Our Planet

A large, die-cut circle runs through the center of this wordless board book; it represents the Earth, and it’s an effective metaphor for the planet’s potential. As the book unfolds, tiny collage illustrations along the circle’s outside edge reveal humanity’s impact on the environment. Trees surround the edge of the empty circle in the early pages, but a bulldozer soon appears, clear-cutting the forest and making room for a ring of houses. Towering skyscrapers replace those houses, bringing pollution, vehicles, and garbage, all leading to global cataclysm (a towering iceberg melts, flooding the planet). It’s a silent book that speaks volumes, and Lee concludes with images that invoke harmony between man, nature, and industry. All ages. [em](Apr.) [/em]