As we start a new month, I’m happy to share a Perfect Picture Book that reminds us that all of us have a role to play in bettering our world.
Title: Something, Someday
Written By: Amanda Gorman
Illustrated By: Christian Robinson
Publisher/Date: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House/2023
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: free-verse poetry, making a difference, gardening, urban renewal, hope
Opening:
You are told
That this is not a problem.
But you’re sure
There’s something wrong.
Brief Synopsis: A young child views the garbage surrounding their home, and, despite being told many reasons why it can’t be cleaned up, begins doing so and, with the help of a friend and community members, transforms a blighted lot into a garden.
Links to Resources:
- Involve your kids in these community garden activities;
- Children are often told that something won’t work, that a problem can’t be solved, that a project is too big to be undertaken. Has this ever happened to you? Describe in words or pictures how you managed to get something to work, how you solved a problem, or how you undertook a big project;
- How did you feel after you got something to work, solved a problem, or undertook a large project? Describe that feeling in words or pictures.
Why I Like this Book:
Gorman’s free-verse poetry plus Robinson’s painted, collaged, and digital illustrations combine to leave readers with hope that seemingly intractable problems can be solved, that by working together, we can better our world.
At the outset, a nameless “you” is told that litter and piles of waste are not a problem and that “it cannot be fixed”. “You” are told that the problem is “too big for you.” But you know differently; even tiny creatures, working together, can make a difference.
“You” don’t listen to the naysayers, those who have waited “too long” to address the problem. You start to clean things up. But sometimes you become scared, confused, angry – just like many people, young and old, often feel.
And if you start to lose hope that your actions will improve things, if you feel like you’re all alone with a problem too big to solve, you find a friend to work with you, to hope with you. Together, with the help of community members, you achieve your goals.
Interestingly, it’s unclear who “you” is in the story. The child depicted could be male or female. “You” probably refers to that child, but it also draws readers in, making us part of the story and part of the solution, or at least filled with hope and set to tackle any problems we face.
Whether you’re young or old, if you feel overwhelmed in your surroundings or by world events, breathe in and out, and read Something, Someday. It’s a hope-filled picture book to share with kids of all ages at home or at school as we reflect on what we can accomplish together.
A Note about Craft:
As I read, and reread, Something, Someday, I realized that nowhere in Gorman’s text does she identify the problem that the young child perceives, nowhere does she mention garbage and a derelict lot, nowhere does she include the term garden or grow, and (spoiler alert) nowhere does she specify that a baby sibling appears in the story. Although Gorman may have shared her vision of this picture book in art notes, my guess is that she (or the editor) left the world building in the capable hands of the talented Robinson. Something, Someday is a true masterclass in leaving room for illustrations, and a reminder that words + illustrations = more than either could convey on their own.
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 