There

PreS-Gr 1This quiet gem isn't a fairy tale or a fable, though it has the magical and thoughtful qualities of both. A child asks, "When will I get There?" as she travels through fantastic landscapes, from the rounded edge of the globe through villages and cities, rainstorms, rainbows, and even up a ladder to the stars. Every spread is inventive and alluring. The paintings are the real star of this book, but the wordswhich are fewlend meaning and order to what would otherwise be an assortment of pictures held together only by the persistent presence of a fluffy-haired little girl. The words add up to a question so essential that it belongs to the realm of childhood: What is the future? "Will there be a sign that says, 'Here is There'?" "Will I be really BIG, There?" "Will I wear sensible shoes and say sensible things?" "Will I know how to count the stars and how to fix the broken things?" "There" is a book for rumination, a rare permission to ask the unanswerable questions. The thoughts that propel it and the images that illuminate it make this volume a small wonder for children."Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

In Fitzpatrick's ("I Am I") allegorical tale, a young traveler with tousled hair questions what it means to grow up. Carrying a large satchel, the eager girl strides down a sidewalk as she asks, When will I get There? Her innocent questions take her over hills, through daisy fields and up into rainy skies. The full-page, softly rendered landscapes dwarf the inquisitive narrator, who wants to know, Will I wear sensible shoes and say sensible things? Will I never say anything silly again?... Will I know all the secrets? In a clever spread, she wonders about finding her way through a jungle, as the facing illustration shows her amid shadowy apartment buildings where wild animals lurk and a stocking on a clothesline is really a snake. Older readers will take heart in her hopefulness and determination to still build snowmen and sandcastles. Definitely. In the end, she decides she won't go There today because I've got lots to do. Readers of all ages will appreciate this layered tale and feel the poignancy of her decision to cease her questioning and live in the moment. Ages 47. "(May)"

Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

"Readers of all ages will appreciate this layered tale and feel the poignancy of her decision to cease her questioning and live in the moment." —Starred, Publishers Weekly

"Thought-provoking and comforting, this selection leaves room for high-minded existential interpretation but still has an innocence that is childlike and accessible as it addresses the pleasures and pitfalls of growing up." —Kirkus Reviews

"There is a book for rumination, a rare permission to ask the unanswerable questions. The thoughts that propel it and the images that illuminate it make this volume a small wonder for children." —School Library Journal

"Vibrant double-page spreads create a spacious setting for this peripatetic story of a young girl pondering a big question: 'When will I get There?'" —Booklist