Once Upon Another Time
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- $24.99
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- $24.99
Publisher Description
Once upon another time,
the world was young and new.
If you want to know this world,
there's something you can do...
With sweeping landscapes and up-close details of the natural world, Once Upon Another Time takes readers through a lyrical exploration of the world as it was before humans made their mark. Contrasting the past with the present, this expansive picture book serves as a warm invitation for children--and all people--to appreciate, explore, and protect the magic and wonder of this planet we call home.
Written by award-winning authors Charles Ghigna and Matt Forrest Esenwine, and illustrated by Andr‚s F. Landaz bal, Once Upon Another Time is a stunning portrait of a world that used to exist, and can still be found--if you just know where to look.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In upbeat rhyming couplets, Esenwine and Ghigna paint a portrait of the world pre-Anthropocene, offering descriptions of natural landscapes ("The land was fresh, the air was clean,/ the valleys lush with shades of green") before comparing the contemporary world ("There were no drones or airplanes/ flying past a smoggy sun./ There were no phones or internet—/ the webs were spider-spun"). The book then transitions to the present, offering meditative sensory details and urging readers to center themselves in the natural world: "Leave behind the phones and screens,/ and take a step outdoors./ Breathe in air that once was shared/ by monstrous dinosaurs!" Landazábal adds landscapes in a dreamy, sponge-textured style that combines modern and retro influences. Though the authors' argument feels a bit oversimplified, this is an evocative encouragement to experience the glory of nature. Ages 4–8.
