Each page spread of this wordless, oversized picture book offers paired perspectives on the same scene. A close-up of a duckling still curled inside an unhatched egg and that egg as part of a larger marsh-scape. An explorer dangling by ropes inside a large cave opposite the scene outside the cave, where the rope is anchored. The view from inside and outside a large cage of brightly colored birds, a castle where there is evidence of a recent escape, a wave-tossed boat, a deep-in-the-depths submarine … Every turn of the page is a surprising pair of compositions that, at first glance, seem to have no relation to any that came before. There is a great deal to notice within each pair, too, from the logical to the nonsensical, and different observers are sure to see different things and ask different questions in a book that isn’t a puzzle to solve, but sparks ideas to contemplate. Sophisticated graphics, with many angles and curves, colors and forms, makes this a book older readers may especially appreciate. (Ages 5–10)

From the creators of Before After comes another striking book of opposites, this time exploring the concepts of within and without with bright, bold graphics.

Safe inside its shell, a baby bird prepares to brave the world. A spelunker descends into a wide and glittering cavern while fellow explorers cluster around a crack in the earth. Fire-red ants march busily around their anthill, oblivious of a hungry anteater waiting above. Smart and stylish, this oversize art book takes a unique approach to the concept of inside and outside, offering clever and unexpected examples that will delight readers and spark conversations about context and perspective. Inside Outside is sure to find a place in collections, on coffee tables, in classrooms, and anywhere curious minds can be found.