Where Did They Go?

by Emily Bornoff

Deep in the forests that stretch to the sky,
a mother and baby are hiding nearby.
Are they high in the mist or somewhere down low?
Where did the mountain gorillas go?

Where has the polar bear gone? What about the lemur? Can you find them? In this search-and-find book from illustrator Emily Bornoff, readers try to spot the endangered animals in various environments, from jungles to deserts to the Arctic.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nature, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 9, 2016

About the author

Emily Bornoff is a picture-book designer, writer, and illustrator who works in traditional print-making techniques, including lithography, screen-printing, intaglio, and relief. A recent graduate of the Cambridge School of Art's Children's Book Illustration program, she is now focused on creating new children's books and prints.

Reviews

[Rumana Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serene and alluring, Bornoff’s illustrations in this unique spotting book serve as a subtle invitation to the very important conversation on habitat loss resulting from unchecked deforestation. Scenes of homes that have been lost and homes that are at a loss without their former inhabitants create beautiful patterns that fill every page. Scanning through them in search of animals, both elusive and enthralling (as Haworth’s poems beautifully reveal), becomes a meditative exercise which draws us into the question, ‘Where Did They Go?’

Where indeed? As we turn to the last pages, we are offered some answers. We find that the addax from the Sahara, the gharial from the Indian subcontinent, the bilby from Australia, etc., divided by expanses of land and sea, share a common story – the story of their being driven into a precarious existence as endangered and rare inhabitants of this earth. Of course, there is much more to it that needs to be brought to light, but a fun spotting book is a great way to encourage the whys and hows that will lead us to further exploration.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short rhyming description of animal is given and the reader is challenged to find the animal hidden in a repeating pattern habitat illustration. Many of the animals depicted are threatened or endangered, making this seek and find book a good springboard for discussion. The hidden animals are quite small, so this game of a book is best suited for a single reader rather than read aloud. Fans of I Spy and Spot it should enjoy this twist on a popular format. Endnotes with details about each animal are a nice way to extend the book. Recommended.

[Gail Gauthier · Rating 5 out of 5]

"And once we were reading Where Did They Go? A Spotting Book> by Emily Bornoff, he forgot about trains and trucks. For a while, anyway. Every two-page spread involves repetition of some natural element, and hidden among them is an animal described in a short text. Sooo much better than trucks, and better, even, than trains."

Excerpt from Original Content.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

illustrations are pretty groovy as well as the last page.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a gorgeous book. My kids love finding the animals! Thanks Emily Bornoff for sharing your art with us!

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Featuring thirteen wild creatures, some fairly unfamiliar to children, this book hides each one in an illustration resembling their natural habitat. Some are easy to spot, but a few are devilishly well hidden. Young readers and their parents/teachers are introduced to each one in a catchy rhyme. At the back of the book is a map showing where in the world they live and a couple paragraph description of each one including interesting facts as well as which are endangered.
As I was reading this book, I could imagine my three year old granddaughter’s reaction to it. She, and I’m sure, many other curious little ones, would have great fun finding the hidden creatures as well as absorbing the information about each of them. This is a great book to read aloud or have in the lower grade section of any library

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun for spotting and great information about animals' habitats as well.

[Aleece · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is a great book and this is great for one on one reading, it does not work well with a group because the pictures are too small and hidden very well.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great search-and-find featuring endangered animals in a variety of environments.

[Makalah Crawford]

This was a great informational book about different animal species and their habitats. This is a spotting book, so after the narrator talks about the living environment it asks "Where did the ... go?". It would be a fun learning activity for younger classes to teach them about animals while keeping their attention by almost turning it into a game. I would choose to have this in my classroom!