Begin Again

August 15, 2023
Illustrations and text unite to sketch out human history and to make suggestions for a more human future in this work for older readers by acclaimed picture-book author and artist Jeffers. What is the story of humanity? Jeffers ponders this question through spare, poetic prose and his signature artistic style. The book posits human evolution as a study in perseverance and optimism, the warmth of fire and the succor of community being central to each leap forward. Inspired by the stories of astronauts whose perspectives on identity and belonging shifted as a result of seeing the Earth from space, the book beseeches readers to view humankind as a "we," rather than dividing ourselves into "us" versus "them." Storytelling--"creating better stories"-- is lifted up as one of our most powerful tools for shaping a better future. The message is nothing new, but it comes well stated and in a whimsical, gorgeously illustrated package. In an author's note, Jeffers contextualizes his views on nationalism and violence within his personal history of growing up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. To older readers, the book may feel overly simplistic in its vision of a better world: The question of how to reform systems based on centuries of violence, greed, and bias is not addressed. But the book ultimately does not claim to be a road map; rather, it's a highway sign, pointing hopefully at a hard-to-discern exit road. A beautifully rendered, determinedly optimistic, zoomed-out meditation on the human condition. (author's note) (Illustrated fiction. 12-adult)

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October 2, 2023
Bestseller Jeffers (Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth) returns with another contemplative graphic narrative about the need to share the planet compassionately and responsibly. In painted two-page spreads, colorful human figures explore a universe filled with stars, planets, oceans, and light. The text, also hand-painted, forms an integral part of the art and layouts and conveys a sense of movement and energy. Jeffers speculates about the origin of humanity and argues that history has run up against a dead end, a “world full of strangers” where technology and consumerism deepen people’s loneliness. “Where do we go from here?” he asks, and if he doesn’t know for certain, he still envisions how the journey might appear to future generations living in a time “when we no longer need to burn the ship we are sailing on.” The vivid pink-and-purple palette feels both electric and ethereal, providing an appropriately novel texture to a work about seeking the new and unexpected. In an afterword, Jeffers describes the book as a “suggested trajectory for the human story.” It’s the perfect gift for anyone at a turning point in their own life.