A Guest Post by Kevin Henkes

Dear Reader,

I tried for years to write a picture book comparing big and little. I attempted the concept from different angles, but nothing worked. I also tried to write a “History of the World” kind of book as if told by a young child. That didn’t work, either.

I kept my failed attempts in file folders and looked at them from time to time, thinking hopefully that one day they might become real books. As sometimes happens, after letting something sit for a while, I revisited my failed attempts and something clicked. I combined the two ideas. It took a lot of polishing and rewriting—trying to get the rhythm of the words just right, working at an underlying pattern—but finally, I knew I had a book.

In The World and Everything in It, I tried to capture how a child— someone with limited knowledge and experience—might envision the puzzle that is the world. I wanted to show a child’s desire to categorize, to explain. I wanted to show a child’s curiosity and wonder, a child’s fascination with things both very big and very small.

This isn’t a science book. It’s a personal and everyday look at the world, taking both a broad view and a narrow one, always keeping the child in mind. A book that says, the world is all around, waiting to be discovered and understood.

Thank you,

Kevin Henkes 

Look for The World and Everything In It on March 28, 2023. Pre-order a copy from your favorite bookshop.

There are big things and little things in the world, and everything in between. Caldecott Medal winner and #1 New York Times bestseller Kevin Henkes encourages young readers to be curious about the world around them in this timeless, beautifully illustrated, and masterful picture book. The World and Everything in It belongs in every child’s library, and illuminates key social and emotional concepts such as belonging, self-awareness, and community.

In the world, there are little animals, tiny flowers, and things so small you can’t see them. In the world, there are giant waves, a large sun, and things so big you can’t wrap your hands around them. There are big things and little things in the world. And everything in between—including you!

A masterful picture book from Caldecott Medal winner and #1 New York Times bestseller Kevin Henkes, The World and Everything in It explores concepts such as curiosity, self-awareness, belonging, and size. Combining a precise, evocative, and lovely text with exquisite illustrations, Kevin Henkes deftly captures the wonders and mysteries of the world for any reader just beginning to wonder about how they fit in.

A brilliant picture book to spend time with, discuss, and think about, The World and Everything in It is an excellent choice for social and emotional development as well as a lovely book to give to readers of any age.