The Ever-Changing Earth by Grahame Baker-Smith

This book covers the enormity of the formation of the earth and the beginnings of life. Because this is such a huge topic, Grahame Baker-Smith helps his younger readers by focusing on two children who live in very different places. These children are connected, however, because they both live on our planet and they both benefit from the wonders of nature. Kun loves dinosaurs so this is our starting point but we do need to go back further to understand the beginnings of our earth. Solveig lives in a different part of the world and for her the marvel she enjoys is the spectacle of the northern lights. 

When you share this book with your class or library group or young reading companion notice these beautiful expressive phrases:

• "Millions of years ago the sky boomed with the wild beat of Pterosaur wings ..."
• "Strange birds opened beaks stippled with tiny rows of teeth filling the branches with the first birdsong."
• "The young planet was under seige, pounded by comets and rocks. It was a world of flames and boiling seas of lava."
• "Each bubble was like a tiny kiss of life for the creatures that were yet to come."
• "Pristine, pale, silent. It might have stayed like that forever if not for the volcanoes."
• "And in darkness, deep beneath the secretive ice, life had clung on."

Baker-Smith prevents his narrative becoming an abstract of history by introducing his two young protagonists, Kun and Solveig. They live far apart, experiencing different aspects of the world, yet connected. It is a simple device to engage the young reader in this extraordinary – and challenging  – story.  There is nothing cosy as the reader opens the book to an image of a fiery ball whirling in space. We follow its violent evolution to close the back cover where the image of that blue planet floats serenely in its galaxy; as serenely as Solveig watching the Northern Lights in a lake warmed by the earth’s core or Kun feeding the birds who were once dinosaurs.  Books for Keeps

My photo (top image) doesn't do this cover any justice. The waterfall is made from tinsel like glitter - this is a book children will want to explore! and discuss. 

Dedication: "Words cannot do justice to the majesty and generosity of the world we share with all the extraordinary creations of its vibrant and mysterious nature. I am grateful for every day I have here, grateful to be a part, as we all are, of its incredible and ancient story."

A brief meditation on our planet’s long and generally violent history over geologic epochs with suitably big, dramatic illustrations. ... A grand spectacle. Kirkus Star review

This book is the companion book to these titles by Grahame Baker-Smith:

Wild is the Wind

The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart by Samera Kamaleddine

 

Evie lives with her mum, younger sister and stepdad. Lee met her mum on a holiday in Bali. He is originally from England and so I did enjoy some of his colloquial expressions. Evie is in Grade 6 and this is the year of change. Her stepdad Lee is leaving Sydney to go and work in Dubbo. There is a sense but it is not exactly specified that mum and Lee are now breaking up. Mum writes daily horoscope predictions for a major magazine and she is working on a book. Mum is often busy in her study but she does have a notice board in there which has wise phrases which at times are helpful to Evie. Up until now Lee seems to be the one holding the family together in terms of transporting the girls to school and activities and also doing the evening meal. Lee is still home for a few months and so he encourages the girls to make worry boxes. 

"Sadie was filling hers with loose little beads and small plastic toys she'd been collecting from Coles even though we were supposed to fill the boxes with feelings. The kind that made you worry."

Evie has so many worries. Will she forget Lee. Will he ever come back. How will she and Sadie travel 400km to Dubbo in western NSW. Why does Nicole pick on her in class. Will she find friends in high school. How will they eat when mum can't cook very well. 

Luckily Evie is enjoying her class with Mrs Owen who declares they will be studying the Earth and Solar System this year. I am a little bit confused about this because as a teacher I do know that no class ever works on one topic for a whole year - a term is the usual time frame for a science topic like this. Anyway, this means that there are heaps and heaps of facts about astronomy woven into the story. 

Publisher blurb: Evie Hart likes rules. A lot. But as she embarks on her very last year of primary school, it feels like all the rules around her are being broken. When Evie's class starts learning about the Earth's place in the universe, it makes Evie think about her own place in the world and where she belongs. Which has her more worried than ever. When your mum writes a horoscope page for a living, it's hard not to think about what the future holds. Especially when she and the only dad Evie has ever known are acting like they're on different planets. But the more Evie learns about the sky and the stars, the more she learns that changes in the world can't always be controlled. And maybe that's not a bad thing. From the inaugural winner of the Matilda Prize comes a tender and moving story about one girl's journey to find her place in the world.

If your reading friend aged 10+ is keen on space and learning more about the universe they are sure to enjoy all the lesson information Evie shares. This book might also comfort young readers who are going through changes in their lives. 

Readings Melbourne review: This is an enchanting read for young space lovers, with each scientific fact and astrological point aligning metaphorically with Evie’s changing life. It’s also a great read for when big feelings are overwhelming, for learning how to navigate anxiety and change, especially at home, and about extending kindness even in unexpected places. 

