VIEWFINDER
Published by Tundra Books, 2024
A young space traveler visits Earth on a whim and finds a planet empty of people. She happens upon a strange contraption that contains images of what the planet used to be like, and using this viewfinder, she sees Earth as it was, juxtaposed against Earth as it is: abandoned, but still full of amazing things.
Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone?
The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
Her adventure takes her to a museum full of hints about the planet’s past and the strange glowing mushrooms that grow everywhere, a library that has become home to a variety of zoo animals, and a beautiful but crumbling space station from which she makes a daring escape. As she wanders, though, she sees signs that perhaps there is still someone here. A time capsule, a friendly cat and a makeshift railcar all add to the mystery . . . is she really alone?
The lush and captivating art and subtle nod to stewardship in this wordless graphic novel will draw readers in and leave them with a renewed sense of wonder for the resilient and extraordinary place we call home.
A 2024 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Finalist
A 2024 American Library Association Best Graphic Novels for Children
A New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2024
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2024
Selected by School Library Journal for their Best Science Fiction Books for Kids List
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year, 2024
A Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List Selection
One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for 2024
A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Monthly Pick for November 2024
A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Best Book of the Year with Outstanding Merit
An OLA Best Bet
Shortlisted for the Panda Book Awards 2025
Shortlisted for the Green Earth Book Award 2025
"Beautiful and precisely depicted, a gentle, generous reflection on civilization and community life." —★STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus ReviewsA 2024 American Library Association Best Graphic Novels for Children
A New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2024
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2024
Selected by School Library Journal for their Best Science Fiction Books for Kids List
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year, 2024
A Golden Duck Notable Picture Books List Selection
One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for 2024
A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Monthly Pick for November 2024
A Bank Street Children's Book Committee Best Book of the Year with Outstanding Merit
An OLA Best Bet
Shortlisted for the Panda Book Awards 2025
Shortlisted for the Green Earth Book Award 2025
"Striking a balance between whimsical adventure and wistful contemplation, this title underscores the beauty and fragility of life on our planet. A first purchase for youth graphic novel collections." —★STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
"[A] surprising and touching tale of what it means to find home." —★STARRED REVIEW, Shelf Awareness
"Juxtaposing sepia scenes of the lost world with dream-like colors of nature reclaiming places once bustling with people, Chung and Majoka craft an awe-inspiring adventure tinged with a melancholy sense of loss that imparts a gentle warning to safeguard the planet." —Publishers Weekly
"Young readers will be transported by this sensitive and imaginative take on the evolution of our planet’s ecosystem." —Booklist
"Chung and Majoka’s consummate environmental artistry combined with the quietly revelatory storytelling results in a tranquil, thoughtful read for middle graders hoping to make first contact with environmental activism." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"A luminous, thought-provoking adventure." —The Horn Book
