Once Upon Another Time

March 1, 2021
Grades K-2 Beautiful images of long ago come together with lyrical text to transport readers to a past that is almost forgotten but that we would benefit to remember. They will experience calm and wonder as they see an Earth during a time before humanity made its mark, full of untouched greenery, wild spaces, and animals roaming free. The luminous, peaceful illustrations depicting an era before buildings, cars, and modern technology contrast sharply with those depicting our busy, cramped, and almost too-loud present day. The rhyming text perfectly complements the art, encouraging readers to disconnect from the everyday devices that consume our days and explore this other time by stepping out into the nature that is all around us. The text also serves as a reminder that this natural world is being threatened every day--and as a call to action for readers to begin taking part in preserving it. A necessary addition to picture-book collections.

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June 1, 2021

K-Gr 2-The authors use playful rhyme and sweeping landscapes to remind readers about a time "before one human step" was taken. Each outdoor scene depicts the best of each season. Landaz�bal's artwork teems with abundant wildlife, pristine bodies of water, and clear skies. These "another time" pictures are contrasted with views of a modern city and the airport and towers that surround it. Skyscrapers and busy roads replace any kind of greenery in the city center. Halfway through the book, an illustration with dinosaur fossils shows the two time periods coexisting, and then segues into ways children can experience the richness of these earlier times. The suggestions (e.g., to breathe in the same air the dinosaurs breathed, to play in puddles, to put down screens and look up at the clouds) are active, mindful, and free activities that focus on difference senses. They include activities that can be done alone or with family and friends. VERDICT For Earth Day shelves, but all year around. It's a near-perfect way to remind children of all their planet has to offer.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake P.L., Alta.

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