Walk this World : A Celebration of Life in a Day, written by Jenny Broom, illustrated by Lotta Nieminen
Big Picture Press presents the charming lift-the-flap book Walk This World by Lotta Nieminen.
Nieminen's Walk This World is in the tradition of two of my favorite books from my childhood, Come Over to My House by Theo LeSieg (I'm sure you know this, but LeSieg is Geisel spelled backwards, and Theodore Geisel is otherwise known as Dr. Seuss) and Busy Day Busy People by Tibor Gergley. These are the kind of books that are completely engaging to a child's imagination, à la Richard Scary - lots of detail on the page, lots of new places and people and so many things to think about. And books that also, gently, begin introducing children to the wide world that they live in and in a way that they can relate to.
In Walk This World Niemenen adds to the enjoyment by including over 80 flaps to lift throughout the book. Broom's rhyming text begins with a challenge to the reader - follow the protagonist through eleven different cityscapes, guessing what city she is in on each two page spread - and finding her amidst the bustling scenes.
The illustrations are composites, cramming all significant sights into the two page spread. The text often hints at the location and there is usually a flag somewhere on the page just in case you aren't sure where you are.
The journey ends where it began, New York City, as the day is ending, with these words:
I've walked this world - I left this morning,
saw much more than I could name.
Found that though we might look different,
underneath we're just the same.
Readers who enjoy Walk This World should check out:
