Where Are You Now?

K-Gr 2–What happens to things when they disappear from view; are they gone forever? A shooting star blazes across the night sky, fading into the darkness as it travels. Later, a seed transforms into a tree, completely unrecognizable from its initial form. Still later, a child’s visage ceases to be visible until it is found in the face of that child’s child. Finally, the sun departs from the sky to make way for the moon, reflecting the sun’s brilliant light. Matter cannot be created or destroyed: it can only change forms. Such is the case for each object discussed in this book, from the fiery shooting star to the loving parent. The narrator of this story speaks in poetic phrases, moving from the question of where an item was to where it now is. Though the seed is gone, a tree stands in its place; though the sun has set, it can be seen in its reflection off of the moon. Each page features a short, four-line poem on one side with a colorful, descriptive illustration on the other. Watercolor images enhance the emotional backbone of this story, their rich layers of color mirroring innate human feelings. While at first glance this story is about transitions, it also serves as a foundation for discussing loss with young children.