Next to Me

by Daniel Salmieri, Sophia Haas (illustrator)

This joyful and soothing read-aloud, about noticing all the wonderful things around you, is a bedtime gem that's illustrated in gorgeous cut-paper collages by husband-and-wife team Sophia Haas and New York Times Best Illustrated winner Daniel Salmieri.

A walk home from school is an opportunity to observe all the happy details along the puffy clouds next to an airplane, the twisty slide next to swinging swings, a backhoe next to a big hole. When you really take the time to observe, there are so many interesting things to see in every moment of every day. What's next to you?

From school to home, afternoon to bedtime, this cheerful book invites children to look closely and with delight at the objects all around them.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2025

Reviews

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my goodness, this book. NEXT TO ME by Daniel Salmieri and Sophia Haas is a beautiful ode to all the wonderfulness around us: the people, the pets, the scenery, the community and all the things that wrap us up in wonder and in love. The cut-paper collages leap off the page and invite readers to consider the beauty of their own surroundings, too. For young readers, this is a delightful story about the many delights that surround us, big and small. For adult readers, this is a powerful lesson in staying present, staying connected and staying grounded in what matters most.

[Sarah BT · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a simple book-a child looks at the things next to them, then what is next to that. But the art and simple text evoke an incredible child-like wonder that makes the reader pause and look.

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 3 out of 5]

bright and colorful, simple phrases

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bright and playful picture book that follows a young city child throughout their day. With its sprightly first-person narrative voice, focused on describing everything in their neighborhood and their home, this intimate portrait will give young listeners ample opportunities to compare and contrast this child’s life with their own. Focusing on what’s “next to”, the child describes airplanes, roadwork, pigeons, a mishmash of storefronts, a playground, and a community garden. The illustrations, which appear to be a collaboration between first time creator Sophia Haas and Daniel Salmieri (illustrator of the beloved Dragons Love Tacos), feature simple cut-work collage. Some of the pieces, for example, car windows and tree trunks, show mottled watercolor patterns, while others appear solid and matte-filled. Especially ingenious: a deli window full of tiny, delicious sandwiches and laundromat washing machines stuffed with spin-art style clothing. As the child has no name and wears gender neutral clothing, there’s room for everyone to identify with the narrator. The neighborhood is ethnically diverse and, based on their appearance and food, the child and their small family cue as Asian-American. With so much detail to linger over and the final pages gently showcasing familiar bedtime rituals, this lovely book will hold up to repeat readings. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75. Fun idea for a book - teaching kids to consider what is next to them in the world around them! There are 3 lines per page that follow a similar structure of "Mama says Look up! / And I See a PUFFY Cloud / Next to an AIRPLANE" or "I see BROCCOLI Next to NOODLES / Next to DUMPLINGS / Yum!" The book follows a child afterschool and what they see - around the neighborhood walking home, stores, the sidewalk, the sky, construction, a park, a garden, outside their home, inside their home, on their plate for dinner, in the bathtub, on the book pages before bed, near the bed, and in bed.

The cut-paper collage illustrations are fun and simple and colorful. Really like that it engages children as you read. Provides opportunities for them to pair the images with the text, to be able to identify images, and to be able to observe what else is on the page and understand the placement of objects relative to one another.

3 lines per page. Good for mixed family storytimes or preschool storytimes (may need to shorten slightly or break into two parts).

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former ESOL teacher, I immediately see how this would be a great picture book addition to kindergarten classes' bookshelves as well as in the book carts for ESOL teachers. From the title, readers will already pick up that "next to..." will be the repeating phrase throughout the book. A "twisty slide next to swinging swings next to big kids playing basketball"--the book also covers other "location words" and "prepositions like "on," "up," and "down."

As our young main character takes a walk through the neighborhood from school to home, there will be plenty of things to see (and new words to learn) for the targeted young reader audience. It will inspire many families to take a walk through their own streets and neighborhood and develop those very important speaking and vocabulary skills.

