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HERE AND THERE

Name: HERE AND THERE
Author: Tamara Ellis Smith
ISBN: 978-1-78285-741-9

by Tamara Ellis Smith ; illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2019

Needed everywhere.

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A child with newly separated parents grapples with moving back and forth between their homes.

Ivan doesn’t want “to go There (his dad’s new house).” At Mama’s house (which he thinks of as “Here”), Ivan indulges his love of birds by feeding them and mimicking their calls and songs. But when he’s There, he’s still and quiet, refusing to engage with Dad and remaining silent when he hears birds. But when Dad plays his guitar, Ivan can’t resist. “He felt the way he did when Mama lifted him high to pick pears from the branches of their tree. He moved the way he did when Dad pushed him on a swing as high as the sun.” Dad invites Ivan to put words to the song, and he does, with a mishmash of bird calls, cheers, and the words “Here” and “There.” The father-and-son collaboration makes “There” feel more like a home, so much so that Ivan feels he’s lost something when he returns to Mama’s house. She notices he’s still and quiet and successfully draws him out. He hears birds, remembers the song, and sings it to Mama. Appropriately, this isn’t a happily-ever-after story but one that offers affirmation and hope for kids navigating parental separation. In Daviddi’s pencil, acrylic-paint, and collage illustrations Ivan and Mama both have brown skin and dark Afros while Dad presents white. There seems to be little attempt to represent the birds naturalistically, but there is a guide to the calls in the backmatter.

Needed everywhere. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 31, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-78285-741-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
GRIEF IS AN ELEPHANT
by Tamara Ellis Smith ; illustrated by Nancy Whitesides

- BOOK REVIEW
ANOTHER KIND OF HURRICANE
by Tamara Ellis Smith

- PERSPECTIVES
Bibliotherapy for All

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READ ALL ABOUT IT!

by Benjamin Hall ; illustrated by Martina Motzo ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2026

Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.

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In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.

Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.

Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 3, 2026

ISBN: 9780063357549

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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MAYA'S BIG QUESTION

From the Ambitious Girl series , Vol. 3

by Meena Harris ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2026

Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.

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The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.

On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.

Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)