When Planet Earth Was New

by James Gladstone, Katherine Diemert (Illustrator)

Overview

It has taken billions of years for Earth to become the planet it is today. When Planet Earth Was New looks back to the very beginning, using a poetic approach grounded in scientific fact to give an overview of how the planet has changed over time: from hot lava to the formation of oceans to the evolution of living things in water and on land. The book also includes the relatively recent evolution of humans — who are just a tiny speck in the sweep of Earth’s history.




This broad look at the Earth is designed to inspire awe and inquiry. With STEM connections to biology, geology, evolution, and more, it is a springboard for discovery, discussion, and research. A striking design with full-spread, digitally enhanced watercolor art gives the book a rich, atmospheric feel. Back matter includes informational notes about each spread, as well as sources, an author’s note, and a glossary.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771472036
Publisher:	Owlkids Books
Publication date:	09/15/2017
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	768,082
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

JAMES GLADSTONE is an editor and writer of school and trade books for children. When Planet Earth Was New is his first book with Owlkids. James lives in Toronto, Ontario.



KATHERINE DIEMERT lives with her grumpy cat in Toronto, Ontario. A graduate of Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Illustration program, she creates images for editorial and interactive media. She uses a combination of analog and digital tools to create her work, which has been included in several shows and garnered awards. She especially loved drawing the weird and wonderful creatures in this book. When Planet Earth Was New is Katherine’s first picture book.

Editorial Reviews

08/21/2017
Debut talents Gladstone and Diemert neatly distill a complex concept—the sheer vastness of Earth’s history, and how it evolved over billions of years—using evocative, conversational language and bold mixed-media artwork. The text grabs readers from the start, describing the planet billions of years ago, devoid of life: “You could not walk on the searing-hot molten rock that flowed there... or breathe the deadly poison gas that swirled there. Nothing could.” A purposefully vague timeline and streamlined explanations lend a simple, poetic presence to each page (“A sky full of water vapor poured down as rain. For millions and millions and millions of years, it rained. The rain formed huge oceans”). Washed in a rainbow of neon colors, Diemert’s inventive portrayals of nearly unfathomable times—a molten-red Earth assailed by meteors, marbled undersea rock formations, long-vanished species—will spark readers’ imaginings of a nascent Earth. (“Human life is a speck in time in the history of old Earth,” Gladstone notes.) A concluding “Look Again” section reproduces the 18 illustrations in miniature and provides details about the eras they represent. Ages 4–up. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"When Planet Earth Was New works well on two levels: as a picture book with appeal for curious visual learners, there is plenty of striking detail, color and animation. Secondly, the extra science facts will satisfy stronger readers."

Canadian Review of Materials

"Beautiful and thought-provoking, this nonfiction picture book has a great deal to offer."

Booklist

"An epic retelling of our planet's origin story... When Planet Earth Was New nails the sense of majesty and mystery that ought to accompany any look at the planet's beginnings."

Quill & Quire

"This book is beautiful. It provides a great entry point to discussing evolution and the history of our planet, and it serves as a good launching point for further research."

Picture Book Power

"Fusing art and science... Striking, otherworldly illustrations from Katherine Diemert show the constantly evolving landscapes in fantasy-rich hues in this beautifully unique journey through space and time."

STARRED REVEIW Foreword Reviews

"This perfect union of words and images telling the story of their awesome planet will mesmerize children and adults alike."

Shelf Awareness

"Beautiful and thought-provoking, this nonfiction picture book has a great deal to offer."

Booklist

07/01/2017
Gr 1–3—Beginning with the formation of Earth millions of years ago, this work introduces the concept of evolution in a picture book format. Simple text describes Earth's slow progression from a lifeless, hot, and gaseous place, hostile to living things, to a land of mountains, oceans, and early life-forms. Creatures of the seas, skies, and land either evolved or became extinct. The narrative emphasizes that our planet will continue to transform. Striking, slightly surreal illustrations complement the prose and offer much to contemplate, from an Earth covered in molten rock to a present-day city. The "Look Again" section offers readers a second chance to find more subtle details in the artwork. VERDICT A broad overview of the evolution of our planet, and a fine addition to science collections.—Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, formerly at Trinity-Pawling School, Pawling, NY

School Library Journal

2017-06-05
Over billions of years of history, Earth has undergone amazing changes.With a lyrical text and 16 illustrations bleeding across each spread, this picture book surveys the immense stretch of time between the formation of the Earth and the heavily populated planet we know today. Gladstone's free-verse poem describes stages: lifeless molten rock and poison gas; mountains forming; rain filling the oceans; life beginning as "mats of slimy green" and "mounds of strange rock"; oxygen filling the air; life evolving in the oceans and then on land; species living, thriving, and dying; until, finally, the species we know today appear, including "people like you and me." Concluding that "human life is a speck in time in the history of old Earth," the author reminds readers that Earth is "greener and bluer, / more comfortable and much cooler" than it was billions of years ago when it was new. A final spread repeats all the illustrations as thumbnails, asking readers to look again for specific details the painter included. Created using a mix of ink, collage, and digital media, Diemert's images are allusive and striking. The text is set on a band of color that matches the dominant color of each painting. The narrative, though simple, is relatively accurate, reflecting current scientific thinking. A dramatic demonstration of geologic time for thoughtful readers and listeners. (glossary, author's note, sources) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews

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