CBR15Passport, from other country (author and illustrators are both currently living in the UK and grew up one in the UK and one in the Seychelles Islands)
There are several books about environmental and the impact we have on it. This picture book by Isabel Otter takes that idea and has a young girl write a love letter to the Dear Earth allowing us to see both the impact, and things we can do to help. It is about how Tessa (the young girl) loves all the pieces and parts of the Earth. We see how she respects them and cares for them. From the waters to the animals to the plants and everything in between, Tessa knows how important it is for her, and the rest of us, to care for things.
Clara Anganuzzi’s illustrations are what make the story for me. We know the story of a granddaughter and grandfather caring for each other and the earth, but the artwork Anganuzzi makes is what opens the fantastical world around our characters. While a completely realistic tale, the imagery is fanciful, and magical it. There are “foggy images” that make things seem magical (and since the girl is traveling around the world, it is a fantasy story too). Colors are both popping off the page and melting into it. The images are soft, bold, and strong. They set the tone of the text. In many ways, they are the main character of the story.
A book that works for most ages and can be a read aloud to a group or one-on-one. There are activities at the end that will allow children (and of course, adults) to participate in creating their own letter to Earth and much more.
