I Am Here

Repeated prepositions propel this bright-eyed board book, which movingly presents the world from a baby’s developing perspective. Unfolded downward, accordion pages reference common sights the protagonist perceives from below—“under/ the sun// under/ the clouds”—culminating in the round-cheeked tot, held in a baby carrier: “under/ Mama/ me.” A palette of sky blues forms the backdrop for these items, which are given a simple freshness via screen-printing-like techniques. Flipped and unfurled sideways, the book reveals a second sequence that foregrounds a broader rainbow of backdrops via the vantage point of an older, toddling child who experiences the world adjacent to items found low to the ground—“beside/ Grandpa,” “beside/ a cat,” and the like—with text finally circling back to the title: “me// I am here.” Kim cleverly uses the format to articulate the perspective-shifting process of becoming in this uniquely engineered read. Characters read as East Asian. Ages up to 4. (Apr.)