There are some marvellous characterisations in this novel, with primary and secondary characters created with authenticity and appeal, in particular, Evie’s garrulous friend, Farrah, and neighbour, Nance O’Neil, whose pink-iced buns are a weekly salve to the family’s ups and downs. Evie’s journey from her fretful worries to a more confident person, finding some security in her own identity, is a pilgrimage that most young people take, as they grow into the adults they will become. Just So Stories

Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman and Olga Pastuchiv illustrated by Susanna Chapman

It is difficult to explain the delight I feel when I open a book and see glorious end papers. In this book they are decorated with sea creatures, seaweed fragments, and tiny plant treasures. I completely agree with Kirkus who say: Astonishing artwork shines. Good news - later this year this book will be available in a paperback edition. 

Here is the opening sentence of Ada and the Galaxies:

"Ada loves the stars. But in New York, the city lights make the night sky too bright to see the stars."

So Ada and her parents take a trip to visit their grandfather who lives on an island in Maine. After a day filled with exploring the beach Ada waits for the night so she can finally see the stars in the night sky. I loved the way her grandfather used high tide as a way to show the passing of time from day to night. 

Publisher blurb: New York Times best-selling author Alan Lightman, in collaboration with Olga Pastuchiv, brings galaxies close in a stunning picture-book tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Layering photographs taken from the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, illustrator Susanna Chapman zooms in on one child’s experiences: Ada knows that the best place for star-gazing is on the island in Maine where she vacations with her grandparents. By day, she tracks osprey in the trees, paddles a kayak, and hunts for shells. But she’s most in her element when the sun goes down and the stars blink to life. Will the fog this year foil her plans, or will her grandfather find a way to shine a spotlight on the vast puzzle of the universe . . . until the weather turns?

Here are some brief teaching ideas from Candlewick Press. You can see inside this book at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Read more about the background to this book here. 

Aimed at primary aged children, this picture book is a tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world, and to the precious gift of sharing experience and enthusiasm with those we love. Reading Time

This is a book to add to your school library collection but it also one that would be magical to share with just one or two children perhaps late at night and then you could all go outside and enjoy the spectacle of the night sky. 

Cave Paintings by Jairo Buitrago illustrated by Rafael Yockteng translated by Elisa Amado

As this book begins we meet a young boy waiting at a space station somewhere in the universe. He is heading away for a holiday with his grandmother which means he needs to travel, as he has in the past, to the farthest planet. We are not told the name of his home planet but it is clear his grandmother lives on our planet Earth. It is also clear this story is set far into the future as we see other aliens embarking and then disembarking from the amazing space craft. The airline attendants are sure to amaze you.

The boy and his grandmother climb into a bubble shaped craft and they head off across different landscapes before arriving at a cave. This is what they see:

Lascaux is famous for its Palaeolithic cave paintings, found in a complex of caves in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, because of their exceptional quality, size, sophistication and antiquity. Estimated to be up to 20,000 years old, the paintings consist primarily of 

large animals, once native to the region.

At the end of his holiday his grandmother gives the boy a set of  pencils. Your young reading companion is sure to be puzzled or curious about why this boy is not familiar with a simple set of familiar objects but these are ancient artefacts which once belonged to his ancestors. On the way home he uses the pencils and a note book from his grandmother to draw the view out of his window and his memories of his recent holiday. He is using art to interpret his world just as the cave painters did in ancient times.

A work at once both limitless and grounded, the imaginative illustrations will be especially appealing to lovers of science fiction and fantasy. School Library Journal

An ode to the endless possibilities of art, a celebration of open borders, and a reverence for the contributions of our collective ancestors. Horn Book

Celebrated collaborators deliver another thoughtful delight, revealing how “making marks” links us across time and space. Kirkus

Here is the publisher blurb "Our hero travels all alone on a spaceship, through the universe, past galaxies, comets and planets to go visit his grandmother on Earth for the summer holidays. She takes him to visit an ancient cave, where he discovers handprints and drawings of unknown animals made by human beings, just like him. To top off his wonderful holiday she gives him mysterious objects which once belonged to his grandfather — paper and crayons. On the way home he draws what he saw on his travels — to the amazement of his fellow passengers. Jairo Buitrago’s thought-provoking story reminds us of what remains as everything changes. Rafael Yockteng’s fabulous art, a tribute to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, presents us a wonderful, diverse future in which space travel is common, though knowledge of the past is still a secret treasure to be discovered."

The original title of this book is Pinturas rupestres. 

I loved all the quirky aliens in this book and the wonderful space travel vehicles. This book could be a good way to introduce Science Fiction to a young reader. 

I first discovered Rafael Yockteng through the IBBY Honour book display which was hosted here in NSW by Lost in Books. I was immediately drawn to his book Two White Rabbits. I cannot read Spanish but the illustrations told a powerful story. Later I discovered this book has been translated into English. 

When I was researching International Illustrators for an IBBY Australia presentation I sought out Rafael's work again and saw Cave Painting.  Luckily for me, boy oh boy I am so lucky, my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has purchased this for her school library and so I can now read this quirky and very intriguing book.