From an educational standpoint, libraries and K classrooms can find many instructional opportunities to use with this book.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a work of art! There is so much to observe - the small plants growing in the cracks of the sidewalk; the graffiti on the lamppost; the name of the ship in the bathtub (heart emoji) to name just a few. We get to go along on a walk home from school, back to the apartment. The authors/illustrators offer us an invitation to look closely at our world.

This is a great book to demonstrate using descriptive words of the things we see every day. It includes joyful cut-paper collages. The paper used for collaging was painted using watercolors, acrylics, and handmade paints derived from plants! Another Caldecott maybe.

I think this would be a lovely bed time book - reviewing the day to see what was noticed. And it could serve as a spring board for a ton of activities -- painting papers one day; going on a walk the next day; creating collages the day after... You could easily spend a week or two with activities just from this book.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrated with a perfectly imperfect patchwork of cut-paper collages and hand-marbled paper, Next to Me chronicles the journey of a child from the time they are picked up from school to when they fall asleep.

It taps into the childlike wonder of observation and learning about associations and prepositions between items to form a holistic environment. It is a quiet and comforting read about how routines are still full of vibrant, changeable details for all of us to notice and appreciate. For fans of Look.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

The book follows a young child as he notices things around him. I like the fact that the book could encourage readers to low down and notice what is around them. I also think the book could be good for reinforcing the concept of "next to." It does get a tad be repetitive though.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quiet picture book about a child's observations from the time school is dismissed to bedtime. The child observes one thing, like orange cones or a gate, and then always using the work Next, the child names two other nearby items. A cozy, comforting book with lots of opportunities for little ones to observe and discuss.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very very simple text gives us insight into a toddler/PreK's world view, pointing out each item on the pages as the story progesses. Would be a good book to help littles in pointing and naming objects, and language acquisition.

Themes: urban landscapes, I See...
Ages: baby/toddler
Pub year: 2025

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A by walks home with his mom and says all the things he sees NEXT to other things. Teaches kids the meaning of the word next to. Also has alot of new vocab for early literacy sake. Would be fun for a neighborhood ST since it's mostly about where he lives.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and pleasing book about the preposition "next to." A kid makes their way home from school, noticing all the different sights in relation to one another.

Themes: In the City, Routines/Everyday Life
Age range: Toddler-Kindergarten

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to read with toddlers and young preschoolers. Simple, bold illustrations complement simple, repetitive text that highlights everyday sights and the prepositional phrase, "next to."

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those simple methodical routine books that works really nicely for toddlers and preschoolers. This one in particular is all about observing the world throughout a regular day. I like the illustrations - simple, color block collage.

[Jenn]

Pretty wonderful!! Excellent pigeons. And the S.S. Leonni . . .

[GS Dachslove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple short text. About observation.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

okay. a little repetitious and not in a great way. but some stuff to talk about and name.

[Grg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that T-rex night-light. I want one!

[Bant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love that it focuses on a single preposition. Love that it uses kid vocabulary. Love that the journey connects to the map at the beginning.

[Norshakila Makmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

great for my 2.5 year old picking up words.

[Steph]

Turn/Level: 1/2.5

Get the audience to tell you what is next to what each page.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young child explores and notices his surroundings.

[Levi Bertone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was meh. Mom and I really liked the illustrations though!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this urban setting we see a Mother walking to school to accompany her child on the walk home from school. The child with helmet rides their scooter home as we view various parts of the neighborhood and see the child through their evening touting right into bedtime. A positive reassuring story. Good for storytime as book is larger than many and illustrations are bright with clear sharp lines easily discerned at a distance.
I would not have guessed these illustrations are collage with painted papers using using watercolors, acrylics, and hand made paints made from plants.
Debut picture for the illustrator.
This title should be on several notable children’s book listed for 2025, in my opinion.

[Rachel Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminds me of an updated version of Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. Would make an excellent read-aloud/storytime for 3k-K.