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All the Places to Love: A Lyrical Picture Book About Siblings and Welcoming a Baby Sister for Children
A picture book celebration of love by the Newbery Medal–winning author, Patricia MacLachlan, with luminous paintings by Mike Wimmer. Within the sanctuary of a loving family, baby Eli is born and, as he grows, learns to cherish the people and places around him, eventually passing on what he has discovered to his new baby sister, Sylvie: “All the places to love are here . . . no matter where you may live.” This stunning picture book is the perfect gift for parents of a new baby. “This loving book will be something to treasure."' –Booklist "The quiet narrative is so intensely felt it commands attention. . . . a lyrical celebration." –Kirkus Reviews
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
13 people are currently reading
1325 people want to read
About the author
Patricia MacLachlan
125 books805 followersPatricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
May 7, 2022
So yes indeed, with regard to her writing, with regard to her lyrical text, Patricia MacLachlan certainly does with her 1994 picture book All the Places to Love let her young protagonist Eli both serenely and also with subdued but ever present enthusiasm explore and celebrate his family’s farm and the close relationships he enjoys with both his parents and his grandparents, with every member of his immediate family. For from the first words of All the Places to Love, with Eli’s first person narration, MacLachlan truly has him show and present a deep and all encompassing love of the land, of farming as a way of life and above all of his family, and how family members, how Eli’s mother, father, grandmother and grandfather are the ones who from the moment of his birth show to their son and grandson all the wonderful places both natural and human-made there are to love and to appreciate, that home is truly where Eli’s heart is and should be. And yes, once his little sister Sylvie is born, Eli then tells her that he will now also be amongst the family members showing and explaining to her all the places to love, all the scenarios both near and far that are magical, wonderful, enjoyable, bringing the family circle of All the Places to Love to a caressingly delightful close.
However, as much as All the Places to Love is a wonderful textual celebration of family and of farming life, with Mike Wimmer’s featured paintings providing a lushly rendered albeit sometimes also a trifle darkly hued aesthetic accompaniment to Patricia MacLachlan’s text, and indeed sometimes even showing and featuring visual details of in particular how farming works that MacLachlan does not bother narrationally explaining, sorry, but there are also a couple of textual issues I have encountered that do render certain parts of All the Places to Love as not entirely and unilaterally enjoyable for and to me.
For one, I kind of find the part in All the Places to Love where Patricia MacLachlan has Eli narrating regarding himself as a newborn infant a trifle artificial and unbelievable (and while my adult self understands and appreciates this, my inner child at first feels taken aback somewhat and wondering why and how a young boy would be able to recall and remember the day he was born). And for two, and much more annoying and frustrating, I really do kind of find it rather troubling that while in All the Places to Love Eli’s mother is of course being mentioned, she does seem to come after the grandmother, the grandfather, the father and even Eli himself, something that certainly bothers me more than a bit and has also lowered my rating for All the Places to Love from four to three stars, as indeed, the fact that in my humble opinion Eli’s mother is rather described as quasi a bit of an afterthought just feels rather wrong and not really celebrating motherhood.
However, as much as All the Places to Love is a wonderful textual celebration of family and of farming life, with Mike Wimmer’s featured paintings providing a lushly rendered albeit sometimes also a trifle darkly hued aesthetic accompaniment to Patricia MacLachlan’s text, and indeed sometimes even showing and featuring visual details of in particular how farming works that MacLachlan does not bother narrationally explaining, sorry, but there are also a couple of textual issues I have encountered that do render certain parts of All the Places to Love as not entirely and unilaterally enjoyable for and to me.