Book Week is now behind us. This year the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) selected the slogan Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. As often happens, after the event I always find things that fit the theme - either display materials in $2 shops or in this case the perfect book. Cave Painting beautifully encapsulates Old Worlds (cave paintings), New Worlds (Space travel) and Other Worlds (aliens and other planets).

I'm not (very) afraid of the Dark by Anna Milbourne illustrated by Daniel Rieley

What a discovery. There are holes on the front cover and tiny holes on the last page along with hundreds of holes all the way through this book. I really appreciate publishers who are willing to spend extra money on features like this. I am sure these extra details must had added to the cost but in a surprise twist I have discovered this beautiful hardcover book costs less than $20 here in Australia - this feels like some sort of miracle. Well done Usborne books!

"In the day, the Dark is small. It tucks itself under things, almost as if it's hiding. But as the sun goes down, the Dark stretches out. It gets bigger."

Even inside, with the lights on, there are still dark corners. Then after a story mum turns out the light and things get really creepy. Turning the light back on helps, though. It is obvious now that those monsters are not real but then, oh no, dad suggests a camping trip. It could be truly frightening but when our narrator turns off his own torch he sees the most spectacular night sky filled with bright stars.

"And so I wonder. Maybe the Dark isn't all that bad. It's just a big, velvety night-blanket wrapped around the world so it can go to sleep. And if the Dark never came, you'd never, ever see the stars."

I highly recommend this beautiful book for all school libraries and home collections so grab a torch and settle down with your young friend and read this book. As I said it is filled with hundreds of tiny holes and shining a light through the holes adds a perfect perspective to this story about the magic of the stars. See inside the book here.  You can see other books by Anna Milbourne (Usborne Books) here. 

Here are some books illustrated by Daniel Rieley:

If you come to Earth by Sophie Blackall

"We humans define ourselves by where we were born, where we live, what we believe, by the clothes we wear and the languages we speak. But there is no 'typical' person. We are all different. Yet there is something we all share - the planet on which we live."

If you come to earth begins with a view of the universe. Quinn, the author of the letter, takes reader and the visitor from outer space down through the stars flying high above the planet and gradually getting closer and closer so we can see houses, people enjoying a picnic, facial expressions, brightly coloured and varied clothing, the seasons, methods of transport (road, air and water), school life, famous people, leisure time, a diverse meal time and then we see the wonders of our planet. Our precious water, sea life, land animals, and birds. This is my favourite page. Then Sophie explores music, art and communication. We have natural things and man made; big things and tiny things but it is the next page that may make you gasp:

"Some things are invisible. wind; invisible cloak; gravity; electricity; the smell of roast chicken, old socks, frangipani, wet wool; sound waves; germs."

There are times when people are hurt or sadly hurt one another but things are much better when we help each other - thank you Sophie this scene is a library!! Over time all humans grow and learn to tell stories. Finally Quinn says:

"If you come to Earth, you can stay in my room. Love Quinn."

In this generous video Sophie talks about her book and the five years of work that went into the creation of a book that everyone should treasure. I think this book should be added to EVERY library and also go out right now and buy this book as a Christmas present for someone precious in your family. In this interview Sophie talks about her book.

Two-time Caldecott Medalist Blackall balances eye-catching double-page spreads with white space, even focusing on a single powerful image—for instance, one giant bird formed from dozens of small birds fit together. ... Each rich illustration invites return visits to investigate all the small, and big, details it contains. Kirkus

Sweet, funny, moving, timely, and beautiful. Horn Book

The visual detail is awesome and the importance of seeing each person as a unique, valued human being worthy of our respect and care, and of the vital necessity too caring for the Earth, shine through the entire book. Red Reading Hub

Some things to notice in this book (there are sure to be more):  

Quinn looks just like the Ezra Jack Keats boy in Snowy Day and he appears on nearly every page.

• Houses page - look for the caravan with the clothes line and the line of people who have lost their homes
• Picnic page - look for the book with a map of Australia (Sophie is from Australia but lives in NYC)
• Transport page - look for the Christmas tree; stretch limo; and snowboarder
• School page - the kids are drawing the aliens we will later see on under the dust jacket

You might also hunt for several lighthouses; a puffin; Quinn playing a triangle; and a boomerang. You will also want to linger over the page of fifty paint tubes with their creative and funny names: slug belly, proud, baby tooth, vacuum bag dirt and dreams do come true.  Sophie should ask Dulux if she can name their next range of paints. She has invented some really nifty labels.

I do need to say one thing to Sophie (if she happens to read this post) - I was utterly devastated when Hello Lighthouse was not awarded a prize by our Children's Book Council of Australia. I am associated with several school libraries and we were all so certain Hello Lighthouse would WIN. At least the short listing for 2020 means hundreds indeed thousands of children in Australian schools have seen this glorious book.

Sophie has written over 45 books. Here are a few I adore: