Now
This is my favorite cloud...because it's the one I am watching.
This is my favorite tree...because it's the one where I'm swinging.
This is my favorite tooth...because it's the one that is missing.
Follow a little girl as she takes you on a tour through all of her favorite things, from the holes she digs to the hugs she gives in this clever and poignant picture book by award-winning artist Antoinette Portis.
Reviews
“This book’s profundity might sneak up on you, but it will leave you marveling.”
—New York Times
“Mindfulness, captured beautifully in the children's book,'Now'…As the child names and declares each of these her favorites, their evanescence gives way to a lasting sense of delight. Even the very youngest listener will enjoy both the satisfaction of list making and the immediacy of this delicious, effervescent embrace of the moment.”
—Washington Post
“The main character is not celebrating the things themselves, however, but the experience of them… The focus is always on being mindful of and appreciating the moment. …Thoughtful without being preachy and meditative without being boring, Now should prove to be a favorite for today—and well into the future.”
—Horn Book, starred review
“Text and art enhance each other, both like an East Asian sumi-e painting: deceivingly simple but highly sophisticated, every mark with meaning and purpose…Portis perfectly captures how children experience the world, the immediacy and magic of it all; exuberant and quiet, simple and complex, and extremely satisfying.“
—Kirkus, starred review
“This childlike ode to the delights of living each moment to the fullest is an absolute charmer and, like Portis’s Wait, may even encourage adults to notice and relish the world around them. An essential purchase for group and individual sharing.”
—SLJ, starred review
“Portis’s bold black outlines and swashes of muted color show a girl who’s strong and independent. …Portis invites children to ask themselves what gives them joy, making it clear that favorite things needn’t be logical, and can be simple, silly, and fleeting.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Portis has crafted an endearing story of the small adventures found in the marvels of ordinary objects and everyday experiences. Identifying with her narrator doesn't require an understanding of specific environments, certain life experiences or an unusual cultural sense; Portis uses the universal connections among her young audience members: digging in the earth, examining the sky, feeling the breeze. No special tools required, just innocent reverence for the miracles of the planet.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review
Honors
NPR Summer Series Picture Book Round-up
5 starred reviews: Shelf Awareness | Horn Book | School Library Journal | Kirkus Reviews | Booklist
Editions
US, Brazil
