017!


The exquisite and thought-provoking new book from the multi award-winning, internationally best-selling picture book creator of Lost and Found, Oliver Jeffers.


Well, hello.
And welcome to this Planet.
We call it Earth.


Our world can be a bewildering place, especially if you've only just got here. Your head will be filled with questions, so let's explore what makes our planet and how we live on it. From land and sky, to people and time, these notes can be your guide and start you on your journey. And you'll figure lots of things out for yourself. Just remember to leave notes for everyone else... Some things about our planet are pretty complicated, but things can be simple, too: you've just got to be kind.


Here We Are is the utterly heartfelt new book from Oliver Jeffers. We're glad you found it.


\"An optimistic snapshot of contemporary life, this heartfelt hug of a book ought to become a classic\" The Guardian

Reviews

Emily

In this delightful picture book, Oliver Jeffers provides his baby son with a guide to help him to make sense of the world around him. Here We Are takes a wonderful child's-eye look at all we see around us from the stars in the sky to the differences between day and night and the diversity of people and animals that inhabit the world. I read this with our Reception class and they were transfixed from the very first page. They enjoyed listening to the text which prompted some very thoughtful responses about the need to take care of our planet: 'The Earth is very important' and 'If we don't look after it we won't have a place to live in'. The children were fascinated by the pages filled with different kinds of people and animals and they were intrigued by Jeffers' depiction of the multitude of thoughts that fill the heads of young children. There is so much to look at and this book is a tremendous resource for provoking discussion about a wealth of different topics. Older children would be fascinated by the additional information contained in the author's annotations. The sheer beauty of this book did not go unnoticed by my Reception class and one child commented that 'the art in this book is very special'. The author's palette of deep blues, blacks and purples drew the children in and gives the book a very distinctive feel. Here We Are comes highly recommended by my class and it is definitely one of my very favourite picture books of 2017. 38 pages / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Emily Marcuccilli, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Aidan

When you spot J.M. Barrie's quote '...always try to be a little kinder than is necessary...' tucked away at the beginning of a book, you can almost be certain it's going to be a must-read for children. Especially in world where we seem to see so much unkindness. But that's not the world Jeffers focuses on in 'Here We Are'. In fact, he looks at humanity and our planet positively and hopefully, encouraging his readers to re-envision what they see around them. Of course, these 'notes for living on planet earth' are inspired by the author's son so the optimistic standpoint is one of childish naivety, and that's OK. Adult readers will understand the negatives behind the positive statements - the book provides a stimulus for adults to discuss world events and issues with children at an age-appropriate level. The book has excellent Science and Geography links - Jeffers, in his inimitable style, illustrates the solar system, the night sky, the human body and species of animals providing engaging starting points to several areas of the national curriculum. In fact, so good are these that you'll be crying out for an Oliver Jeffers 'How Things Work' style non-fiction book to use in all aspects of the STEM curriculum. First, 'Here We Are' is a celebration of the planet on which we live; it encourages awe and wonder as we notice and learn about the world around us. Second, it gently urges its readers to look after the things around them - the environment, others and themselves. A double page spread beautifully illustrated with an impressive variety of different-looking people serves as a great talking point alone - how should we treat those who look different to us? Even though we look different, are there similarities? These are such important questions for young children to be discussing if our societies are ever to be more empathetic. C.S. Lewis said 'A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest' and Oliver Jeffers never fails at this. Adults reading this book will be reminded about what life is really about and will be inspired to ensure that in all the areas the book touches upon that they are good role models to the children in their life. 'Things can sometimes move slowly here on Earth. More often though, they move quickly, so use your time well.' is definitely advice needed by adults more than by children. If there were to be one overarching theme I'd say it was wellbeing. And not that selfish kind that only says look after yourself, but the type that celebrates the positive impact of caring for the wellbeing of others. In fact, the five ways to wellbeing are clearly all celebrated in this book: Connect ('You're never alone on earth'); Be Active ('...when the sun is out, it is daytime, and we do stuff' accompanied by a gorgeous yellow-tinted illustration of all kinds of activity); Take Notice ('There is so much to see and do here on Earth...'); Learn (the whole book is about learning new things); and Give ('just remember to leave notes for everyone else.'). What parent wouldn't want wellbeing for their children?& Basically, this is essential reading and needs to be a staple on library shelves and in schools and homes. Books do have the power to change perceptions and this one is something like a manifesto for how children will need to operate in order to change the way things are going in the world. But, I'd even recommend this to adults who might never read it with a child - it could be the gentle reminder they need to adjust their lives for their own wellbeing's sake. Picture book / Ages 3-adult / Reviewed by Aidan Severs, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+

Jacqueline

Subtitled Notes for living on Planet Earth, Oliver Jeffers has written a loving and lovely book for his baby son. It is a sort of non-fiction about Earth, but as it is Oliver Jeffers it is hardly ordinary. With his trade mark gorgeous illustrations and interesting information, written in labels across the page as well as the main text, this is the sort of book children will treasure and enjoy for many years. I tried this out on my four-year-old and she was entranced. The pictures of all the different people who live on Earth were her favourites and she spent some time looking and discussing the many characters on the page. The drawings include The Queen, a diver, religious people from a diverse range of religions and cultures, and they all show the same sense of humour that makes all Jeffers' illustrations so special. In many ways this simple book is very sophisticated, with jokes for sleep-deprived parents and other humorous asides. It also has a serious message about looking after the world and some well-chosen quotes at the end, including one from astronaut Sally Ride. Yet it is also simple enough to be enjoyed by very young children; the pictures are so rich in detail and colour that it draws you in to the page and encourages questions and conversation. It might be quite interesting to look at this book and compare it to a standard non-fiction text; but to be perfectly honest, the best use for this book is to enjoy it, linger over the pages and rejoice in the gorgeous illustrations of our amazing home planet. Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, education consultant.

Suggested Reading Age 3+

 

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