Before You Were Here: Where We Come From, What We're Made Of, and How We Got Here

Ages 4 to 8

Science meets poetry in this nonfiction picture book about how all humans, great and small, are created by the natural world, by New York Times-bestselling author Scott Westerfeld and award-winning illustrator Jessica Lanan.

Before you were here, you were everywhere.

You were once the sunshine when it struck the trees. You were water, powerful enough to wear away mountains. You were soil deep beneath the earth.

Now that you’re here, the world waits for you.

Everywhere.

Follow a young boy as he explores the world around him and begins to understand that he is connected to all things. Blending a beautiful tale of new life with the science of the universe, this incredible picture book is a sweeping ode to a parent's love for their child, budding life, and the Earth that we live on, perfect for fans of Matt de la Peña and Loren Long's LOVE and Jason Chin's THE UNIVERSE IN YOU.

About the Author

Scott Westerfeld is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 20 books for adults and young readers, including the Uglies series and the Leviathan trilogy. His books have sold over five million copies worldwide, and his work has been translated into over 32 languages. He has won and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Locus, the Nebula, and the Aurealis. He and his wife, author Justine Larbalestier, split their time between Sydney, Australia and New York City. Everywhere is his debut picture book.

scottwesterfeld.com

@ScottWesterfeld

Jessica Lanan is the Sibert Honor-winning creator of Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider and The Fisherman & the Whale, a Colorado

Book Award finalist and winner of the Bull-Bransom Award for wildlife art. She

has illustrated many other picture books, including The Lost Package, Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet, and Thank You, Moon. She lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her daughter and cat.

jessicalanan.com

@jessicalanan