Everybody's Somewhere

PreS-Gr 1—"Everybody's somewhere,/Where are you?/I'm right here,/I'm somebody, too." This attractive title has simple rhyming text and well-matched illustrations featuring a range of places people can be, even if they can't be seen. Easy and straightforward overall, it offers concepts beyond a preschooler's simple understanding. The depiction of a girl with her eyes closed, a thought bubble over her head, helps a child figure out the phrase "Each of us is somewhere,/If only in our head." A bit tougher, and one that may elicit questions, is the idea that "Somebody is nowhere!/How could that be?/Nowhere is somewhere/If you ask me." The playful images, with a diverse set of wide-eyed characters including a child in a wheelchair running a marathon, are what really draw in readers. Cheerful scenes show people indoors and outdoors, in the city and the countryside, and even in video calls. The combination of repetitive, easy words and constructive illustrations make it favorable for new readers as well.