I'm From Here and There
"Where are you from?” It’s a simple question — unless you’re from two places at once.
A lyrical picture book about belonging to two places at once — and never having to choose between them.
She was born there. She’s growing up here. Though she doesn’t remember the country she came from, she carries it anyway — in the language at her dinner table, in her family’s stories, and in the arms that held her tight during one long-ago visit.
Dad says “Boa noite.” She responds with “Night-night.” Two worlds, one bedtime.
Season by season, she notices how her two worlds tilt against each other. There’s fall in one place and spring in the other. A Christmas that feels cold and cozy in one place contrasts with the sunshine and music of the other. Bedtime on one clock while morning is already arriving on another. There are folktales from here and folktales from there — Saci spinning through the trees, Bigfoot hiding among them — both wrapped in the same sense of wonder.
Somewhere in this noticing, the question stops being a question. Living here while speaking the language of there isn’t just something to explain; it’s a superpower.
Written in warm, rhythmic verse suitable for ages 3 to 8, Paula Carol's "I’m From Here and There" speaks to any child navigating their identity between a here and a there — whether that’s two countries, two languages, two houses, or simply the town they left behind and the one they call home now.
Inside the book:
- A gentle read-aloud story, perfect among bedtime stories for kids, written in free verse, with about 440 words.
- Educational back matter identifying “there” as Brazil, featuring Portuguese words and simple pronunciation guides.
- An introduction to Brazilian traditions, from Festa Junina to Carnaval.
- Side-by-side animal comparisons: jaguar and cougar, sloth and bear, toucan and bald eagle.
This heartwarming children’s book is a tender read-aloud for families in the midst of a move, children finding their footing in a new environment, Brazilian and bicultural families raising children between two languages, and classrooms or libraries where every child's story starts somewhere different.
