Before I Lived Here

by Stacy S. Jensen, Victo Ngai (illustrator)

Journey backward in time through all the layers of history that led up to your neighborhood’s existence.

The building you live in has probably been around longer than you, so you may think it’s been there forever. But no matter where you live, a whole lot happened before your home was built.

In Before I Lived Here, a boy peels away each layer of the history of the land his house sits on. Follow along from the construction of the neighborhood back to the planning of it; from the ranchers and log cabins that predated it, back to the region’s Indigenous people and their eviction from the land . . . all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs.

Before I Lived Here reminds us that history isn’t something that happens far away, to other people—it’s in our own backyards. Debut author Stacy S. Jensen makes the learning readily digestible. There’s something here for every reader—from the irresistible depiction of construction sites for vehicle fans, to the somber facts of indigenous displacement recounted without flinching, making for a great family conversation starter on many different levels.

Genres: Picture Books, History, Childrens, Dinosaurs

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 26, 2025

Reviews

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

I LOVED this one. I love how it goes backwards in time, up to a billion years ago, to track how this house with this little boy came to be, in the very moment in time. The art was also great and unique.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever wondered what the place you live at looked like before you lived there? That is the question the boy in the story wonders about and we get to go on a journey, starting with a few years back and then reaching millions of years into the past.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

So often we fail to think about who and what came before us and what their lives might have been like. In this interesting picture book [3.5 for me!], illustrated with striking and imaginative analog and digital artwork, a young boy looks out the windows of his house, sees the impressive mountains, and imagines what sorts of changes the area has undergone over time. In order for the housing development where he lives to be erected, the land needed to be flattened and an infrastructure of streets marked out. But thirty years before, plans were drawn up for the site. Even earlier, there were cattle ranchers' bunkhouses, homesteads, lands stolen from the Utes, who lived there first. And long before humans were around, 66 million years ago, dinosaurs walked the earth. Even earlier, one billion years ago, a mountain range formed. It's cool to see all those different parts of history and changes in the landscape throughout the book's pages and then elements of each time period on the last double-page spread. This picture book will prompt reflection and appreciation.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating and pretty effective book that talks about the infinite and profound changes that a patch of land has gone through. Moving backwards in time, simple text and intricate illustrations reveal how, before a kid's house existed, the neighborhood was built; before that, the city was planned; before that, the land was stolen and settled by white settlers; before that, it was home to the first people. The book then zooms backwards in a much larger chunk of time, to the age of the dinosaurs. It would have been cool if Jensen had showed that Indigenous people lived on the land for a much longer period of time—as it is, the focus here is disproportional, with many more pages showing settlers and immigrants on the land. That being said, this is a really interesting book and concept, and would serve as a great discussion-started in the home or classroom.

Themes: Land, Change, Time, History
Age range: Kindergarten-Elementary

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I Lived Here is a thoughtful and imaginative journey that invites children to see their homes in a bigger context. Stacy Jensen gently guides readers backward through time, showing how the ground beneath a child’s window has been shaped by people, animals, and even the natural world long before the present day. The layered storytelling is paired beautifully with Victo Ngai’s striking illustrations, which offer details kids will want to linger over—especially the playful squirrel that makes a hidden appearance throughout the pages. This book encourages curiosity, respect for history, and a deeper appreciation of the land we live on. A wonderful addition to any classroom or family library.

[Danielle T · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's always a history of a space before you occupy it, and it's something I think about when people use words like "pristine" to describe national parks because: there very much IS an indigenous and natural history to North American lands even before they were designated as special places. In this picture book. a boy considers what was in the space before his Colorado house existed, starting with the micro of a year or two or three ago when the house was built, the subdivision leveled, the community planned to the Homestead Act when white settlers arrived on seized lands from the Utes, and before them by millions of years a rich fossil history. Very pretty illustrations, and additional reading in the back for a more detailed timeline/bibliography.

[Keila Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEFORE I LIVED HERE enables curious kids, like the child peering through the window in the story, to dig a little deeper into the past to learn more about the present. Set in her Colorado neighborhood, author Stacy Jensen includes a truthful history of the land that once belonged to a different people and how it came to be inhabited by the child in the present. And long before that, what science tells us about the land. Readers can explore colorful illustrations by Victo Ngai and search for the squirrel on each page. Readers can find interviews with Jensen to learn about why it's there! Highly recommended for school, classroom, and home libraries.

[Sara Ackerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new thought-provoking title from debut author Stacy C. Jensen and illustrator Victo Ngai takes readers on a journey backward in time, prompting them to wonder what came before. The structure of the text is brilliant. By starting in the present day and taking the reader through history, the author invites children to wonder about the past. Victo Ngai's luminous illustrations have a dreaminess that makes time-travel feel possible. The brief back matter is thoughtful and includes questions to spark discussion and a glossary. This book will find a home in classroom history lessons and will be equally enjoyed as a read aloud.

