Review by Booklist Review
Illustrator Sudyka makes her authorial debut in this quietly astounding picture book that speaks to environmental stewardship. "Once there was a little bit of land," it begins, " . . . [that was] just big enough for the life that lived upon it." She then proceeds to sketch a history of this verdant piece of land, taking readers back in geologic time, where different epochs are presented with their respective wildlife--or lack thereof, in the case of the ice age. In one memorable spread, a prehistoric family treads along a riverbank as adorable woolly mammoths wander nearby. Sudyka works wonders in her watercolor gouache artwork, characterized by swirling stars and clouds that pass over folk-style scenes. She also utilizes impactful layouts to reflect the movement of time or events, layering scenes in strips or dramatic wedges. Readers will observe a forest fire and eventually the arrival of city-building humans. Both strain the environment, but it is the latter that causes things to tip dangerously out of balance. Sudyka reminds kids that they can help the land by caring for any patch of nature, big or small--and it will care for them in return. Though fiction, there are abundant facts and science concepts laced throughout this story, which are expanded upon in the back matter. A loving entreaty to embrace the environment through positive action.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Naturalistic cartoon depictions of Earth's beginnings form the backdrop to Sudyka's urgent call for conservation in this captivating story about planetary renewal and reciprocity. Starting in the distant past, the opening showcases a "little bit of land" that changes as the years progress, evolving from an aquatic landscape into a home for early humans. Natural forces such as fire occasionally alter the environment, but it's humankind's footprint, illustrations assert, that's responsible for "tip, tip, tipping" the planet's climate out of balance. Fluid gouache in blues and greens render prehistoric settings before giving way to sooty gray scenes of disruptive human development, until youthful stewards welcome back the sunny biodiversity that was initially present. Closing second-person lines encourage readers to reflect on the importance of caring for the planet. Human figures are portrayed with varying skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
This impassioned picture-book call to action for environmental stewardship opens with the image of a contemporary child tending "a little bit of land." After a spread that lays out what the land might have looked like at three different stages in the prehistoric past, we see it as it could have looked with the first humans treading upon it, a time when, following natural disasters such as fire and an ice age, it always found a way to "begin anew." Sudyka's lush spreads burst with a symphony of colors; graceful, swirling lines depict balance, such as a verdant wordless spread with bison, cranes, and other creatures sharing space. When the book shifts to the time when more and more humans move in, they no longer think of the land "except when they wanted to take from it." The palette turns from primarily vibrant greens to the dismal grays of vehicle exhaust. Two visually striking spreads show the damage humans have caused (pollution and the crowding out of flora and fauna) with the first using series of diagonal lines that radiate from the book's bottom gutter, separating the spread into wedge-shaped panels. The panels on the recto appear upside down; the following double-page spread features an inverted full-bleed image of a pollution-clogged city showing how environmental degradation "seemed unstoppable." Images return to right-side-up and the vivid colors reappear when a group of children stop to "look closely, and listen, too," tending the land with care. Back matter touches on the different epochs represented in the story and provides resources for further reading. Julie DanielsonMarch/April 2023 p.56 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
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. (author's note, glossary, additional facts, resources) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
