cover image The Earth Gives More

The Earth Gives More

Sue Fliess, illus. by Christiane Engel. Albert Whitman, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8075-7710-3

In bustling collage spreads, Engel depicts people engaged in seasonal outdoor activities. Fliess’s rhymes describe the gifts the Earth offers those taking time to treasure them: “Run barefooted through the grass./ Watch the clouds change as they pass.” Two children run alongside a narrow stream as summer storm clouds form overhead. In the snowy mountains, families enjoy the snow and ice: “Snowflakes ride the winter breeze./ Sail on sleds and glide on skis.” Animals experience seasonal changes, too: under the snow, animals are seen in their underground burrows. As the seasons pass, Fliess returns to the phrase “the Earth gives more,” finally closing this genuine celebration of nature with a plea: “Do your part. Use what you know./ Help the Earth to thrive and grow.” Ages 5–7. (Mar.)