From There to Here

In a lovely companion story to 2010’s I Know Here, Croza’s heroine and her family have settled in Toronto. While the girl’s references to “here” meant their rural Saskatchewan dwelling in the previous book, Toronto is “here” for her family now, and their former home has become “there.” Both locations bleed together in some of James’s thickly painted images, emphasizing the central role they hold in the girl’s mind and heart. Croza doesn’t avoid the reality that some things were perhaps better in the country (“Here. No stars, no northern lights”), but readers will come to understand that while “here” and “there” are different, different is OK, especially when you have the support of a new friend. Ages 4–7. (May)