Review: You Are Home: An Ode to the National Parks by Evan Turk

YOU ARE HOME

An Ode to the National Parks

by Evan Turk

Atheneum Books

Picture Book

56 pages

ages 4 and up

Award-winning author and illustrator Evan Turk showcases the beauty and importance of the National Parks in this gorgeous picture book that takes readers on an amazing tour across the United States.

Beneath the soaring doorways of stone,
and peaks that pierce the ceiling of clouds,
from every river, star, and stone
comes the eternal refrain:
you are home.

In simple, soaring language and breathtaking art, acclaimed author-illustrator Evan Turk has created a stirring ode to nature and nation. From the rugged coast of Maine to the fiery volcanoes of Hawaii, You Are Home reminds us that every animal, plant, and person helps make this land a brilliant, beautiful sanctuary of life.

 MY TIDBITS

Nature fans but also those who simply love amazing illustrations are going to enjoy diving into these pages.

This book pays homage to the gorgeous national parks found in the United States, but it is more than just that. It's a celebration of nature and life. Each page offers a beautiful setting, centering on an animal or person, which shows them in a true to life and wonderful setting. And while the beauty of the landscape demands attention, a few words make the point: you are home. The idea of how wonderful life is around us and how amazing our Earth is becomes clear and touches the heart.

The illustrations make this book one to keep and gaze at again and again. While young listeners/readers will enjoy flipping through the pages and experiencing each landscape with its details, older ones will enjoy the artwork with a sigh and even memories of seeing such locations themselves. The book is simply a work of art, and kids will let it sink in and appreciate it quite a bit right along with the warming message.

Summed up, this is a book to keep and cherish, and one which is sure to be enjoyed again and again.


And here he is...

Evan Turk is an Ezra Jack Keats Award winning illustrator, author, and animator. He is the author /illustrator of The Storyteller and Heartbeat and the illustrator of Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book, Grandfather Gandhi, and its companion Be the Change. Originally from Colorado, Evan now lives in the Hudson River Valley with his two cats. He is a graduate of Parsons School of Design. Visit him at EvanTurk.com.