It's Up to Us: A Children's Terra Carta by Christopher Lloyd

Terra Carta For Nature, People and Planet

Nature - we live our lives surrounded by people and other living things

People - humans find everything we need in the Nature that surrounds us

Planet - then we noticed something - the Earth is getting hotter

Terra Carta - but wait! We can bring Nature back into balance

Terra Carta is modelled on the Magna Carta. "That revolutionary British text, handwritten by feudal lords on sheepskin in 1215, was a treaty signed between British nobles and their king. Its principles, revised and enumerated over the years, have become the foundation for Western legal systems, enshrining the principle that sovereigns are subject to the rule of law and all citizens have the right to due process—an underpinning of British common law, as well as the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights."  Quartz

Prince Charles, heir apparent to the British crown, has asked the world’s CEOs to guarantee the rights of nature in capitalism. His 17-page Terra Carta, meaning Earth Charter in Latin, is a “recovery plan for Nature, People & Planet.”

The two covers above are from the US and walker Books Australia. Note the tiny differences.

Explaining how we find ourselves in the situation we are now, the book presents understandable principles for change: investing in renewable energy sources, protecting coral reefs, forests, savannas and wetlands, listening to the wisdom of indigenous communities, working with scientists to find smart solutions, and demanding that the leaders of our countries and businesses put nature first. Book Trust

This book should be added to every school library. I adore books like this that allow me to discover a huge range of international illustrators - some of I do know of course but many who are new to me.

Thirty-three highly talented children's artists and illustrators are featured in the book, including:

Mehrdokht Amini (UK), Stuart Armstrong (USA), Harmony Becker (USA), Wesley Bedrosian (USA), Sally Caulwell (Republic of Ireland), Raul Colon (USA), Reza Dalvand (Iran), Owen Davey (UK), Sally Deng (USA), Paolo Domeniconi (Italy), Leah Marie Dorion (Canada), Blak Douglas (Australia), Barry Falls (UK), Victoria Fomina (Russia), Gunnella (Iceland), Nick Hayes (UK), Kumiko Horibe (Japan), Isol (Argentina), Su Jung Jang (UK), Murat Kalkavan (Turkey), Gwen Keraval (France), Ye Luying (China), Esteli Meza (Mexico), Poonam Mistry (UK), Rutu Modan (Israel), Musa Omusi (Kenya), Nick Sharratt (UK), Peter Sis (USA), Sydney Smith (Canada), Vanina Starkoff (Brazil), Fotini Tikkou (Greece), Luisa Uribe (Colombia), Stuart Armstrong (USA) and Phung Nguyen Quang & Hunh Kim Lien (Vietnam). 

Watch this trailer where you can see inside this book. Seven Impossible things Before Breakfast shares several pages too. Here is the page by Sydney Smith (Canada):

Here is part of the page by Raúl Colón (USA):

I am imagining the excitement of each illustrator as they received the words for "their page".  This process reminds me of these books. Check my previous post about international illustrators.

Kind

I will highlight a few of the illustrators in It's Up to Us:

Luisa Uribe (Columbia)

Fotini Tikkou (Greece)

Raúl Colón (USA)

Poonam Mistry (UK)

Nick Sharratt (UK)

Blak Douglas (Australia)

Sally Deng (USA)

Owen Davey (UK)

Paolo Domeniconi (Italy).  (This new book by Jane Yolen will be published in 2023. He has over fifty books and I am very keen to explore his work further)

A Song of Gladness by Michael Morpurgo illustrated by Emily Gravett

I've been talking every morning to a blackbird, telling him why we are so sad. He sits on his branch and listens.

In 2020 the world changed. Michael Morpurgo describes it is a year of sorrows. One morning he heard a blackbird singing in his garden. 

"Sensing his welcome, I sang back, echoing his song. We had a conversation. It sounds fanciful. At first I thought it was fanciful. But when he was there waiting for me, singing for me, every morning. I knew he was trying to get to know me, to tell me something, something important - urgent even."

That is the message you will find in this book. Our planet depends on us. We are all part of our planet and we have to care because our earth is precious and fragile.

The music for the blackbird's song is presented on the end papers. 

Travel the globe in this inspiring journey through the animal kingdom. A Song of Gladness is a timely reminder of the beauty and importance of the natural world from two of today's most celebrated children's book creators.  From a blackbird in a Devon garden to leopards in the African savanna, hibernating bears and chimpanzees high in the forest canopy, A Song of Gladness reminds us all of our connection with nature, and with each other, and the urgent need for us to join together in caring for the planet and every creature in it.

With beautiful illustrations by Emily Gravett this is a book that you should add to your Primary school or Preschool library. 

This story originally appeared in The Book of Hopes edited by Katherine Rundell - which is a book I have had on my to read pile for way too long.

Students from The Kings school have made a video of the text using their own illustrations. 

