Book Report: Here We Are

44. Oliver Jeffers, Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth (2017) (9/4/21)

When I go for my daily 4.5-mile-plus walk (well, almost daily—today was a rare missed day), I listen to podcasts. A favorite is The Ezra Klein Show. Ezra is super smart, knows some really engaged and interesting people, asks great questions, and I always learn a lot. At the end of the podcast, he asks his guest(s) to recommend three books they've read lately. (This is dangerous for me. Good books? What? I try not to make mental notes. I do not always succeed.)

The other day his podcast featured—himself! Questions from readers, on subjects ranging from his reading habits to his comic book fetish to what he maybe got wrong in his recent book Why We're Polarized (not much) to, yes, what three books he'd recommend! The questioner specified: children's books. Ezra has a young son, so he knows his kids' books. One was about trucks of all shapes, sizes, and uses; I did not rush out to buy that one, though I bet it's fascinating. Maybe I'll change my mind. Another was called Here We Are: about planet Earth. Yes! That one I had to have.

It was written by 44-year-old Northern Irish artist and writer Oliver Jeffers, who now lives in Brooklyn. Here is an article about his life as an artist. He has been writing and illustrating children's books since his first one in 2004, How to Catch a Star.

Here We Are is dedicated to Jeffers's son, Harland: "This book was written in the first two months of your life as I tried to make sense of it all for you. These are the things I think you need to know." In it he explores such things as the Earth's atmosphere and its place in the solar system, the difference between land and sea, day and night, life in the ocean, the diversity of animals and of humanity, the importance of "remember[ing] . . . to eat, drink and stay warm." "Things can sometimes move slowly here on Earth," he says. "More often, though, they move quickly, so use your time well. It will be gone before you know it."

It's a beautiful book, and I bet it's very fun to read out loud to a small child, exploring the illustrations together: there's so much there, and so much to talk about. Here are a few spreads:

Jeffers includes a few quotations:

"Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?" —J. M. Barrie

"Looking back and seeing your planet as a planet is just an amazing feeling. It's a totally different perspective, and it makes you appreciate, actually, how fragile our existence is." —Dr. Sally Ride, Astronaut and Physicist

"There are only three words you need to live by, son: respect, consideration and tolerance." —Oliver's Dad, All-round good human

I'm glad I stumbled onto Oliver Jeffers. Thanks, Ezra.