For one, I kind of find the part in All the Places to Love where Patricia MacLachlan has Eli narrating regarding himself as a newborn infant a trifle artificial and unbelievable (and while my adult self understands and appreciates this, my inner child at first feels taken aback somewhat and wondering why and how a young boy would be able to recall and remember the day he was born). And for two, and much more annoying and frustrating, I really do kind of find it rather troubling that while in All the Places to Love Eli’s mother is of course being mentioned, she does seem to come after the grandmother, the grandfather, the father and even Eli himself, something that certainly bothers me more than a bit and has also lowered my rating for All the Places to Love from four to three stars, as indeed, the fact that in my humble opinion Eli’s mother is rather described as quasi a bit of an afterthought just feels rather wrong and not really celebrating motherhood.
September 4, 2008
This book was great, but considering the author, I expected it to be. I wasn't prepared for the beautiful pictures. They are wonderful. And the story is sweet. I felt like I was there, where the world is relaxed and uplifting. Books like these make me wish I could raise my family in such a place full of love and happiness and memories. As much as I like the book, though, it is too slow for a story time.
September 29, 2016
I don't know how many times mom read this to us, but I always get a warm feeling when I see it anywhere. It is a beautiful story, the pictures are stunning, and the rhythm of the story is so soothing.
July 6, 2009
I think I was expecting more from this book since Patricia MacLachlan's novellas are so beautiful. This is still a really sweet story about all the dear places the little boy gets to experience as he grows up on his farm--and the family that makes it special. The illustrations are great, too. I don't know, though, I keep forgetting that I read it so it didn't really "grab" me, if you know what I mean.
October 25, 2010
This book is amazing. It is tender and sweet and full of wide-eyed wonder at the world around us. However, it is not one of those children's books written for adults. My class loved it when I read it to them to kick off our geography unit.
June 1, 2017
Stunning, really.
November 29, 2020
Beautiful illustrations and such a great story. I went back through the book to find out what each family member said about their favourite place on the farm after the little boy, Eli, told us about his favourite at the end of the story. I love books that appreciate nature and find beauty in the everyday.
September 3, 2018
Love the way this book reminds us of the simple things at home. It refreshingly describes all the beauty of the world around us, right in our own back yard. It's a delightful story of discovering the places that we love most, and appreciating all that surrounds us. Wonderful story for children!
September 5, 2025
Beautiful book. I love the illustrations and the story is precious. I really like that grandma and grandpa are part of the story as well.
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November 10, 2021All the Places to Love was written by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Mike Wimmer. It is a heart warming story of a young boy named Eli as he grows up in their family house. The first thing that Eli hears is the wind and the first thing he sees are the valley, the river, and the hilltop where the blueberries grow. The reader understands from the second page that this house is located in a rural area. The reader also understands how special this area is to their family. The author uses such descriptive words that the reader has an amazing mind movie that matches the beautiful illustrations in this book. The author leaves us with the story continuing as we welcome Eli's baby sister, Sylvie.
For a child that has never been to a rural area or farm this book will take the reader on a journey through the river, to the slow turtle, to the sweet smelling barn. The reader literally feels themselves slow down as they are reading this book, perhaps how life on a rural farm might feel as opposed to the hectic life of the city. There are a lot of words that may be introduced to a young reader through this book. For example, a reader may not know what hay is that the young boy sits on or leather harnesses hanging like paintings. This could lead to quite a few new vocabulary words. It could also lead to some great conversations about how the soft sound of a cow chewing could make all the difference in the world. This book is a sliding glass door to all of the city slickers.
For a child that has never been to a rural area or farm this book will take the reader on a journey through the river, to the slow turtle, to the sweet smelling barn. The reader literally feels themselves slow down as they are reading this book, perhaps how life on a rural farm might feel as opposed to the hectic life of the city. There are a lot of words that may be introduced to a young reader through this book. For example, a reader may not know what hay is that the young boy sits on or leather harnesses hanging like paintings. This could lead to quite a few new vocabulary words. It could also lead to some great conversations about how the soft sound of a cow chewing could make all the difference in the world. This book is a sliding glass door to all of the city slickers.
June 25, 2022
Sentimental and poetic story of life, land, and love told from the perspective of a little boy.
