Review: My Friend Earth

Within the pages of this book, the narrator tells the story of their friend, Earth, from the moment she wakes up from a winter nap, to her next naptime the following winter. Earth encounters many animals, from the miniscule to the mountainous, for whom she acts as a guide and protector, returning lost baby zebras to their mothers and taking care of a vast number of sea creatures.

Patricia MacLachlan’s writing, rhythmic and immersive, vividly evokes the sights and sounds of nature. The text and accompanying illustrations carry a message of environmental awareness while also educating young readers about natural elements and phenomena such as rivers, mountains, rain and snow.

Francesca Sanna’s colour palette evolves from wintry pastels to vibrant greens, summery blues and autumnal shades of orange and red, signalling seasonal changes on every page. Some pages are beautifully cut so as to create a layering effect, while others use cut-outs so that the landscape of each double-page spread allows for an interactive and playful read, reminding the reader that everything in nature shares a connection.

MacLachlan and Sanna portray Earth as a lively young girl, encouraging readers to view our environment as something that is to be nurtured and cherished, reminding us of all of the other life forms who share this planet and their dependency on us to look after it. This is a beautiful picturebook that is sure to entertain while also bearing an important commentary about looking after the world around us.

You can buy a copy of My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Francesca Sanna here:

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Thank you to Children’s Books Ireland for providing me with an advance review copy of this book.

This review was originally published on http://www.childrensbooksireland.ie.