Home, by Isabelle Simler and Vineet Lal, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, March 26, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 5-9)
Take a tour through the dwellings of 27 different animals in Home, a picture book by Isabelle Simler and translated by Vineet Lal.
Creator Isabelle Simler presents a poetic journey through animal homes across the world. In Europe, alpine marmots stay safe in underground refuges. In southeast Asia, Sumatran orangutans doze off in treetop bedrooms. In Mexico and the southwestern US, elf owls nest in holes in saguaro cacti. On every continent but Antarctica, honeybees mold wax into palaces for their queens. No matter where you travel, some creature is making an extraordinary place to call home.
With connections to life cycles, camouflage, and other biological concepts, Home is a showcase of the natural world. —Synopsis provided by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
From cover to cover, Home is simply stunning. Isabelle Simler immediately grabs your attention with her intricate artwork. Her images are full of texture and movement, just begging you to explore. Simler’s words, too, hold your attention. With phrases like:
“I slide into my home like a telescope
and fan out my feathery lashes.”
and
“At the blue hour, I shall make my entrance
to steal the heart of my beloved.”
you enter different animal domains. The entire experience is enchanting. Excellent backmatter includes more on each animal and a glossary of terms.
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