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lanica's review
1.0
I have no idea what this book was supposed to do for kids...but all I've seen it do is frustrate and confuse them. This isn't a children's book...it's an art books written for adults. I would not recommend this for a school library.
In my opinion...It's not about death. It's not about grieving. It is not meant to comfort anyone, especially a kid. And, the ending is just not on point with the rest of the book.
In my opinion...It's not about death. It's not about grieving. It is not meant to comfort anyone, especially a kid. And, the ending is just not on point with the rest of the book.
beths0103's review
Where Do We Go When We Disappear is for the observant, philosophical child. Perhaps a book to share BEFORE they ask the big questions about death, as it is handled in a roundabout, symbolic way here.
freddybingsu's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
erine's review
Could be comforting in grief, and certainly presents some thoughtful considerations, but I was not greatly moved by this. Partly I think it was because it was too unfocused: by targeting "disappearance" and not death, the book becomes applicable if someone simply disappears from your life, which might be helpful in the case of estranged family members. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and might help spark conversations about any kind of death or disappearance, but it made it a more challenging read for me.
Mostly, though, I struggled with the final page: "Better than nothing... Nothing is too empty a place to go." This page struck me as the unprepared parent-in-the-headlights response to a too pointed question from their child, and not as a thoughtful response to a disappearance. Sometimes nothing (or nowhere) is exactly where things go, and that can be okay, too, even if it's not always pleasant to admit.
As a book to spark conversation, I appreciated the various perspectives of disappearance. And if death is not your reason for picking up this book, it might work for you. But as an honest look at what happens when people die or disappear, I felt as though the last page dropped the ball.
Mostly, though, I struggled with the final page: "Better than nothing... Nothing is too empty a place to go." This page struck me as the unprepared parent-in-the-headlights response to a too pointed question from their child, and not as a thoughtful response to a disappearance. Sometimes nothing (or nowhere) is exactly where things go, and that can be okay, too, even if it's not always pleasant to admit.
As a book to spark conversation, I appreciated the various perspectives of disappearance. And if death is not your reason for picking up this book, it might work for you. But as an honest look at what happens when people die or disappear, I felt as though the last page dropped the ball.
tashrow's review
5.0
I recently reviewed My Neighbor Is a Dog, another new book by this author and illustrator duo. In this book, the question of where people and things go when they disappear is explored thoroughly. The result is a book that asks big questions and attempts to answer them or at least provide a framework to answer them. The book begins with people disappearing and the idea that you must be missed in order to disappear, so disappearing takes two. Then it moves on to other things that disappear like sunshine and clouds, socks and puddles, snow and noise. It ends with the fact that everything disappears, even the most solid things like rocks over time will disappear.
Translated from the Portuguese original, this book is thought provoking and fascinating. Martins manages to right a book about big questions that answers them in a way that is exploratory and insightful and doesn’t turn quickly to a religious answer. Instead she stays in the questioning place, allowing different ideas to surface and be discussed. She does not provide any easy answers, meeting children right where they want the discussion to stay, where it leads to more and more questions.
Matoso’s illustrations are vibrantly colored and filled with strong shapes. They appear to be block printed which adds to the organic feel. She uses negative space brilliantly. One example is her snow image with the background white and the flakes cut out circles that merge directly into the white and stand out against the other bright objects.
Challenging, thought-provoking and a book that will inspire discussion and help children find their own answers. Appropriate for ages 5-7.
Translated from the Portuguese original, this book is thought provoking and fascinating. Martins manages to right a book about big questions that answers them in a way that is exploratory and insightful and doesn’t turn quickly to a religious answer. Instead she stays in the questioning place, allowing different ideas to surface and be discussed. She does not provide any easy answers, meeting children right where they want the discussion to stay, where it leads to more and more questions.
Matoso’s illustrations are vibrantly colored and filled with strong shapes. They appear to be block printed which adds to the organic feel. She uses negative space brilliantly. One example is her snow image with the background white and the flakes cut out circles that merge directly into the white and stand out against the other bright objects.
Challenging, thought-provoking and a book that will inspire discussion and help children find their own answers. Appropriate for ages 5-7.
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