Gone to Where
Michelle J. Choi
Lumiere Picturebook LLC
(2025)
ISBN: 978-1952322174
Reviewed by Susan Violante for Reader Views (01/2026)
Gone to Where by Michelle J. Choi is not your typical picture book. The world ended. It was erased by a little girl. She got ahold of the super eraser that her father invented and kept erasing away everything around her. She started small, but then she went blank and kept erasing everything. Millions of kids were missing, and their parents were all jumping into the abyss looking for them, while the little girl hid in the sky. She missed her home but didn’t know what to do! Meantime, her father searched for her, wishing he had never invented that eraser…Will he find her?
Gone to Where is a simple story, yet unique. Who would ever come up with a cute little girl to erase the entire planet? Tell you who, Michelle J. Choi! This very short story is told through a few words and impressive, unforgettable, awesome graphics. The author created a simple premise: what if you invented something as simple as a small eraser, left it on your desk, and by doing so caused the end of the world through your innocent daughter’s hand?
Now, imagine, visualize this little girl going around erasing everything into oblivion! Well, what you have visualized is nothing compared with the author’s watercolor paint, colored pencils, and graphite pencil art. She created the graphics in black and white, gray, and soft colors like brown and blue.
Her graphics are jaw-dropping and create an imprint in your mind. The expression of the children’s faces lingered in my mind as well. The details of the illustrations are mesmerizing and captivating. I found myself lost in thought, staring at the lines and tones, baffled, roaming within my thoughts. I have never been so impressed with an art piece as I have been with this picture book. The words and graphics create an experience that the reader will have to work hard to forget. Yes, it is a children’s picture book, but the emotions it triggered in this humble adult reader will stay with me for a while. Below is a snapshot of a page as an example of the illustrations:
I have never seen a picture book quite like Gone to Where by Michelle J. Choi. In my experience, it is a work of art that belongs in anyone’s library who values art and stories that change you somehow. A Five-Star book from a Five-Star author. Hope to see much more from Michelle J. Choi.
At a Glance: A surreal, art-driven picture book that imagines a child accidentally wiping away the world with a powerful invention. Blending whimsical fantasy with themes of loss, regret, and reunion, it offers an emotionally resonant experience that may appeal as much to adults as to young readers.
Best for Readers Who Enjoy: imaginative picture books, visually stunning illustrations, surreal storytelling, books about family relationships, thought-provoking children’s literature, emotional fantasy, art-focused picture books, stories about consequences, atmospheric reads, picture books for all ages