I remember being so engaged by the realistic artwork and warmth of family love in the story as a little girl, and was happy to rediscover it recently. It’s a book that somehow connects with young and old alike.
I remember being so engaged by the realistic artwork and warmth of family love in the story as a little girl, and was happy to rediscover it recently. It’s a book that somehow connects with young and old alike.
February 9, 2019
The painting illustrations are gorgeous and work well with MacLachlan's lyrical, poetic words in this gentle story.
August 5, 2018
Beautiful
June 29, 2023
This is a childhood favorite that I received on my first Christmas. I have always loved it. It's so full of emotional depth and familial love, and the illustrations are beautiful. My appreciation for the farm setting also grew deeper and more personal over time, thanks to all of my beautiful memories of time spent at my uncle's farm as an older kid and teen.
The night before my first farm-themed storytime, I thought of this book and knew I wanted to read it. I brought in my copy, since the library no longer owns this title, and I read it to a full crowd of preschoolers, parents and teachers, and some little ones. The younger kids lost interest and got noisier near the last third, but the preschoolers stayed focused and seemed to enjoy it, and one of the preschool teachers gazed at the pages with delight in her face. I wondered if she knew the book and if it meant something to her personally, or if she just loved the farm setting or theme.
I didn't use this for my Saturday storytimes, since I had very young children for both, but I'm glad that I got to read it earlier this week. I also had more flexibility to use a longer book because I used a very short, attention-getting pop-up book for the other title.
The night before my first farm-themed storytime, I thought of this book and knew I wanted to read it. I brought in my copy, since the library no longer owns this title, and I read it to a full crowd of preschoolers, parents and teachers, and some little ones. The younger kids lost interest and got noisier near the last third, but the preschoolers stayed focused and seemed to enjoy it, and one of the preschool teachers gazed at the pages with delight in her face. I wondered if she knew the book and if it meant something to her personally, or if she just loved the farm setting or theme.
I didn't use this for my Saturday storytimes, since I had very young children for both, but I'm glad that I got to read it earlier this week. I also had more flexibility to use a longer book because I used a very short, attention-getting pop-up book for the other title.
July 26, 2023
A beautiful story time book.
The book is about a boy named Eli, who is surrounded by beauty and love. AND he passes that love on too.
✨✨✨✨✨
The book is about a boy named Eli, who is surrounded by beauty and love. AND he passes that love on too.
✨✨✨✨✨
January 7, 2014
This is an author who touches the heart with both her illustrated and non-illustrated books.
This is a simple, delightful tale of life in the country. Told from the perspective of young Eli, we are drawn into the beauty of the earth and importance of family. This is a calming book that hearkened to a time when life provided the opportunity to stop and enjoy nature.
This is a simple, delightful tale of life in the country. Told from the perspective of young Eli, we are drawn into the beauty of the earth and importance of family. This is a calming book that hearkened to a time when life provided the opportunity to stop and enjoy nature.
February 5, 2008
This is one of my favorite children's books. It is a great example of the love that is shared within a family than spans generations. The artwork in this book is also beautiful.
November 13, 2014
So precious, with wonderful illustrations. ENJOY!
May 8, 2016
Ellie was given this book on her 4th birthday. It is a beautiful book to read snuggled with a little one..krb 5/7/16
February 3, 2018
A family favorite. We named our daughter Sylvie because of this book.
May 21, 2020
Memories can take you back to places that like might no longer exist.
August 9, 2021
This book takes us on the narrating young boy's journey around a multi-generational family farm (and surrounding countryside), a place for him embedded with love, spanning the time from his own birth to his younger sister's. The illustrations are beautiful and Wimmer is skilled in capturing almost an photographic feel of the human characters, but the feel is still a bit of a mixture of sentimental/romantic and Americana, which is a good match for the narrative--it's hard to imagine the illustrations looking different, given the storyline. The title points to all the places
I suspect this book will touch emotionally deeper for those of us readers who have some connection to a family farm, where the farm just gets into your bones and memories. Maybe those who have grown up on a modern farm know too much of the everyday reality and are less susceptible to being drawn in to this emotion-tugging version.
