Before I Lived Here

Gr 1-4–As a young boy peers out his window, he imagines the layers of history beneath his neighborhood. He sees the blueprints of the development that led to his current home as well as the ranchers and homesteaders that once inhabited the land. These changes did not come without cost, however, as seen by the displacement of the Ute, a people indigenous to this region. Final spreads go even further back to dinosaurs and the geological forces that shaped the land, as the boy considers how time has shaped all that he sees. The text is simple and spare, moving backward in time with a rhythm that invites curiosity and conversation. Captions in bold at the top left mark each time period, though the inconsistency in using “years ago” language versus specific dates may confuse some readers. The true narrative power lies in the illustrations. The shift from realism to abstraction and the use of color and line beautifully signal the passage of time. Darker hues deepen as the timeline retreats and magical elements, like giant pencils sketching history, add a sense of wonder. A powerful springboard for classroom discussions on change, place, and history, readers will reflect on how land evolves and shapes the lives of its inhabitants. Verdict Recommended especially for whole group discussion or as a starting place for historical investigation.