[Melissa Stoller · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a young boy looks out the window, he thinks “I see the mountains from my house … But my house wasn’t always here.” Author Stacy Jensen takes the readers through a backward journey in time to understand what the area looked like in recent years - as well as in the 1800s with Homestead settlers, the 1600s with Native Americans, and millions of years ago with dinosaurs. Beautiful illustrations capture all the different time periods. And back matter, including an author’s note, terms used, and questions readers can ask to find out more about their neighborhood, provides extra enrichment. A perfect book for homes, schools, and libraries.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this concept! A boy looks out of a window in his house and wonders what was on the land before his house was built. With each page turn, we go further and further back in time and see the people and animals that inhabited that area of Colorado. It goes all the way back to when the mountains were formed one billion years ago. And the illustrations are stunning! Vibrant hues of gold, orange, red with accents of blues and greens. Children will be entranced by the visuals and be curious about their own neighborhood after reading this book.

[Christina Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is fascinating to imagine all the life that happened before your home was yours. Stacy Jensen takes us on a trip back through time to when a home was just a plot of land without streets or cities, to when it was cattle and cabins, and before that Utes and homesteads, all the way back to the dinosaurs. Inquisitive kids will be fascinated by the history in this book and will likely be inspired to know more about their homes as well.

[Tootie Nienow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book about the passage of time and a reminder of the care we need to take of our land and our time here on earth. Lyrical and clear language reminds us who was here before us. Readers will feel emersed in the action of this lovely story. Stacy's research gives us something to think about after closing the book. Victo Ngai's illustrations are vibrant and fun to pour over all the tiny details including a little squirrel who sneaks into the scenes. Highly recommend.

[Pamela Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am NOT surprised by any of the literary recognitions this book has received. Author Stacy S. Jensen and illustrator Victo Ngai take us back through time, through historical and geographical events that have changed the very landscape we live on. Teachers will have the absolute best time in creating lesson plan activities. Children will be drawn in by the beautiful landscape created by the skillful and talented Victo Ngai. Stacy S. Jensen has absolutely delivered a masterpiece.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple text picture book with an important message. A boy talk about what was on the land of his house before he was, going all the way back to Dinosaurs and the forming of the mountains. The images are beautiful and it discusses how the land was settle by Native American before it was stolen. A gentle way to start the discussion of land, and how there was always someone or something here before us.

[Safa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacy Jensen does a superb job both in research and writing in BEFORE I LIVED HERE. This book is perfect for families and classrooms. It will undoubtedly spark curiosity and conversation about indigenous peoples and their lands. The illustrations are rich in detail and color. You must take your time on each spread. Well done Stacy and Victo! I will be adding the book to my classroom curriculum!

[Lauren M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this concept for a children's book! We get to jump from time period to time period to discover who/what inhabited the land before us. It can be hard to visualize something so wild to think about, but I love how simple the book makes it.

The illustrations were both gorgeous and a little frightening at times. I loved the color palette!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a journey with a young child back through time. The child learns about the history of the place where his house was built. Vibrant and colorful illustrations help convey the history, memories, anthropology, and archeology that goes back as far as prehistoric times. Children will be intrigued by the changes that can occur over along period of time.

[Lauri Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very cool history of one neighborhood, peeling back what happened before my house was here. back when there were ranchers, settlers, first peoples.... all the way back to dinosaurs and the ocean that covered the west. Eye opening with wonderful illustrations which will make kids want to learn more.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have for every child's collection of books, as well as classroom libraries. Kids, parents, and teachers will love going back in time to read and see what and who lived on the land before the young boy did. And then let the conversation and research begin. :)

[Anna Ouchchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this fascinating picture book, author Stacy Jensen peels back layer upon layer of history to reveal the events that happened in one boy's neighborhood before he lived there. Stunning illustrations complement the text.

[McCall Hoyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated. Will make a great classroom read aloud and discussion starter. Could even use in older grades for writing prompt for students to write about their own homes, histories, and neighborhoods. I will be using in my sixth-grade classroom. 😊

[Angela De Groot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love how this kid wonders about what was here before his house. Interesting layer by layer look at who and what inhabited the land he can see from his window. Fascinating reminder that history is all around us and that we are also part of history.

[Rae the Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cool way to tell a story. I haven’t read anything that goes backwards in this way in picture books. It’s great for teaching kids about the importance of the past and it recognizes historical atrocities in an age-appropriate manner.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC from Edelweiss.

[Cindy Schrauben · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rich text and enchanting photos help readers to imagine the changes our world has experienced. This picture book will certainly lead to curiosity and deep discussions. Beautiful

[Heidi Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever and thought-provoking book!

[Sharon Pegram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, well-researched book that follows a simple question into a fascinating rabbit hole of history and science.

[Colorado Buck · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was great until it took a radical leftist turn near the end...

[Sandra Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A glimpse into what came before our here and now.

[Louise Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

A child takes us through the journey the land they live on had before becoming their home.