The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold illustrated by Levi Penfold

Rio's mum is very unwell. Rio has been coping with his mum and her strange behaviour all his life. Rio desperately wants his mother to be happy and he thinks it is up to him to make this happen. But now things have become way too hard for his mum, who is a concert violinist. His mum needs to go and stay in a special hospital in London and Rio is sent to Los Angeles and into the care of a grandmother he does not know.

His grandmother gives Rio a box of bis mother's treasures. Inside the box he finds a drawing of an amazing whale. It is named White Beak. Rio has very mixed up emotions and he is unable to communicate his fears to anyone but he is sure if he can find this whale his mother will be well again and they will be united. Luckily he is now living near the ocean and equally luckily he finds the perfect friend. Marina is the daughter of a man (Birch) who runs the local whale watching business. 

I did read The Lost Whale in one sitting and I enjoyed it but in some ways this book feels very similar to others with this same theme of healing a parent with mental illness; the dangers of ocean pollution and plastic to wild creatures like whales; and the journey of a young child as he tries to heal the hurt from the past. It felt a little too obvious to make Rio's mood match the mood of the ocean and a little contrived perhaps when he found the whale and then dived into the open ocean to have a special moment with this majestic creature but I don't think young readers 10+ will notice those tiny issues. At times I found Rio was little too angry and selfish especially when his grandmother was so kind and patient with him, but I enjoyed the final scenes where Rio, Marina, Birch (her dad) and his Grandmother (Fran) head out to find and ultimately rescue their precious whale. 

The theme of saving and being saved is definitely evident here, whatever your age. The adult will go on from thinking it's a book about saving the mother to saving Rio, but there is also the aspect of saving the whales and the entire ocean. The Book Bag

This book does contain references to mental illness but it is not as confronting as The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson. Rio's confusion is very similar to Jack in the book Small as an Elephant. My advance copy of The Lost Whale says this book was published on the 3rd March but I see from an online bookseller it will actually be released on 4th May, 2022. 

The Lost Whale is a companion volume (although this one has different characters) to The Last Bear. One special feature of both books are the splendid illustrations by Levi Pinfold. 

Look for these if you enjoy The Lost Whale:

The Truth of Me (absent parents who are musicians and an important grandparent)

Small as an Elephant

And two picture book companions would be:

The Whales' Song

The Tale of the Whale

Dear Earth by Isabel Otter illustrated by Clara Anganuzzi

Earth you are full of such wonder, but you are fragile and you need love and care. Grandpa says that humans have hurt you ... but we can heal you too. Love from Tess 

Tessa listens to her grandfather who tells her all about our amazing planet. She decides to write a letter and as she does we see all the places she plans to explore - underwater, the Savannah plain, jungles, the arctic, forests and the tops of the highest mountains. 

This is an empowering book about our fragile planet and at the back the author lists some simple ways to make a difference - walk to school, clean up the beach, recycling.

There are lots of wonderful books about caring for our environment. Here are a couple of possible companion reads but you can find lots more here in various Pinterest collections from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything. Sustainable Development Goal 17; Goal 13; and her collection on Sustainability.  You can also read about all of the goals and all of the terrific books and ideas collected by my friend. 

There are a couple of very special aspects of this book that I need to highlight. Firstly I adore the two pages where you need to turn the book longways to see the ocean on one spread and the tall forest trees on another page. Secondly I am so happy to see the little girl in this book is not the usual body shape. She is a girl with beautiful brown skin and large legs. She is has a shape many young girls can relate to.

Successfully combining exploration and the wonders of nature with a crucial message about environmental issues, this beautifully illustrated book with Clara Anganuzzi’s fine, detailed and sometimes dramatic, scenes of the natural world shown from a variety of viewpoints as well as the different landscapes, is a must for families and primary classrooms. Red Reading Hub

The full-page illustrations are simply divine, they shine off each page and show the world in all her glory. Whispering Stories

Saving Mr Hoot by Helen Stephens

Mr Hoot lives in a huge tree beside Ben's window. Ben has formed a special bond with this creature of the night - a beautiful huge owl. Oddly, though, no one in his family can see Mr Hoot. This becomes a huge problem when men arrive to chop down the tree. Ben needs to act and he needs to act quickly.

Helen Stephens, author of How to hide a Lion, says:

"I've always loved owls ... Saving Mr Hoot was inspired by an owl who lived in some lovely big old trees on my street. I used to love hearing him hooting at night. Sadly some grown-ups chopped down the trees, so that they could put up brighter street lights. After that, I never saw my owl again. Those bright lights must have frightened him away. This book is dedicated to that owl, and to all the wildlife that lives in our towns."

The illustrations in this book, by Helen Stephens, are very special and your young reading companion is sure to love the gold foil used on the front cover. 

With cute watercolour illustrations in Helen Stephens’s distinctively nostalgic style, the picture book showcases a diverse community – including Ben’s own dual-heritage family. Book Trust

You might like to pair this book with a very new Australia wordless book by Freya Blackwood - The Boy and the Elephant.