I suspect this book will touch emotionally deeper for those of us readers who have some connection to a family farm, where the farm just gets into your bones and memories. Maybe those who have grown up on a modern farm know too much of the everyday reality and are less susceptible to being drawn in to this emotion-tugging version.
October 5, 2023
I didn’t read this before I read it to my class. Part of the new curriculum. Wonderful illustrations and story. I ended up needing a student to read it for my class because I started crying so hard. It hit me in such a way that I couldn’t control myself and started blubbering in front of freaked out third graders!!! The nerve of the author to make me cry in front of others!!
I had to explain to them that I’m in the part of life where books and thoughts like this have so much meaning. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that made me this teary.
The illustrations are so detailed. One reminds me of Huckleberry Finn. Another of a. Roman Rockwell painting of an older man.
There are so many lessons a teacher could use this book for!! Wonderful. But I won’t read it in front of people again!!
I had to explain to them that I’m in the part of life where books and thoughts like this have so much meaning. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that made me this teary.
The illustrations are so detailed. One reminds me of Huckleberry Finn. Another of a. Roman Rockwell painting of an older man.
There are so many lessons a teacher could use this book for!! Wonderful. But I won’t read it in front of people again!!
November 24, 2021
2.5 Although the illustrator is clearly talented, his hyper realistic paintings don't add much that photographs wouldn't. A couple paintings were really stunning (particularly in areas featuring textiles and plant life) and even transformative in an atmospheric sense (light, moisture), but most felt static with an improper distribution of weight in space. An achievement for sure, but a little disappointing overall. I look forward to exploring the artist's other work.
August 10, 2024
This lyrical picture book by Patricia MacLachlan with beautiful paintings as illustrations by Mike Wimmer evokes an earlier era where generations lived together on a farm. The narrator tells us the most-loved place of each family member as the pictures show us a boy growing up and showing his little sister his own most-loved place. An appreciation of nature and family come through loud and clear in this quiet book, with illustrations reinforcing the message, leaving readers with the unspoken question, What are your most-loved places?
May 24, 2017
A beautiful book about a family. Peaceful. Serene. Happy. Connected.
**Talking points - if you had your choice of where to live, where would it be: The city? The suburbs? Or the country? Why? What city (or town) and state would you like to live in? What types of things would be close to your house within walking distance or driving distance?
**Talking points - if you had your choice of where to live, where would it be: The city? The suburbs? Or the country? Why? What city (or town) and state would you like to live in? What types of things would be close to your house within walking distance or driving distance?
June 12, 2019
So sweet! Maybe I'm cheesy, but remember the begging of "The Emperor's New Groove"? Where Pancho and his wife are worried about losing their hilly home, because they've put memories into it and notches in the doorframe to mark their childrens' growth spurts? This book is like a countrified version of that sequence. So nostalgic and atmospheric.
May 3, 2020
This is one of my favorite books to use with writing workshops to inspire memoir. It is beautifully written with rich, luscious language and paintings that shimmer with magnificence. I'll be using this with a connection to art and architecture in my Friday Full S.T.R.E.A.M. Ahead event on May 8th.
February 18, 2025
This story is completely precious. It is very simple; it just tells a brief story about a farm and the family that lives there. It is a very poetic story, with beautiful illustrations. It doesn't necessarily teach a lesson about anything, but I would have it in my classroom anyway. It is such a tender story about embracing little moments and loving who you're with and where you are.
July 11, 2017
**3.5**
An older children's book that was gifted to my brother and I when I was 4, and he was 2. Just happened to have found it recently, and figured I'd give it glance through with older eyes.
An older children's book that was gifted to my brother and I when I was 4, and he was 2. Just happened to have found it recently, and figured I'd give it glance through with older eyes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews