Outside In

Once, we were part of Outside, and Outside was part of us. Now, so many of us have forgotten that Outside is there. But Outside doesn’t mind. It reminds us that it’s here, waiting, just beyond the window, reaching in with shadows, sunsets, and slow magic tricks. Outside sings to us with chirps, rustles, and tap-taps on the roof. It beckons us with smells: sunbaked, fresh, and mysterious.

From the food we eat to the clothes we wear to the animals that snuggle in our spaces, Outside continues to cherish and sustain us. I’m here, Outside whispers. I miss you. And what will you answer in return?

Outside In is a touching love letter to the world beyond our windows: the oceans, fields, and forests that amaze and sustain us. The story tenderly—and poignantly—shows readers how our indoor spaces rely on the outside world, even if the two feel disconnected. Written by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cindy Derby, and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.