Meanwhile Back on Earth

Reach for this book when your child starts asking big questions about why people can't just get along, or when they feel overwhelmed by news of conflict in the world. It provides a literal and metaphorical 'thirty thousand foot view' to help children process the concept of human history and territory through a lens of cosmic scale and shared humanity. Oliver Jeffers uses a clever framing device: a father taking his bickering children on a drive through space. As they travel further from Earth, the car doubles as a time machine, looking back at historical battles and borders from a distance where they appear small and unnecessary. It is a profound tool for teaching empathy and global citizenship to children ages 4 to 8, wrapping complex social studies in a whimsical, starry adventure.