Wednesday, April 28, 2021

HELLO, EARTH! Poems to our Planet by Joyce Sidman & illustrated by Miren Asiain Lora from Eerdmans' Publishing

My thoughts:  What a beautiful book that has the writer or reader talking to Earth as though you were on a stroll or sharing a cup of tea together. Speaking of Earth's provision for its inhabitants, it's rich diversity of design, the care that creatures -  specifically man - need to take in living on the Earth, and a small peek into scientific information about Earth. At the end of the book, there are several pages of more educational text into specifics addressed in the book. This is especially nice for expanded learning.

A beautiful and varied book. 

While presented as a book of poetry, the verse is rather free and has no specific rhyme, meter, or cadence. To my understanding, the writing is more of a lyrical prose. Very good. Enjoyable to read. And quite informative.

I thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations of this "chapter" picture book. The are full of interesting and educational imagery that provide the reader opportunities to ponder and visually explore ideas.

Eerdmans' is a Christian publishing company. This book is more of a secular publication than Christian or Biblical. The book's text indicates a very old Earth and an evolution the Earth and all it contains. While not explicitely stated, it is definitely inferred. I don't find this detrimental as the intent of the book is to understand and care for Earth as man's place of residence. The beauty of Earth and Earth's bounty for man. A well-done book on environmentalism for the young child.

I believe that as a Christian parent, it behooves parents to present varied ideas to children and this book does that quite unobtrusively. It is a lovely book and I like it quite a lot. It is a must-have for children's libraries of all types - public, school, classroom, homeschool.

About the book: We walk on Earth’s surface every day, but how often do we wonder about the incredible planet around us? From the molten cracks below to the shimmering moon above, Hello, Earth! explores the wonders of the natural world. This playful journey across our puzzle-piece continents does not hesitate to ask questions—even of the Earth itself! 

Joyce Sidman’s imaginative poems encourage boundless curiosity, and Miren Asiain Lora’s stunning paintings capture the beauty of Earth’s ecosystems, creatures, and powerhouse plants. The book concludes with extensive scientific material to foster further learning about how the earth works, from water cycles to plate tectonics to the origin of ocean tides.

A gorgeous, expansive celebration of science and art, Hello, Earth! is a book to cherish in whatever landscape you call home. 

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

1 comment:

  1. Interesting book, and I really appreciate your candid assessment.

    ReplyDelete

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