Before I Lived Here
Guides by Deb – Keeping your books in the hearts of young readers and in the hands of those who care for them.
Before I Lived Here
Written by Stacy S. Jensen
Illustrated by Victo Ngai
Published by Neal Porter Books
ISBN-13: 978-0823452231
Synopsis: 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.
Key Teaching Value: Before I Lived Here helps young learners understand that the places they live are shaped by many layers of natural, cultural, and historical change. Through a child’s perspective, the book invites students to look backward in time—from their modern neighborhood to Indigenous stewardship, early settlers, ancient landscapes, and deep geologic history—fostering place-based thinking, empathy, and historical awareness. The accompanying guide strengthens this value by supporting meaningful conversations about land, community, and change, while encouraging students to see history as something personal, local, and connected to their own lives.
Educator Guide Content Summary: The educator guide provides a thoughtfully scaffolded collection of discussion questions, hands-on mapping and art projects, timelines, and cross-curricular extensions aligned to CCSS and NGSS for grades PK–3. Activities emphasize inquiry, observation, spatial reasoning, and reflection, guiding students from noticing details in the story to applying concepts to their own homes and neighborhoods. With clear objectives, adaptable lessons, and built-in opportunities for social-emotional learning and cultural respect, the guide equips educators to deepen comprehension while fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a sense of place .
