My Friend Earth
What Does Bookroo Think of My Friend Earth
Upon waking from her winter nap, Mother Earth begins her journey caring for the earth in all of its glorious variety—spurring the seasons, guiding the animals, and treasuring the tiniest creatures. Even when she pours down too much rain and causes a flood, Mother Earth is shown afterward lovingly wringing out the trees. “She guards all the creatures in all the oceans” and “sprinkles the snow,” performing all of her duties before settling into a hopeful sleep to wait for spring. Sanna’s loving, calm, and happy personification of the earth matches Newberry Medal winner MacLachlan’s gentle, thoughtful, and poetic tribute to “My friend Earth.” While some lines are tricky to read aloud on the first try—“the black manta rays sleek like shadows”—the sparkling diction of “sun-dappled wild horses” and admirable alliterations—“the baby black bears are born in soft darkness”—create an altogether tender and tickling flow. Less a story and more a remarkably depicted ode to Mother Earth, this book inspires a greater appreciation for nature and the planet.
What Kind of Book is My Friend Earth
Primarily about
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Where Does My Friend Earth Stand Out
- Illustration
The “Illustration” badge is awarded to books with exceptional illustrations.
What Questions Should I Ask My Child
- This book talks about earth and the wonderful aspects of nature. What things in nature are you most grateful for?
- The story talks about earth through winter, spring, summer, and fall. Do you have a favorite season? What makes it your favorite?
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The Creatives Behind the Book
Patricia MacLachlan is a versatile and prolific author whose titles range from picture books to novels, including the Newbery Medal–winning Sarah, Plain and Tall. Barkus was inspired by the imagined adventures of her neighbor’s dog. She lives in Massachusetts
David Diaz has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, including Smoky Night by Eve Bunting, for which he was awarded the Caldecott Medal; The Wanderer by Sharon Creech, which received a Newbery Honor; and Diego: Bigger Than Life by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, a Pura Belpré Honor Award winner. An illustrator and graphic designer for more than twenty-five years, he is also a painter and an accomplished ceramic artist. Mr. Diaz lives in Carlsbad, California.
Francesca Sanna grew up on the Italian island of Sardinia. She studied illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York and the Academy of Art and Design in Lucerne. Her book The Journey received five starred reviews and was lauded by the New York Times and the Guardian. Francesca currently lives in Zurich, but you can visit her at francescasanna.com.
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Book Details
- ISBN
- 9780811879101
- Publication Date
- February 25, 2020
- Publisher
- Chronicle Books
- Original Publication Date
- February 25, 2020
- Text Details
- Typeset in Sonopa.
- Illustration Details
- The illustrations in this book were rendered in pencil, ink, and digital painting.
- Page Count
- 44
- Word Count
- 280
- Audience
- Picture
- Reading Age
- 3 - 5 years
- Lib. of Congress (LCCN)
- 2019006172
- WorldCat Number (OCLC)
- 1098234555
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