{"id":30632,"date":"2018-12-22T22:49:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-23T02:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30632"},"modified":"2018-12-22T22:49:00","modified_gmt":"2018-12-23T02:49:00","slug":"review-of-you-belong-here-by-m-h-clark-illustrated-by-isabelle-arsenault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=30632","title":{"rendered":"Review of You Belong Here, by M. H. Clark, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>You Belong Here<\/em><\/p>\n

by M. H. Clark
\nillustrated by Isabelle Arsenault<\/p>\n

Compendium, 2016. 32 pages.<\/p>\n

I was ready to dismiss this book as a fluffy book to make parents feel good \u2013 but the more I read it, the more it won me over.<\/p>\n

The poetry is lyrical. The first page sets the tone:<\/p>\n

The stars belong in the deep night sky
\nand the moon belongs there too,
\nand the winds belong in each place they blow by
\nand I belong here with you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The book talks about where various things in nature belong \u2013 whales, fishes, waves, dunes, trees, deer, birds, frogs, lilies, turtles, otters, cattails, carp, and more.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n

The pines belong on the mountainsides,
\ntucked under their blankets of snow
\nand the bears belong in the caves where they hide
\nwhenever the storms start to blow.<\/p>\n

Some creatures were made for the land, or the air,
\nand others were made for the sea;
\neach creature is perfectly home right there
\nin the place it belongs to be.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After two spreads about things in nature, the book always comes back to a picture of a house with a lighted window and a page of poetry about how you belong with me.<\/p>\n

Now, my children are adults, and my youngest is actively looking for a job and plans to move away. So I was a little bit resistant to lines like this:<\/p>\n

And no matter what places you travel to,
\nwhat wonders you choose to see,
\nI will always belong right here with you,
\nand you\u2019ll always belong with me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But if I shift gears and think about a little one, cozying up with Mom or Dad \u2013 isn\u2019t that a wonderful message to convey? You belong here. You are loved, and you belong. And yes, even when you\u2019re grown up and wander far, you will always have a place in my heart, I will always feel at home when I am with you.<\/p>\n

www.live-inspired.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/you_belong_here.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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