Our Big Home [Paperback]

Linda Glaser (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A beautifully illustrated celebration of the air and water and soil and sky and sun and rain that we all share! Long-time Millbrook favorite Linda Glaser teams with best-selling illustrator Elisa Kleven in this clear and direct concept book about the coexistence of human beings with other living things in this big home we call Earth.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Glaser's (Compost!) joyous appreciation of the interconnectedness of all living things forms the heart of this celebratory picture book; Kleven's (City of Angels; Abuela) brilliant, busy art gives it its soul. In lyrical free verse stanzas, the author exalts the life-giving rain, sun, soil and air that enable numberless plants, animals and "you and me" to inhabit a most amazing planet. Her exhilaration inspires a message of ecological respect without ever mentioning it directly. The text would be merely sweet on its own, but Kleven's kinetic mixed-media compositions, pulsing with flurries of color and light, swirl and flow as they accentuate the poem's happy rhythms. She creates a vibrant tapestry of people and nature in many settings: a city park, backyards, gardens, a sunset in the Middle East and a nighttime African savanna. This title is a good addition to the Earth Day picture-book canon, but it also stands apart as a sunny look at the wonders of the natural world. Ages 5-9. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-A joyful celebration of the Earth with the important environmental message that we share the planet not only with all the various people of the world, but with the plant and animal worlds as well. The loosely rhymed poem describes water, sun, soil, air, wind, sky, night, and moon and serves as a breezy introduction to ecological interdependence. Kleven's colorful artwork is full of subtle detail and depicts children and adults playing, dancing, relaxing, and working all over the world-from the African plain to a Caribbean island to a South American mountain. The artist uses an effective mix of media, from collage to chalk, to portray depth of scenes and vibrancy of detail. A lively look at "-our big blue-green, growing-sun-warmed-life-giving-precious living home."-Rosie Peasley, Empire Union School District, Modesto, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761317767
• ISBN-13: 978-0761317760
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Environment
  • #58 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Explore the World > General
  • #83 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Environment

More About the Author

Linda Glaser's grandparents emigrated from eastern Europe in the late 1800's to New York City, where they first saw the huge statue. Also the author of the immigrant novel, BRIDGE TO AMERICA, Ms. Glaser lives in Duluth, MN.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entering a Magic World, November 30, 2000

By 

Kevin O'Brien (Orange, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Our Big Home (Reading Rainbow Book) (Hardcover)

"Our Big Home: An Earth Poem" is a delight for both children and adults. The words and images on each page joyfully engage the child in each of us to awaken to the interconnectedness of all life. If you're looking for a book to inspire and reinforce a young child's sense of wonder, I recommmend "Our Big Home." Linda Glaser's text is poetic, informative and sunny, with an enticing, playful lilt throughout. The accompanying illustrations by noted children's book artist Elisa Kleven are brimful of charming details that children will enjoy discovering and re-examining over and over. The poet Hopkins once said, "There lives the dearest freshness deep down things." Remember how a book in your childhood opened up a whole new world? This book captures that "dearest freshness" of our "big home" in a magical way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our Big Home, December 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Our Big Home (Reading Rainbow Book) (Hardcover)

What a beautiful book! It's filled with joy and a sense of wonder at this home all humans share. The illustrations go perfectly with the text, offering young readers (and non-readers) delightful images to spend long moments studying. The rhymes are gentle and flowing, like the message. A great gift for anyone sharing our precious, living home.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Environmentally Correct, November 17, 2000

By 

jill phillips (Eveleth, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Our Big Home (Reading Rainbow Book) (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book so much! The rhymes were wonderful and seemed to just flow off my tongue as I read them to my child! I loved the illustrations---so bright and cheery! I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It's a perfect bedtime story for any child.