[Sophie Blackall’s] signature Chinese ink and watercolor illustrations will draw children in for repeat readings to pore over each detail. . . . Each page is well researched and inclusive, as Blackall depicts the many different people who live in the world. . . . With its gorgeous and intricate illustrations, [If You Come to Earth] is perfect for sharing.”—School Library Journal, starred review
“[V]ivid, delicate, and precise, Blackall composes intricate spreads that express the vast diversity of the planet. . . As a two-time Caldecott winner, [she] is deservedly celebrated, and here she pairs her accomplished artwork with a story children will want to read and a message that resonates. [If You Come to Earth] is one to take your time with, savor, and share with others.”—Booklist, starred review
“To take care of one another and the Earth, we must truly see one another as unique and valued. . . . Throughout [If You Come to Earth], diverse people are distinctively, carefully portrayed, emphasizing representation and visibility. . . . Two-time Caldecott Medalist Blackall’s rich illustration invites return visits to investigate all the small, and big, details they contain. . . . An introduction to Earth for children big and small who live in this galaxy, or beyond.”—Kirkus Reviews
“[E]xquisite . . . Magnificent . . . [D]azzling. . . . [If You Come to Earth] is a book that can be shared with strangers, visitors, friends old and new—a work in which differences build to reveal an inclusive human family on a single, precious planet.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
”The true delight of [If You Come to Earth] lies in its stunning illustrations. Each page features a dynamic, energetic composition, a wealth of precise detail arranged in unexpected ways. . . . Sweet, funny, moving, timely, and beautiful.”—Horn Book Magazine, starred review
“It’s far and away the best work she’s done. . . . No detail escapes Blackall’s attention, though; close reading is richly rewarded. . . . Though its scope is expansive, “If You Come to Earth” feels, in the end, intimate.”—The New York Times
“Blackall writes in honest, uncomplicated prose, her unpretentious statements all the more resonant for their frankness. She covers nearly every aspect of existence. . . . Blackall’s colorful, clever illustrations feel as though she has focused a giant microscope on the planet. You could spend hours poring over the details on every page. . . . [If You Come to Earth is] a sprawling, ambitious take on some of life’s biggest questions.”—BookPage
★ 12/01/2020
PreS-Gr 1—If visitors came to Earth, what would they need to know? A young boy, Quinn, writes a letter to potential visitors in Blackall's stunning new book. Her signature Chinese ink and watercolor illustrations will draw children in for repeat readings to pore over each detail, such as the portraits of people from diverse backgrounds, from a construction worker and a firefighter to Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Images such as a two-page spread of different types of birds arranged in the shape of a bird invite dialogue from prereaders, expanding their background knowledge about animals, transportation, or kinds of houses. Each page is well researched and inclusive, as Blackall depicts the many different people who live in the world. The inclusivity of various abilities is especially notable, including the American Sign Language alphabet, images of Braille, different types of families, and people using wheelchairs. The author's note tells how she came to know the real Quinn, an Australian boy with dark hair and light skin. VERDICT With its gorgeous and intricate illustrations, this is perfect for sharing one on one, and is recommended for most collections.—Jessica Ko, Los Angeles P.L.
2020-06-30
To take care of one another and the Earth, we must truly see one another as unique and valued.
A young child with light beige skin, wispy brown hair, and a gnomish red cap writes an invitation: “Dear Visitor from Outer Space, / If you come to Earth, / here’s what you need to know.” What follows is a child’s introduction to this complex planet that begins in the child’s room, spins out to outer space, then back to Earth and its geography and topography, then to the people who inhabit this planet—where they live, how they live, and what they do. Along the way, outer-space visitors (and readers) learn about families, careers, clothing, transportation, fauna, even the American Sign Language and Braille alphabets. Throughout, diverse people are distinctively, carefully portrayed, emphasizing representation and visibility. In a library scene, the narrator says, “It’s better when we help each other”—an urgent response to a portrayal of war on the preceding spread. 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. Ribbons appear throughout the book, as winding blue rivers and spools of illustrated paper covered with the narrator’s extraterrestrial drawings. Each rich illustration invites return visits to investigate all the small, and big, details it contains. An author’s note explains the global origin of this offering.
An introduction to Earth for children big and small who live in this galaxy, or beyond. (Picture book. 4-8)
