Love, the Earth

by Frances Stickley, Tim Hopgood (Illustrator)

Overview

With vibrant artwork and an affecting poetic text narrated by the Earth, this magnificent ode to our planet serves as a call to action.

I am the Earth.
All yours to share.
The mountains and the Arctic air. . . .
And now you’re here, so small and new—
a tiny little dream come true.
Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.
Will you take care of me?

Told from the perspective of the Earth, this moving picture book—part love letter, part rallying cry—tours the epic and ordinary wonders of the natural world and entreats us to do our bit to help the planet in turn. Combining Frances Stickley’s welcoming, rhyming text and spectacular artwork by best-selling illustrator Tim Hopgood, this enchanting celebration is essential reading to connect young minds with the beauty of nature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536234121
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/12/2024
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	379,415
Product dimensions:	10.63(w) x 11.63(h) x 0.39(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Frances Stickley is a trained children’s literacy specialist and a primary school teacher who has authored several picture books, including What Will You Dream of Tonight?, illustrated by Anuska Allepuz. When she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her in a forest playing dragons with her daughters. She lives in Nottingham, England.

Tim Hopgood is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books include My Big Book of Outdoors, which he both wrote and illustrated, Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins, and What a Wonderful World, a picture book version of the song made famous by Louis Armstrong. Tim Hopgood lives in Yorkshire, England.

Editorial Reviews

The life of the entire world and that of this child, planting seeds, tending a plot, and taking care of herbaceous surroundings are intertwined in tissue-paper, collage-like paintings that have the color and translucence of Eric Carle’s work, but are more detailed and representational. . . . Stickley and Hopgood create a reassuring lullaby of faith and cooperation that is accessible to small children, but can launch Earth Day discussions for younger elementary students.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

01/19/2024

PreS-Gr 2—"I am the Earth./ All yours to share./ The mountains and the Arctic air." From the mighty visions and statements of the earth, readers are quickly dropped into a more intimate setting with a bronze-skinned newborn held close: "And now you're here,/ So small and new—/ A tiny little dream come true." Then, "Don't worry," says the omniscient voice. "I'll take care of you." The life of the entire world and that of this child, planting seeds, tending a plot, and taking care of herbaceous surroundings are intertwined in tissue-paper, collage-like paintings that have the color and translucence of Eric Carle's work, but are more detailed and representational. The voice promises that mutual tending, despite a sad-faced, earth-like globe, will lead to better outcomes. Stickley and Hopgood create a reassuring lullaby of faith and cooperation that is accessible to small children, but can launch Earth Day discussions for younger elementary students. VERDICT Impressionistic or restrained, the less-is-more approach of this missive allows for many uses in classrooms and story hours.—Ginnie Abbott

School Library Journal