The Planet We Call Home

December 1, 2022
Explore our planet and marvel at its breathtaking natural beauty. Cover art sets the tone as a group of children looks out over the vast ocean as if embracing the entire world. The title page shows Earth in a starry universe with the continents visible in their familiar shapes. Subsequent views get closer as readers see part of the Northern Hemisphere followed by a view from between parted clouds of lush green land set among hills and streams with human habitation indicated by a cultivated area and a village. It is here that the narration begins by naming this place as Earth. Mountains, sun, stream, farm, river, town, bay, ocean, and shore are introduced in lovely, descriptive cumulative verses, each ending with the title phrase. The verses appear within double-page spreads, all brightly hued and lush, glowing in the sun, and featuring racially diverse children engaging with and protecting the land and water. The perspectives vary throughout, some seen in wide angle, some from high above, and some at eye level. Young readers will appreciate the natural beauty of planet Earth and understand that they can play a part in preserving it. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A gentle message lovingly and artfully rendered. (information on preventing pollution, resources) (Picture book. 4-9)

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March 1, 2023
Preschool-Grade 1 Using the cumulative pattern of "This Is the House That Jack Built," Isaac takes readers on a tour of Earth and all its riches. Beginning with a view of our planet from space, the richly hued illustrations close in to highlight Earth's various aspects: "This is our Earth, / the planet we call home. // These are the mountains / stretching from Earth, / the planet we call home." Pictures using saturated colors feature small, roundheaded humans (mainly children) of various ethnicities, playing or working in each scene. A stream, farm, river, town, and ocean are some of the attributes mentioned in the text, which reveals their interconnectedness and their importance to the planet and its inhabitants. The book concludes with a helpful list entitled "How Can We Prevent Pollution?" and further resources for following up. Youngsters interested in learning about nature and ecology will come to understand the importance of the care and maintenance Earth requires to stay healthy and thriving for every living creature.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 29, 2023
Euphonious verse celebrates Earth as it builds to a kid-centric vision of stewardship in this comforting eco-read. Each new line introduces a place-based subject, with waterways playing a primary role. There’s a stream “that swells when the sun/ warms up the mountains”; a “river, meandering by”; a “bay, bubbling with life”; and an “ocean, vast as can be.” Though human figures appear throughout, only the concluding stanzas center people in the text, reframing all that’s come before through the lens of “the children, who cherish the Earth.” Kim’s illustrations employ watercolor, crayons, and digital tools to create soft, light-infused scenes of the natural world. Throughout, kids of varied skin tones play and interact, in one scene holding a sign aloft: “Save the Earth.” The effect is a pristine portrait of ways to inhabit “the planet we call home.” Back matter includes actionable suggestions for reducing pollution. Ages 4–8.