Our Planet! There's No Place Like Earth

Starred review from May 1, 2022

PreS-Gr 1-Earth loves its Earthlings, especially humans, and it hopes we love it back. After sharing facts about itself and the changes it has gone through over millennia, Earth explains the dangers of the climate crisis and offers some hope for change. The latest addition to McAnulty's "Our Universe" series focuses on celebrating and protecting the planet. Concise, accessible text offers a wealth of information about Earth while imbuing the planet with a warm, friendly, and funny personality. Concepts such as the difference between weather and climate are effectively explained for young minds, while, in this example, Earth plays the role of meteorologist. Lush and emotive illustrations are filled with vibrant colors and packed with details to explore. When the impact of climate change is addressed, the illustrations are saturated with dark hues and frightening elements like fires and flooding. The normally friendly face of Earth is fearful, staring out of bloodshot eyes while its edges are frayed and melting. These illustrative choices effectively drive the mood to a somber place so the text can continue to focus on efficient information delivery. Importantly, after raising the alarm, the book offers multiple suggestions for improvement through alternate energy and lifestyle choices. The last illustrations feature a joyful, verdant Earth, who is clearly choosing hope over despair. VERDICT Offering a helpful primer to difficult concepts, this engaging picture book is recommended for first purchase.-Elizabeth Lovsin

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2022
The sixth in McAnulty's Our Universe series focuses on Earth's human-caused problems, offering some family-level activities for mitigation. Vivaciously narrated by "Planet Awesome," the text establishes facts about how Earth's location with regard to the sun allows life to flourish, the roles of the ocean and atmosphere, and the distinctions between weather and climate. McAnulty clearly explains how people have accelerated climate change "because so many human things need energy." Soft-pedaling, she avoids overt indictment of fossil fuels: "Sometimes energy leads to dirty water, dirty land, and dirty air." Dire changes are afoot: "Some land is flooding. Other land is too dry--and hot. YIKES! Not good." "And when I'm in trouble, Earthlings are in trouble, too." Litchfield's engaging art adds important visual information where the perky text falls short. On one spread, a factory complex spews greenhouse gases in three plumes, each identified by the chemical symbols for carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Throughout, planet Earth is appealingly represented with animated facial features and arms--one green, one blue. The palette brightens and darkens in sync with the text's respective messages of hope and alarm. Final pages introduce alternative energy sources--wind, hydro, solar, and "human power--that's from your own two feet." Lastly, Earth provides excellent ideas for hyperlocal change, from buying less new stuff to planting trees. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Informative yet optimistic, this cri du coeur from Planet Awesome deserves wide attention. (author's note, numerical facts, atmospheric facts, ideas for action, sources) (Informational picture book. 5-8)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2022
This companion to Earth!: My First 4.54 Billion Years; Sun!: One in a Billion, et al., focuses on the impact of human activity on our warming planet. Giving readers simple steps to address climate change, the cheerful text invites them to choose "human power -- that's from your own two feet" and other sustainable resources. A large, smiling Earth fills, and sometimes spills over the edges of, square pages. With its long eyelashes and bright brown eyes, the endearing planet narrator makes a strong case. An author's note, additional related information, and a source list are appended.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)