From There to Here by Laurel Croza (review)

This follow-up to I Know Here shows our protagonist now relocated from her rural Saskatchewan home to a life in urban Toronto. Back in Saskatchewan, Dad came home for lunch, while here he’s gone all day; there, she and her siblings “traveled in a pack,” but now her older brother has gone his own way; there smelled like home, but here just smells like new carpet. It’s not all bad, though: a girl named Anne invites the protagonist out to ride bikes together, and our transplant realizes the city can bring good new things, too. This has the same plainspoken child perspective as the first title, setting out movingly how deeply unrooted and how bereft such a big move can make a kid; the details of what’s altered are sharply observed, daily life normalities that will resonate with kids in town and country. Saturated, painterly strokes of ink take on an expressionistic flair in the absorbing illustrations, which often face “there” and “here” against each other across the gutter, vividly conveying their opposition. The girl’s imaginings are occasionally brought to the fore, with rangy pine trees shadowing her city bedroom, and intrigued viewers will want to pore over the spreads for other significant elements (such as Anne’s earlier appearance). Even kids who haven’t moved have likely been uncomfortably away from home, so just about everyone will be able to relate to this; it would make an interesting pairing with Perkins’ Pictures from Our Vacation (BCCB 7/07) for a look at the way new experiences can surprise us.