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About The Book

In the tradition of Tomie dePaola’s Quiet, this lyrical, timely picture book with beautiful diorama illustrations shows that if you really look, you never know what the world might give you to see.

The natural world is full of patterns to enjoy for those who can ground themselves, be mindful, and truly see.

About The Author

Photo courtesy of the author

Gabi Snyder is the author of several picture books, including Two Dogs on a Trike, Listen, Today, and Look. She studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas and is a member of SCBWI. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks, visiting Little Free Libraries, and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at GabiSnyder.com.

About The Illustrator

Photograph courtesy of the illustrator

Samantha Cotterill has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including the Little Senses series, Thankful and Heartfelt by Elaine Vickers, A Grand Day by Jean Reidy, Look by Gabi Snyder, Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime! by Lisa Mantchev, and Just Add Glitter by Angela DiTerlizzi, which The New York Times called “a sparkle of genius.” Samantha lives with her family in upstate New York. Learn more at SamanthaCotterill.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (April 16, 2024)
  • Length: 48 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665905411
  • Grades: P - 3
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

In this companion to Listen (2021), illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, Snyder encourages children to develop perceptive looking and pattern-seeking as coping tools for the frequent visual overwhelm of daily life.

A pregnant parent and a child—both ginger-haired and white-presenting—navigate a busy autumn day, with stops at a garden, a farmers market, a pond, and a wooded trail. The child carries a sketchbook gifted by the parent, making drawings of patterns spied in textiles, butterfly wings, and the starry night sky. Throughout, the text directly addresses readers, pointing out patterns, encouraging them to find others, and suggesting physical activities that add kinesthetic possibilities for pattern-finding. Snyder identifies the striped pattern made by a kitchen chair’s cast shadow—“Light, dark, light, dark”—then asks, as the pair leave the house, “Where else can you discover stripes?” Cotterill’s hand-built mixed-media constructions, replete with 2-D painted inserts of diverse people, flora, and fauna, embody the visual cacophony of Snyder’s text. A lively farmers market scene contains visual depth, colorful details, and plenty of discoverable patterns. The walk home leads the parent and child through woods teeming with mushrooms, bright leaves, and wildlife. The occasional blurring of the photographed backgrounds is a bit jarring, evoking more a camera’s eye than a child’s visual experiences.

A warm invitation for children to find mastery and calm in looking. (glossary, pattern activities) (Picture book. 4-7)

– Kirkus Reviews, 2/15/2024

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More books from this author: Gabi Snyder

More books from this illustrator: Samantha Cotterill