LITTLE LAND

This paean to Earth sketches a rudimentary history of its changes right into the present climate crisis, suggesting a first step toward biodiversity preservation.

“Once there was a little bit of land.” The light-skinned child on the cover reappears inside, contentedly watering plants. Even in this first illustration, readers observe layers beneath the soil, significantly housing fossils. Simple, lyrical text swiftly moves from describing the child’s bit of land to discussing more generally how the land might have appeared in earlier eras. The crucial point is made that, despite constant changes, “The land provided for all the life that lived upon it.” Dramatic double-page spreads stress that even naturally caused fires do not thwart balanced ecosystems. Dynamic gouache watercolors—ending with a gray, urban world literally turned upside down by human-caused habitat destruction and fossil fuel use—make the case for taking note immediately. A trio of racially diverse children are shown noticing even as adults rush by at the brink of catastrophe. Just at that brink, the text asks readers if they “can hear the little bit of land talking to you?”—then gently prods them, via a series of uplifting scenarios, into taking care of it. The enthralling artwork is reminiscent of the Golden Books illustrated by Tibor Gergely, including vivid colors, an impeccable sense of composition, and slightly comical renderings of animals and people. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Enlightening and encouraging.