I would also grab a copy of Owl Moon after reading Saving Mr Hoot - Owl Moon is one of my most favourite owl books ever!

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

"And then came the last crate. It followed the same path as the others, but instead of crashing against the rocks, it sloshed against the remains of the first four crates. Soon, more waves were heaving it up out of the water. It soared through the air, spinning and glistening until it slammed down onto a tall shelf of rock. The crate was cracked and crumpled, but the robot inside was safe."

I love reading a book where I have an internal dialogue with the author.  All though The Wild Robot I was having a discussion with Peter Brown about his inventive plot choices.  Crates of robots wash up on an island after a ship wreck but only one unit survives - ROSSUM unit 7134 or Roz for short.  Roz sets about using her computer brain to make sense of her environment and find ways to communicate with the animals she encounters. Luckily for Roz this island has no human inhabitants.

"Once fully activated, I will be able to move and communicate and learn. Simply give me a task and I will complete it. Over time, I will find better ways of completing my tasks. I will become a better robot."

Readers can only guess the real purpose of a robot like Roz but she certainly has an important role on this island. Even though Roz cannot really feel emotions herself there are some very powerful emotional scenes in this story.  One example early in the story is when Roz accidentally falls down a cliff onto some trees and she smashes into a goose nest. The geese are dead and four eggs are smashed but one egg survives.

"The robot gently cradled the fragile thin in her hand. Without a family, the unhatched gosling inside would surely die."

The gosling hatches but Roz does not know how to care for him so she has to ask the forest animals for help.  They are all very suspicious of this monster and they find it incredulous that Roz does not want to eat them in fact she does not eat at all. Roz and Brightbill, however, seem made for each other. Roz has so much to learn, Brightbill is learning as he grows and their shared paths help forge their new friendship and lead to understanding among the other animals too. Roz brings 'human' things to the island such as fire, shelter and she even uses the skills of the beavers to fashion a new foot when hers is lost. Island life is hard but it does feel like utopia until the day an airship arrives carrying three RECOs who have been sent to claim the lost cargo.  Here is a shortened version of the first conversation with Roz.

'We are here to retrieve all ROZZUM units.'
'Where have you come from?'
'Do not ask questions,'
'Where will you take me?'
'Do not ask questions.'
'Why must I leave?'
'Do not ask questions.'

I said earlier there are no humans on the island.  For me this is an important point. Peter Brown is exploring the dynamics between a man made machine in this case a robot and nature. The inclusion of humans would have given us an entirely different story - possibly one that would not be so powerful or interesting.  This is a story with layers which at times feels like a fable.

The stage is set for book two which I am hoping to grab as soon as it becomes available next month.

Brown has written a lively tale that is sure to engage young readers.   New York Times

This book would make a perfect class read-aloud. Here is a set of teachers notes. This review examines the way Peter Brown prepared to write his story of a robot in the wilderness. The School Library Journal also has a detailed review. Karen Yingling  interviewed Peter Brown for SLJ. I think this book is destined to become a classic - I do hope so.

I also enjoyed the way each chapter begins with italics and the generous illustrations which one commentator rightly suggested would look even better in colour.

Our story begins
As you might know
I should remind you

I do have a fascination with books about robots.  One of the books on my top book list is Eager by Helen Fox and the sequels.

Cat on the island by Gary Crew illustrated by Gillian Warden

"The island rose out of the ocean like a blue-green jewel. Covered in forest, it was.  And there were all sorts of birds - 

I never saw so many birds."

This will seem odd but I have been searching for a Public Library.  I need one with up to date stock and a good selection of old favourites especially picture books.  After trying three in my area I have found one.  While I was browsing I spied this book and I recognised the title and author.  I had seen it mentioned on a book list as a text to support the study of Geography in our Primary curriculum.

I had thought this book was out of print but I now discover there is a paperback edition.  This is very significant book and it should be part of every school library collection.

The setting for this book is Stephens Island New Zealand.  Prior to 1894 this tiny island of just 150 hectares was home to many bird species especially the Traversia lyalli - the only flightless wren in the world.  By 1896 it was extinct.  Here is a painting by John Keulemans on Wikipedia.

Building the lighthouse meant cutting down the trees.  The arrival of the builders and lighthouse keeper with his family meant the arrival of a cat.

"Yes, my mother bought a cat to the island. ... Tibbles, the cat's name was. Had kittens as soon as we landed. And once they were off her milk, they shot through. Had plenty of birds to eat, they did. ... And 'cause the wrens couldn't fly, they were easy targets."

The illustrations in this book are so important.  They have the softness of water colour but show the violence of the cats.  Gillian Warden has included all of the pages on her web site.

Related texts include :

• The Tin forest by Helen Ward
• The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
• Window by Jeannie Baker
• Joseph's Yard by Charles Keeping

Here is a set of excellent teaching notes and this title (as I mentioned) is recommended as a support text for the NSW Geography syllabus.  We have an extensive collection of book by Gary Crew in our school library but somehow we missed this important book.