You're Here for a Reason

PreS-Gr 2—Tillman's latest examines the struggle humans have with the idea of "purpose." She speaks as though addressing a child, repeating the refrain "you're here for a reason" and explaining that good things happen to others because of the child. Her answer to this life question may be unsatisfactory or too simplistic for some. Nevertheless, she fashions it into an encouraging sentiment that gives peace of mind. To evoke this sense, Tillman illustrates children mingling with animals in a vibrantly colored, dreamlike realm. As usual, her characteristic, almost photographic, digital and mixed-media paintings complement the soothing cadence of the text and beautiful rhyme. Goodwill spreads from page to page in the shape of a kite and a ball, showing how actions affect the world. Tillman frames her lovely poem with the idea of a puzzle, starting the verse that reads, "If not for your hands and your eyes and your feet,/the world, like a puzzle, would be incomplete" and ending with an image of a globe made up of puzzle pieces, depicting the paintings in the book.. It may not be obvious, but every person is a piece required to form the whole.