by Barbara Weisberg illustrated by Kate Arnold ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2015
An intriguing picture book with an abstract theme and illustrations that invite young readers to reimagine themselves as...
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A boy describes his identity as an Earthling in this clever, enchantingly illustrated picture book by veteran author Weisberg (Talking to the Dead, 2005, etc.) and artist Arnold.
Most people think of the unnamed narrator as a boy and his sister as a girl, “But we’re Earthlings,” he explains. Grouping himself with other residents of the planet—animals as well as humans—the narrator describes things that make Earth and Earthlings special. Scientific concepts such as gravity, the atmosphere, the water cycle, and general human anatomy are described in dramatically simplified layman’s terms. Rather than delve into the science, the narrator skims over the ideas to focus on how some of these things are unique to Earth and how earthlings are “perfectly made” for their environments. The theme underlying the concepts is a little more abstract: “I can’t see my own back or face without a mirror, but I can see those of other Earthlings….We can see one another, but we can’t directly see our whole selves.” Although never stated directly, the philosophical implication that other beings are required for us to truly see ourselves is an interesting one for a picture book aimed at the lower grade school audience. While most of the illustrations focus on the narrator—a small blond boy wearing primary colors—in the final pages, a diverse spread of humans fill the pages, featuring different skin tones, clothing styles, and religious and cultural details, further suggesting that seeing ourselves through diverse eyes helps us better understand who we are; after all, our shared planet is more important than our differences. Arnold’s watercolor images are delightful, with nods to space travel and sci-fi at every opportunity (robot toys and rocket ships are typical inclusions). But the premise is almost too clever: since there’s no story here, only abstract concepts, some young readers may scratch their heads. “He’s an Earthling—so what?” It is not quite detailed enough to please science readers nor direct enough to give an explicit moral. But the quiet, thoughtful tone may well work for others, especially independent readers more interested in questions than answers.
An intriguing picture book with an abstract theme and illustrations that invite young readers to reimagine themselves as citizens of the planet.Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-1500941215
Page Count: 42
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Marjorie Priceman & illustrated by Marjorie Priceman ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 1994
What if the market was closed when you wanted to bake a pie? You could embark for Europe, learn Italian en route, and pick up some semolina wheat in Italy, an egg in France, kurundu bark for cinnamon in Sri Lanka, and an entire cow in England (butter) before coming home via Jamaica (sugar) and Vermont (apples). The expertly designed illustrations in which a dark-haired lass journeys by various means to these interesting places to get her groceries are lovely and lively, and the narrative, too, travels at a spritely pace. The journey is neither quite logical enough to be truly informative nor quite bizarre enough to be satisfyingly silly, while the rich, sweet recipe that's appended will take some adult assistance. Still, fun. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 2, 1994
ISBN: 0-679-83705-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1994
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by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016
Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of...
An international story tackles a serious global issue with Reynolds’ characteristic visual whimsy.
Gie Gie—aka Princess Gie Gie—lives with her parents in Burkina Faso. In her kingdom under “the African sky, so wild and so close,” she can tame wild dogs with her song and make grass sway, but despite grand attempts, she can neither bring the water closer to home nor make it clean. French words such as “maintenant!” (now!) and “maman” (mother) and local color like the karite tree and shea nuts place the story in a French-speaking African country. Every morning, Gie Gie and her mother perch rings of cloth and large clay pots on their heads and walk miles to the nearest well to fetch murky, brown water. The story is inspired by model Georgie Badiel, who founded the Georgie Badiel Foundation to make clean water accessible to West Africans. The details in Reynolds’ expressive illustrations highlight the beauty of the West African landscape and of Princess Gie Gie, with her cornrowed and beaded hair, but will also help readers understand that everyone needs clean water—from the children of Burkina Faso to the children of Flint, Michigan.
Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of potable water. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-17258-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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